Memorial held for Wolverhampton doctor who served community for more than 20 years
The life of a family doctor who was also a prominent member of the Buddhist community in Wolverhampton was celebrated at a special memorial.
Dr Chaman Lal, who lived in Penn and ran Bradley Medical Centre in Bilston for more than 20 years, died in December after a three-year cancer battle.
His family held a memorial event at the Royale Banqueting Suite in Wolverhampton at the weekend for friends and patients who were unable to attend his funeral at Bushbury Crematorium last month.
Guests included Wolverhampton South East MP Pat McFadden. A sit-down meal and speeches were part of the formal remembrance.
Dr Lal was a devoted Buddhist and worked tirelessly to organise conferences with esteemed leaders in India, including a visit by Vishwanath Pratap Singh, former Prime Minister of India.
He moved to Wolverhampton at the age of 14, attending Graiseley School before going on to study medicine at Birmingham University.
He worked in and around Wolverhampton, eventually opening up his own practice at Bradley where he worked until his death aged 65.
He had one of the highest patient lists in the country for a single-handed GP before taking on another doctor five years ago to share the workload.
His family – widow Kamlesh Maman, sons Rishi and Rahul and daughter Ramneek – said he regarded his patients as his friends and became involved in community fundraising.
He once raised £30,000 for the victims of the Indonesian tsunami by organising a local walk. He was 65 when he died.
