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Dr. Smita Kolhe Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 4, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth1965

Age55 Years

BirthplaceNagpur, Maharashtra

ProfessionDoctor

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpouseDr. Ravindra Kolhe

FamilySons: Rohit Kolhe (Farmer), Ram Kolhe (Doctor)

Dr. Smita Kolhe Biography

Dr. Smita Kolhe is an Indian doctor and social activist from Nagpur, Maharashtra, known for three decades of work improving health and livelihoods in the B

Early life and background

Smita Kolhe was born in Nagpur, Maharashtra, in 1965. She trained as a medical doctor and earned an MBBS degree. Her hometown is Nagpur, and she later left city practice to devote herself to community work in remote rural areas.

Career

Dr. Kolhe spent roughly 30 years serving communities in Bairagrah in the Melghat region of Maharashtra. Early in her career she practiced medicine in Nagpur, but she moved to work alongside her husband, Dr. Ravindra Kolhe, to address healthcare needs among tribal and village populations.

Together the couple focused on primary healthcare, maternal and child health, and community education. Their combined efforts brought substantial reductions in child mortality in the area: infant mortality declined from about 200 per 1,000 to roughly 40 per 1,000, and pre-school mortality decreased from about 400 per 1,000 to around 100 per 1,000.

Beyond clinical care, Dr. Smita and her husband conducted workshops and camps aimed at youth, promoting improved farming techniques and encouraging engagement in agriculture as a sustainable livelihood. They also worked to help villagers access government beneficiary schemes tied to farming and rural development.

Personal life

Dr. Smita Kolhe married Dr. Ravindra Kolhe in 1989. The couple’s family includes two sons: Rohit Kolhe, who is involved in farming, and Ram Kolhe, who followed his parents into the medical field and aspires to become a surgeon to serve the region’s needs.

When she first moved into the community, Dr. Smita needed to gain the trust of villagers. An early personal challenge came when she gave birth to her first child in the area; her husband, who had been delivering babies in the community, assisted with the delivery. Despite complications and suggestions that mother and child be moved to a higher-level facility, she chose to remain in the community while receiving treatment alongside other residents.

Advocacy and community impact

Dr. Smita emphasized infrastructural needs as part of broader community health. When a state minister offered to build her family a house after seeing local living conditions, she requested instead that efforts be directed toward improving road connectivity. That advocacy contributed to road access for more than 70 percent of villages in the region.

Recognition and honors

In 2019, Dr. Smita Kolhe and Dr. Ravindra Kolhe were awarded the Padma Shri, one of India’s civilian honors, in recognition of their long-standing service to the Melghat community.

Public profile

The couple’s work received wider attention when they appeared together on a special Karamveer episode of the television program Kaun Banega Crorepati on December 4, 2020.

Latest updates

Dr. Smita continues to be identified with sustained healthcare and livelihood work in Melghat. Her family remains engaged with the region: one son farms locally and the other practices medicine with plans to train as a surgeon to fill a regional gap in specialist care.

Editorial Review and Sources

This F4U profile is written from publicly available career and profile information, then reviewed for clarity before publication. If you spot an outdated detail about Dr. Smita Kolhe, send the page URL and a reliable correction source to f4udotin@gmail.com.

Reference context: StarsUnfolded
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Recent Work

Padma Shri awardee recognition

Received the Padma Shri in 2019 for service to the Melghat community

2019
Television appearance

Featured on the Karamveer special episode of Kaun Banega Crorepati

2020
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Career Highlights

  1. Approximately 30 years of healthcare and community work in Bairagrah, Melghat, Maharashtra
  2. Significant reductions in infant and pre-school mortality rates in the region
  3. Advocated for road connectivity that benefited more than 70% of villages in the area
  4. Recipient of the Padma Shri in 2019
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Dr. Smita Kolhe born?

1965

What is Dr. Smita Kolhe known for?

Doctor

What is Dr. Smita Kolhe’s marital status?

Married

Who is Dr. Smita Kolhe married to?

Dr. Ravindra Kolhe