Meet Captain Saurabh Salunkhe: The Army Doctor Who Helped an 8-Year-Old Boy Speak for the First Time

In the remote village of Duggan in Kathua district, Jammu and Kashmir, an eight-year-old boy named Akshay Sharma uttered his first words after years of silence. The transformation was made possible not by advanced medical equipment or specialist intervention in a city hospital, but by the persistent, self-directed efforts of Captain Saurabh Salunkhe, a young officer of the Army Medical Corps serving as Regimental Medical Officer (RMO) of 7 Sikh Light Infantry.

This story, which emerged in national media in mid-August 2025, exemplifies the Indian Army’s commitment to healthcare outreach in underserved border regions and the profound difference one dedicated individual can make when formal systems fall short.

The Boy Who Lived in Silence

Akshay Sharma, a Class 3 student at Duggan High School, was born with a cleft lip and palate — a congenital condition in which the lip and/or the roof of the mouth do not form completely during early fetal development. He underwent corrective surgery at approximately three to three-and-a-half years of age at Pathankot Civil Hospital. While the operation successfully addressed the anatomical defect, it could not resolve the physiological challenges affecting speech production.

Following surgery, Akshay’s family — including his father, Kulwant Sharma, a labourer and civilian worker with the Indian Army — lacked access to specialised speech therapy services. In the remote setting of Duggan, with limited financial resources and no nearby facilities, the family hoped natural development would eventually enable speech. It did not. Akshay remained unable to speak, growing up in near-total silence despite being an otherwise healthy and intelligent child.

A Doctor Serving Beyond the Call of Duty

Captain Saurabh Salunkhe, an alumnus of the Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC), Pune, had previously served at 167 Military Hospital, Pathankot. In his current field posting as RMO of 7 Sikh Light Infantry in Duggan, he was responsible for the health and operational readiness of troops while also extending medical support to local villagers through regular camps — a common practice in remote and border areas where civilian healthcare infrastructure is sparse.

During one such medical camp in mid-June 2025, Akshay was brought for a check-up. Captain Salunkhe conducted a detailed examination and determined that the boy’s condition was reversible with appropriate speech therapy. No trained speech therapist or facility existed in the area. Rather than refer the case and move on, the young officer took personal responsibility.

Self-Education and a Structured Path to Speech

Although Captain Salunkhe had received basic orientation in speech therapy during his internship, he had not practised it extensively. Undeterred, he researched techniques through available resources, including online platforms, and designed a progressive, low-cost daily regimen tailored to Akshay’s needs.

Therapy sessions lasted two to three hours each day and continued for approximately eight weeks. Captain Salunkhe structured the programme methodically:

• Initial weeks focused on foundational exercises — gargling to stimulate the vocal tract and build oral awareness, followed by controlled tongue and jaw movements to improve palate function.
• Subsequent phases introduced differentiation between nasal and oral sounds, progressing to labial sounds, then palatal sounds, and eventually throat sounds.
• Later stages incorporated alphabet learning, syllable formation, words, and full sentences, building both technical ability and confidence.

Captain Salunkhe later recounted the process in detail: “I started with the absolute basics. Initially, we practised simple gargling exercises to stimulate his vocal tract and build oral awareness. From there, we moved on to controlled tongue and jaw movements. In the first week, I made Akshay use his tongue and jaw palate properly. In the second week, I made him gargle daily and shout from the throat. In the third week, I made him speak labial sounds, and in the fourth week, palatal sounds. In the fifth week, I made him learn the alphabets, and we kept progressing like that.”

The Breakthrough

After weeks of consistent effort, the breakthrough arrived. Akshay began producing words and then short sentences. In an emotionally charged moment, he called out to his parents. Overcome with joy, the family described the event as nothing short of a miracle. Akshay has since continued to speak with increasing confidence; regular interaction with family and peers is expected to support further refinement of his speech.

Defence PRO Lieutenant Colonel Suneel Bartwal, in statements to the media, noted: “Their hope was revived when Captain Saurabh Salunkhe, an Army doctor serving in the area, met Akshay… Over the next eight weeks, the doctor dedicated two to three hours daily… The training began with simple gargles, tongue and jaw exercises, and gradually moved on to differentiating nasal and oral sounds, learning labial and palatal sounds, and finally practising throat sounds. Slowly, words turned into sentences as Akshay started speaking with confidence.”

Significance Beyond One Child

This episode carries wider resonance. It demonstrates the critical importance of post-operative speech therapy following cleft lip and palate repair. Surgery corrects structure; therapy retrains function. Without the latter, children may face lifelong barriers to communication, education, and social integration.

It also illustrates the unique position of Army doctors in remote postings. In many border villages, military medical personnel serve as the primary — and sometimes only — accessible healthcare providers. Captain Salunkhe’s initiative shows how individual compassion, combined with professional training and a willingness to learn beyond one’s immediate specialisation, can bridge critical gaps.

The story further highlights that effective interventions need not always involve expensive technology. Structured, consistent, low-resource therapy delivered with dedication produced transformative results.

A Testament to Service

Captain Saurabh Salunkhe’s actions embody the ethos of the Indian Army Medical Corps: healing and service in the service of the nation, extending care to soldiers and civilians alike. By restoring Akshay Sharma’s voice, he gave the boy not only the ability to communicate but also renewed dignity, hope, and participation in his community.

Stories such as this remind defence aspirants and the wider public that military service encompasses far more than combat readiness. It includes quiet acts of humanity that strengthen the social fabric in India’s most challenging terrains.