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A heartfelt National Doctors’ Day post by Indian chess grandmaster Vidit Gujrathi has turned into a social media storm, after the well-known hepatologist Dr. Cyriac Abby Philips, popularly known as The Liver Doc among netizens called out the use of the title “doctor” for Gujrathi’s family members. It sparked a fierce online debate over who truly qualifies as a doctor in India.
What is the controversy surrounding Vidit Gujrathi’s X post?
The controversy started on July 1 when chess grandmaster posted a selfie on X with his parents, wife, and sister, with the caption: “Happy Doctors’ Day to my entire family.” Excited followers asked them about their specialisations, leading Gujrathi to explain: his father is an Ayurvedic migraine expert, his wife is an MD Homeopathy specialist, his mother does cosmetology, and his sister is a physiotherapist.
But the tone of the debate undergoes a sudden change the following day when Dr. Philips replied: “I am sorry but none of them are really doctors.”
The post, by a doctor who had a large number of followers, was met with immediate outrage that splitted the users on the platform. While some of them supported The Liver Doc and called for more strict definitions of clinical medicine, others defended Gujrathi, calling the doctor disrespectful and dismissive of other health systems.
A question of professional integrity in Vidit Gujrathi’s family
Chess grandmaster Gujrathi initially remained quiet, but as criticism increased and his family came under online trial he hit back. Having defended their credentials and commitment to the work, he said, “They are qualified doctors who have healed quietly without requiring the limelight.” He had also blamed The Liver Doc for “pursuing clout at the expense of pulling people down.”
Later Gujrathi removed his first tweet and he posted screenshots of the exchange, standing solidly in defense of his family. “You and trolls like you don’t get to decide who’s a doctor,”. “You have no authority to define others’ lives or dismiss their work.” he further added.
How The Liver Doc opposed Vidit Gujrathi’s ‘doctor’ claim?
The Liver Doc, in turn, stood strong by his statement, saying his remarks were not meant to personally insult Gujrathi’s family but to clarify a professional medical distinction. “Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Cosmetology or Physiotherapy are not realistic clinical medicine… Physiotherapy is an adjunct to clinical medicine, but the rest are plain sham,” he wrote, adding that Homeopathy, in particular, has historically dubious origins.
I made a simple post out of gratitude.
I chose silence at first, because not every conversation deserves a response.
But when it turned into mocking my family, I stepped in.
If that means stepping out of my lane, so be it.
You and trolls like you don’t get to decide who’s a… https://t.co/jIno3uvvZ1— Vidit Gujrathi (@viditchess) July 3, 2025
The row has revived an age-old argument in India about who is eligible to be addressed as a “doctor.” If legally speaking, under the Ministry of AYUSH, Ayurveda (BAMS), Homeopathy (BHMS), and other traditional systems of medicine practitioners can prefix themselves with the “Dr.” They are registered under their own councils, distinct from the National Medical Commission, which governs allopathic (MBBS) physicians.
But the controversy exists regarding clinical competence. In fact, AYUSH practitioners can treat patients within their particular system but not for allopathy or prescribing conventional medicine. Critics would mainly claim that this difference gets confused in the general public’s understanding and even in rural healthcare practice.
Sofia Babu Chacko is a journalist with over five years of experience covering Indian politics, crime, human rights, gender issues, and stories about marginalized communities. She believes that every voice matters, and journalism has a vital role to play in amplifying those voices. Sofia is committed to creating impact and shedding light on stories that truly matter. Beyond her work in the newsroom, she is also a music enthusiast who enjoys singing.
