Scotsman Obituaries: Rupasree Tewari, doctor who championed women and children’s health, and Indian music​

Rupa Tewari: 'She had music not just in her voice, but in her soul' (Picture: David Bull)

Dr Rupasree (Rupa) Tewari, a community doctor in Fife and advocate for women, children, and South Asian culture in Scotland, died unexpectedly on 16 April 2025 in Nottingham. She was 76 years old.

Described by colleagues as “a breath of spring – always smiling, caring and putting others before herself,” Rupa spent more than two decades serving the communities of Fife through her work in sexual and reproductive health, child protection, and school medicine, before relocating to South Yorkshire, where she continued her work as Clinical Lead in NHS Rotherham’s Contraceptive and Sexual Health Services.

“She was a first-class doctor, all her staff, and patients loved her,” one colleague said.

Rupa was born in 1948 in Kolkata, West Bengal – the youngest of four children in a large, joint family household. She was adored by her much older siblings and cousins, and early on showed promise in both science and the arts. Though often asked to sit at the back of the classroom because of her height, she excelled in her studies and began training in Hindustani classical singing, a passion that would remain with her throughout her life.

Her decision to pursue medicine was influenced by her father, a physician who had served in the Indian Medical Service, a military division of the British Army during colonial rule. He later practised privately in Kolkata. She trained at RG Kar Medical College, commuting daily on the buses of Kolkata with a long plait, a shy smile, and a steely determination.

In 1977, Rupa married her classmate and fellow physician, Dr Sisir Kumar Tewari. The couple began their careers together in Giridih, in what is now the state of Jharkhand, working in a rural hospital with limited resources. If a patient needed a transfusion, a runner would alert local villagers to donate blood on the spot. The Tewaris were known for delivering babies safely at a time when maternal deaths were common and resources scarce.

In 1981, with their older daughter in tow, the Tewaris emigrated to the UK, seeking postgraduate training and a better future. Arriving in freezing London with only £50 and a suitcase, Rupa would go on to rebuild her career from scratch – retraining, requalifying, and eventually rising to Clinical Lead of the NHS Fife Sexual and Reproductive Health Services.

She and her husband both settled in Kirkcaldy, where they raised their two daughters, Nilanjana and Suranjana. Sisir was an Associate Specialist Gynaecologist and Obstetrician at Forth Park Hospital.

Throughout the 90s and 00s, Rupa became a tireless advocate for equal access to contraception, women’s health, and the wellbeing of under-served communities. She led clinics for contraception, menopause counselling, and provided pre-termination counselling with sensitivity and discretion.

She found the working culture and attitudes toward immigrant doctors in the UK challenging at times, but she persevered – earning the respect and praise of colleagues, including senior clinicians. In the 1990s, when few Indian families had settled in Scotland, Rupa held firmly to her heritage. She wore a sari to work every day of her professional life, describing it as her version of a business suit.

As well as her work in Family Planning, she served as a Senior Clinical Medical Officer in Community Child Health. She oversaw the care of approximately 5000 children as school doctor of institutions across Kirkcaldy, including Balwearie High school, Dunnikier Primary school, and Kirkcaldy High school. A local headmistress credited her with securing SeaView Primary school’s first dedicated school nurse.

Her work ranged from developmental assessments, to safeguarding children with special needs. She participated in multidisciplinary teams that brought together education, health and social care professionals, and was trained in video colposcopy for the medical examination of sexual abuse victims.

Rupa tutored medical students, GP trainees, and nurses in conjunction with the Universities of Dundee, Edinburgh, St Andrews and Sheffield. She was a practical and compassionate mentor who specialised in contraceptive counselling, IUD and implant fittings, menopause care, and youth advisory services. She regularly ran Saturday morning drop-in clinics for teenagers.

After the sudden death of her husband in 2002, Rupa rebuilt her life again—this time in South Yorkshire, where she was appointed Associate Specialist and Clinical Lead of the NHS Rotherham Trust Sexual Health Services. She again established herself as incredibly successful and popular in her workplace and was involved in the development of strategy around drop-in clinics, teenage pregnancy, cervical screening, menopause clinics and education on sex and relationships in schools.

She continued her training and upskilling and achieved membership of the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare, where she also served as an examiner.

In the later phase of her career, Rupa began work to address the rising needs of Rotherham’s asylum seeker population, and the lack of dedicated services for those experiencing domestic violence and sexual exploitation – especially where cultural stigma and shame created barriers to seeking help. She advocated for the creation of a forensic gynaecology service that would provide support for survivors of alleged abuse. While structural changes and funding limitations meant this service was never formally realised, her work brought attention to a deeply underserved population.

Rupa’s legacy reached far beyond medicine. Her husband, Sisir was heavily involved in establishing the Scottish Bengali Cultural Association, East of Scotland and Rupa hosted musical performances, taught singing, and was known for helping to organise joyful picnics, road trips, and community dinners.

She was proud to represent the Hindu community in Scotland when the Dalai Lama visited in 2004 and was also invited to the Queen’s Garden Party at Holyrood House.

Even in retirement, Rupa continued to promote Indian music and culture. She was active in her community of Yoga friends, Bengali Women's Support Group and the Rotherham Sangeet Choir of which she was the co-chair and founder member of – a project that aimed to bring people together through music.

Beyond medicine and music, Rupa was a talented cook, loved to travel, and was a passionate sewer, knitter and patch work quilter. She was an active member of sewing groups in South Yorkshire and Nottingham, and often gifted family and friends handmade treasures.

A simple Hindu funeral was held shortly after her passing, with a sitar processional by Partha Bose – one of her favourite musicians – who said of her: “She had music not just in her voice, but in her soul.”

She is survived by her daughters, Nilanjana and Suranjana; her sons-in-law, David and Aditya; her three grandchildren; and her extended family across India, the UK, and the US.

Rupa’s older daughter, Nilanjana, went on to study medicine at Aberdeen University and is now a consultant Upper GI surgeon at the Royal Derby Hospital. Her younger daughter, Suranjana, is a journalist for the BBC currently based in Singapore.

Rupa Tewari will be remembered as an accomplished and principled doctor who courageously built a full and successful life many times over, and in the process touched lives by embodying resilience, deep care, and love for others.

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