9092 with the neurosurgery and orthopedic wards forced to accommodate patients on mattresses on the floor due to the demand last years statistics indicate 560000 patients visited the opds in the ophthalmology department naik has seen patients numbers increase five fold over three decades his wife dr preetam is a health officer at the urban health centre in panaji his daughter completed her engineering degree in information technology and his son is a dentist preparing for postgraduation he has travelled with his family around india where he was invited as examiner to various universities he continues to be a postgraduate guide and professor of goa university students who come to the goa medical college are the crme of the higher secondary students of the state he says they are all meritorious and welldisciplined too their intelligence level is much higher today since theyre all computersavvy and do a lot of surfing on the internet as a professor i would say it is more challenging to lecture this generation as theyre very well informed about everything naik was awarded a national award last year by the indian medical association for his community service when one works diligently rewards pour in he believes it has been my experience you just have to work sincerely and timely promotions will come to you if you concentrate on your duties you neednt fight for your rights they are automatically granted to you