MUMBAI, July 21 -- He spent his final days guiding medical students through patient care and mentoring them as he had done for decades, even as he lost his battle to cancer. On Saturday, Dr Rashid Merchant, 79, died in home care, leaving an irreplaceable void in Mumbai's paediatric community and in the hearts of all who learnt from him. Dr Merchant's contribution to paediatrics was monumental. In the 1980s, he played a pivotal role in establishing the neonatal department at the Nowrosjee Wadia Maternity Hospital, a critical addition for a hospital that treated 18,000 patients a year. The department evolved into a centre of excellence in the care of premature babies and a beacon for paediatricians and gynaecologists across the city. "He was a force to reckon with and a father figure to me. His life revolved around teaching and learning, and all his students will be forever grateful to him for that," said Dr Samir Dalwai, a paediatrician and former student of Dr Merchant. Dr Merchant, author of over 160 research papers, left an indelible mark on the study and prevention of HIV transmission from mother to child before birth. He advocated the regular screening and monitoring of mothers with HIV in the 1990s at Wadia Hospital. After serving briefly as the dean of Wadia hospital, he worked on thalassemia care at Nanavati Hospital, where served for over 30 years. He arranged for blood transfusions, ensuring new-age treatments for all patients free of cost, sometimes paying for them himself. A keen academician, Dr Merchant was also committed to researching new treatments for metabolic disorders in children. "I learnt so much from him, every day. He had these great one-liners we will remember him for," said Dr Tushar Maniar, a paediatrician and former student. Dr Merchant will also be remembered for his advocacy for living wills in India, a development still in its nascent stage. After gynaecologist Nikhil Datar became the first person in Mumbai to formally submit his living will to the civic authorities, many doctors reached out to him for guidance. Dr Merchant, who had been diagnosed with cancer 12 years ago, was one of them. A living will is an advance directive that outlines an individual's wish concerning their medical treatment in the event of her or his inability to express an informed consent towards medical procedures. "I was a resident in Wadia College under him (Dr Merchant) and then also learnt closely from him at the neonatal department, which as a gynaecologist is very essential. He was exceptionally well read and wanted to register his own living will. He truly believed in it," recalls Dr Datar, once a student mentored by Dr Merchant. More recently, Dr Merchant worked at Apollo Hospital in Navi Mumbai as a consultant. He also helped children with special needs, particularly autism and intellectual disability, at the New Horizons Centre. Dr Merchant was a true-blue 'Bandra Boy'. Former member of parliament and resident of Bandra, Priya Dutt, expressed her condolences on his passing. She said on social media, "Dr Merchant was a man of medicine, yes, but also a man of immense heart. The kind that quietly changed the world."...