On the night of November 26, 2008, as Mumbai confronted a series of unprecedented terror attacks, doctors, nurses, ward boys and others at the JJ Hospital in south Mumbai worked frantically to save lives.

As the city lay in a state of terror siege, the 3,500 staffers at the hospital did all they could to provide solace to the victims.

Three hundred resident doctors are present at the JJ Hospital round the clock. Since the hospital also conducts courses for nursing students, there was no dearth of nurses either.

Three patients, who were badly injured on the night of 26/11, still visit the hospital for treatment. One of them suffered multiple fractures. "It will take 18 months to two years for it to heal completely," says Dr Chandanwale. "We managed to save his leg from being amputated."

He recalls how he first heard about something being wrong on the night of November 26 through an SMS sent by an agriculture officer in Alibaug, a town located across the harbour from the city, which informed the surgeon about reports of firing in south Mumbai.

When Dr Chandanwale called up the Mumbai police's emergency room, he was told that it was a fight between two underworld gangs.

Dr Sachin Jadhav was having dinner in the Lower Parel area, south-central Mumbai, when he received a call about the attacks. He convinced a reluctant taxi driver to take him to the JJ Hospital, telling him, 'I am a doctor and I am needed in JJ.'

The first patient arrived at 9 pm; the injured victims kept coming in for the next four days.

One doctor, who did not wish to be named for this feature, added, "It was easy to handle the emergency because there were no politicians and no relatives hindering our work."

Malathi Aggo, a nurse who was on duty that night, recalls, "I came to work at 11 am that day. I stayed the night and also late into the next day. Our entire team was here."

The doctors on duty at Dr Chandanwale's unit were Drs Nitin Mahajan, Piyush Gawai, Ameet Jadhav and Shashi Navle; the resident doctors were Bharath Loganathan, Nilesh Dharavale, Mohit Kukreja, Manu Bohra and Ashish Narang.

Then hospital dean Dr B N Sabnis and Superintendent Dr Jadhav made sure there was no shortage of manpower or equipment while treating the victims.

Though four agencies supply implants to the JJ Hospital, only one came forward to help out that night. Brothers Rajesh and Nilesh Tiwari not only took the orders but also supplied the implants in the middle of the night.

"They were brave to venture out when others did not even answer our calls," says one doctor.