National Doctor's Day is observed on July 1 to honour the contributions of Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy. Photos Courtesy: Special Arrangement
Mumbai-based Dr Rajendra Sonawane, who is a consultant, GI & surgical oncology at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, always wanted to be a doctor because he was amazed by his family physician, during his teens. Interestingly, it was around the same time that he started playing the guitar because growing up in Pune in the 80s, he was exposed to a lot of classic rock and blues music and even had a great peer group of musicians in medical school and had the opportunity to perform in concerts and rock competitions in the country. That’s when he also had a very rewarding association with the well-known rock band Agnee.
While he had to give it up because of his profession over time, music and the guitar kept calling him back and so he picked it up again a few years ago, and it transformed his life. He not only uses it to de-stress at the end of the day but also stays away from social media to learn complex music, making every moment worthwhile.
Dr Sonawane isn't the only doctor because even Dr Amit Sharma, a spine surgeon at city-based Saifee Hospital, picked up an instrument after falling in love with the sound while listening to Kenny G’s songs. He has been now playing the saxophone for five years and has developed a life-long love for music.
Music allows Dr Sharma to express emotions and is like meditation for. It reminds the Mumbai-based doctor that healing is not only physical but also emotional and spiritual. It is also why he makes time to practice while juggling his busy schedule, and treats it with the same respect as his profession by playing it for about 30–45 minutes a day, about two to three times a week
It was different for Dr Aneeta Bajaj, a radiologist with Apollo Hospitals, Navi Mumbai, who was born in a family of doctors. While she was inspired by how thankful patients were to her father, who had a clinic in Jabalpur, to become a health expert, it was her post-partum weight after giving birth to two chidren that inspired her fitness journey. She tried fitness regimes, including power yoga and Pilates. However, running is something that became her calling.
Starting with jogging, she then attempted a pinkathon 10-km run around 13–14 years ago before progressing to a half marathon, then a full marathon, and a few ultra-marathons. Now, she has started on a journey to do major world marathons. While she did the Berlin Marathon in September 2024, she is now on the road to the Sydney Marathon. During this time, she has had a couple of surgeries, a back injury, land ong-term antibiotics, but running is what kept her going.
Dr Pradyumna Oak, who is the director of Neurology & Stroke Medicine, Nanavati Max Super Speciality Hospital in Mumbai became a doctor to help people but says distance running keeps his mind as steady as his stethoscope.
Being an underweight, 50-kilo MBBS intern, it was cross-fit that first pulled me into fitness. Over two decades later, a friend coaxed him into running and the road has ruled his routine ever since. Just like Bajaj, even he runs marathons regularly by training for throughout six or seven months of complete discipline, for which he logs in five runs a week — 70 to 80 kilometres in total, along with a 30K-long run on sticky Mumbai weekends. Balancing his work with his hobby. Oak says time is of essence while treating stroke patients, so he recently shifted closer to Nanavati Max hospital to cut his travel time during emergencies. "Earlier when I used to stay at Wadala, I’d even clock an 18K run home after a midnight emergency visit if I’d missed training earlier — there are no cheat days for distance runners."
In the past decade, he has finished a dozen marathons across India and once stood on the podium at Maharashtra’s Durshet Half. Now he is chasing the holy grail, which is a 3 hour 30 minute Boston-qualifying time. Uptil now, his best is 3 hours 47 minutes, so the work continues for him. "Marathoning reinforces what I tell every patient—consistency, patience and respect for the body. With disciplined mileage, a protein-rich diet and staying away from any sedentary habits, I’m certain I’ll pin on that Boston bib before I turn sixty—and prove that life outside the operating theatre can be just as rewarding as the work within."
Dr. Aparna Govil Bhasker, who is a consultant Bariatric and Laparoscopic Surgeon, MetaHeal - Laparoscopy and Bariatric Surgery Center in Mumbai at the likes of Saifee Hospital, Apollo Hospital, and Namaha Hospital became a doctor to make a real difference in people’s lives and has been doing it for the last 19 years successfully. Since life as a medical student and expert later on can be tough, she picked up painting in 2012 and has been training and painting ever since to beat stress levels.
Painting for her is not just a stressbuster but more like meditation for her. It has become an integral part of her life and looks forward to it with child-like anticipation and excitement as it brings continuous joy in her life.
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