Shanta Spine Hospital, that’s how my hospital is known to people. It’s a name, it’s a identity, it’s a place where we deal with spinal disorders, it’s a place where we see patients only between 11 to 3, it’s a place where we deal only with emergencies on Saturday and Sundays. It’s a place of bricks and mortars to many but for me it’s Mother-Like. Shanta is my mothers name, would have named any other name, whatever would have been my mothers name. It’s a connect between a child and his mother, a bond which is beyond the name. Right from the day I started my hospital, I feel it has helped me, taught me, how to take the first step, to balance myself, to walk and finally to run.

As we enter the hospital, I always bow down to this philosophy and principle which has bestowed so much of love and care from my patients, by my patients and for my patients.

This was ingrained in me by My Philosopher, My Guide, My Mentor, My Torch, My Father-Figure Dr Manu Kothari. Sir has changed the genetic map of me and many like me from KEM Hospital. This quality was picked by my dear local guardian Mr Mahesh Elkunchwar who gifted me this Shlok on the day of inauguration.

All the rooms in the hospital are named as Gyan, Bhakti, Seva, Anukampa, Chintan, Karuna, Daya, Shram, Prem. Under the knife whenever I operate a life is throbbing, a life which needs all the above qualities depicted on the rooms. These are qualities of a Surgeon which Dr Kothari felt and believed that I should depict on my rooms.

Library of the hospital is named as Saraswati, there is a misconception that Saraswati and Laxmi don’t go hand in hand. It’s actually interrelated, Saraswati is the theoretical part of each and everything while Laxmi is the applied part of the knowledge and the principles which Saraswati gives you. Without Saraswati there is no Laxmi and without Laxmi, Saraswati cannot expand. Corollary to the basis of Saraswati is Distribution of Knowledge. I started my foray into Spine surgery under the guidance of my teachers Dr VJ Laheri at KEM Hospital, Dr MG Fehlings and Dr Stephen Lewis at Canada. I’m aware that for The expansion of continuous growth of knowledge, one life time is too short. Pursuit of Excellence is limitless and endless. For this purpose we have fellows attending so that we can grow together and contribute to the literature by peer reviewed publications.

The hospital is not only bricks, mortars or walls. It is LIVE, it’s like Live vegetable- I become what I eat everyday, it becomes me. My staff are extension of me. They are like my arms, my wings. The word Surgery was etymological derived from the word Kar- Karigar– Karigari– went to the Greek and got converted to Chirugie and Chiruger to Surgery. It was in Greece where fine and close observation by Leonardo and many legends, the function of biting of bird was identified. This led to invention of instruments which were engineered to perfection for all modes of life including surgery. The Doctors, Nurses, OT Technicians, Ward Boys, Cleaners and receptionists are like part of my self. They are my extensions.

Finally the soul of the hospital are her patients, if you can’t keep your soul happy the rest will crumple so whenever a patient gets unhappy or angry with me, I take it as my education and try to improvise on it.

My journey with my practice taught me

  • Introvert is not insecure.
  • Humility is not self-doubt.
  • Silence is not ignorance.
  • Authority is not influence.
  • Kindness is not weakness.
  • Generosity is not loyalty.
  • Wealth is not health.
  • Privilege is not entitlement.
  • Calmness is not acceptance.
  • Appearance is not happiness.
  • Simplicity is from conquering not ignoring complexity