I am one of those lucky one who got more than I deserved from parents, family, teachers, students, friends and associates. Even organization like National Neonatology Forum of India (NNF) has given me more than due to me. During the glorious birth of NNF at Bangalore in the year 1979 I was unanimously elected in absentia the first Secretary of NNF and continued to be in undisputed command of NNF as secretary the longest ever for anyone for any professional organization. When  I am telling you my story, I am also indirectly touching on the development of neonatology in India  in general and NNF in particular. Many of my contemporaries will identify themselves this as their story as well….

My silky smooth success was not traveled without uneven path. Hard work,honesty,dedication and commitment as with anyone else did play a big role but more than this I believe, the unstinted support of colleagues, full hearted  support from nurses, blessing of teachers and the need of the hour gave me strength to pursue my goal.

My association with some of the tallest men and women in Pediatrics and Neonatology both in India and abroad, their observations, comments and encouragement, made world of difference in shaping my carrier. Even though most of the events happened some 35-40 years back, many “pearls” of comments still ring in my ears.

Ladies and gentlemen it is time to pay tribute, and tribute I must pay to several thousands of women and lakhs of beautiful angels (newborns) who showed me the path

Of practical neonatology right from the beginning of my carrier.

   I also salute Kasturba Hospital, Delhi, a hospital for women and children, with more than 6000 deliveries (1967) in a year. The sear load of newborns and associated problems forced me to develop keen interest in neonatal care and development of neonatal care unit which by 1980 became one of the best neonatal centre (infrastructures,care,training and teaching) in the country. It is here where I learnt as most ‘who-is who’ in neonatology of

             Moms                                  Angels                           Kasturba Hospital

I must salute University of California Medical Centre and Children Hospital of San Fransisco,USA,two amongst the ten best NICUs of USA 1n 70s and 80s ,where I was fortunate to work under “who-is-who” of neonatology,Drs.William Silverman,Wiliam Tooley,George Gregary,Phibs,Kitterman  June Brady, beside Leo Stern and William Oh of Cleveland University, Ohio who refined my knowledge and skills in neonatology.

  Silverman               Gregory              Kitterman               Phibbs                Tooley

The wonderful nurses here taught me more neonatology than any neonatologist and re-enforced my belief that it is efficient nurses and teamwork is the essence of effective and successful neonatal care.  Ms. Dolly David sister-in-in charge of my unit proved this to hilt when Ms. Cathy the nurse-instructor from University of Illinois, Chicago adjudged her as the best neonatal nurse she came across in India when we organized a advanced nurses training course in 1988.

    

With Nursing staffs In India, USA          With  USA AND UK Nursing Personnel

My Present NICU                  My Head Nurse at Kasturba Hospital, Delhi

I must also respectfully pay my tribute to my teachers and contempories who have been “who-is-who” of Indian Neonatology in 70s-80s.Foremost among them are Drs Shanti Ghosh, the mother of neonatology in India who initiated me in the specialty in 1963, P N Taneja who helped and encouraged to shape my carrier, Prof.O P Ghai & Prof.B N S Walia, my mentor, Profs.O N Bhakoo, Santosh Bhargava, Meherban Singh, Simin Irani my admirers, guide and philosophers, and many more.

  PN Taneja & Shanti Ghosh       Walia & Ghai             Bhakoo & Bhargava

                     Meharban & Irani           Shashi,Jayam & Narang

My best wishes to “who-is-who”of neonatology of India in making.My most exciting and rewardful experience has been the close encounter I had with several youngsters and upcoming neonatologists of the country. To name a few- Drs A K Dutta,Vinod Paul,Ashok Deorari,Sidhhart Ramji,Neelam Kler,Arvind Saili,Amitav Sen,Swarnrekha Bhat,Arvind Shenoi,Lalitha Krishnan,Shikher Jain and many others.

Bright Youngsters

I gratefully acknowledge the contribution of several Indian NRI neonatologist from USA, like Prof Vidyasagar, Vinod Bhutani, Shiva Subramanian whom I had the privilege of introducing to the Indian Pediatrician Neonatologists.Currently I am still in contact with Prof.McMillan of Canada, Prof.Edward Lawson of John Hoffkine, USA, Prof.Robert Cooke of Liverpool, Prof.Anthony Costello of London,Prof Sunil Sinha and Prof.Dublin of Birmingham, UK who continues to enrich me with latest in the field of neonatology.

      

Vidyasagar & Bhutani         With Dublin  & Team              With June Brady

                                                              With Leo

The publicity in print media did give me a kick or two, to work harder and earn name and fame. The first one came in 1977 when nursing staffs of Kasturba Hospital went on lightning strike and press reporter saw me feeding the babies in NICU.The next day they splashed the news “He Loves Babies” in Hindustan Times. Thereafter there have been several headings in national newspapers like “Chunotia Shishu Pran Raksha Ki” in Nav Bharat Times, 1977, “Swadeshi Upkarano Ki Videshi Dwara Prashansha”- Hindustan, 1977, “Importance of Equipments in Newborn Care” – Indian Express (all during International Congress of Pediatrics Convention in Delhi,1977), “1.5 Million Newborns Die Within 28 days Says Dr.Dipak Guha – Statesman,1992 etc.This print media publicity certainly gave me feeling of satisfaction of achievements.

 

                                                

“Oriental hyperbole” alone expresses the depth of “oriental  gratidude”.If the Indian ocean were an inkstand, the highest mountain of the Himalayas the pen, the earth the scroll and time itself the writer, still it will not return the debt of my gratitude to all the men and women with whom I had the opportunity to be associated with.

With ocean of exposure and opportunities which came my way, when I ponder on my achievements I wonder if another person of better intelligence would have achieved more. May be I am only a man of few talents of skin depth. Well it would be safer if I leave the judgment to the readers.