02/04/2025
This one hack has made my life very happy and peaceful.
For years, I rushed through life…fly in, train, fly out. No detours, no distractions.
After my accident, I live different, which makes everything so much more worthwhile.
This Monday I was at Bangalore for advanced robotic surgery training at MS Ramaiah Institute.
A single day to sharpen my skills, learn new techniques, and refine the finer nuances of robotic hernia repair to be mentored by the great . Sreedhara V Setty—a doyen of robotic surgery in India.
However, along with this incredible learning experience, I want to share something interesting.
You see, earlier I would have done this differently.
Fly in, attend the training, maybe shake a few hands, and fly back.
No distractions… just the work. That’s how I used to approach things in life before.
This time, I made space for more.
The day started early. Before the training, I met my sister for breakfast made by her alongside Rameshwaram’s famous Tattai Idli.
There’s something grounding about sharing a meal with family... it reminds us who we are beyond our profession.
The training itself was, as always, intense and rewarding. These short sessions are necessary.
I believe surgery is not just about knowledge; it’s about continuous refinement.
So even after decades in the field, I know there’s always more to learn.
That’s why I seek out mentors like . Sreedhara. Every time I meet him, I leave not just as a better surgeon, but as a better human being.
His patience, his generosity with knowledge, it’s something I want to imbibe and carry forward.
After lectures and hands-on practice, I had a surprise. My classmate from MBBS days Dr Ravindra who is the top neuro intervention radiologist at Aster made the effort to meet me at the training center and share an authentic coffee.
Just half an hour together, but in that short window, we spoke so many things of our MBBS days.
In a profession that demands so much from us, friendships like these keep us anchored.
And then, before heading back, I squeezed a video call with to wish her eid mubarak in one last thing while having quiet dinner at airport.
I feel food is the best way to experience a place.
Frankly, for years, I operated on a strict schedule—get in, get out, keep moving.
But I’ve started to see things differently. We chase the next thing but forget to enjoy the moments… meeting people, revisiting old friendships, making space for personal time in between the grind.
And these are not distractions. They are the fuel that keeps us going.
Training with great mentors like Dr. Sreedhara alongside great surgeon from Kolkata Dr Sumanta Day takes us years ahead in our skills. Thank you Venkatgiri Bidkar .
Sharma.
And along the way, if we don’t make it so strict on ourselves—if we don’t rush through life and instead take the extra steps... meeting people, enjoying the food, sharing some laughter…
We collect so many stories along the way—stories we cherish for a lifetime.
I know it's a long post.
So I'll end it here, but before I say goodbye, I’d love to share three things I’ve learned:
Great teachers don’t just teach skills. They shape who we become.
Efficiency isn’t everything. We should take the time to connect, to experience, to enjoy... these experiences are invaluable.
Learning, refining, and getting better at our craft is a lifelong journey
