Healing Lives With Compassion And Courage
In 2006, my family and I relocated from Indore to Delhi.
That move marked the beginning of a completely new chapter in my life.
I had secured what I considered my dream opportunity:
A position at a pediatric super-specialty hospital run by the Delhi Government.
I was entrusted with the responsibility of establishing an outborn Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for newborn babies.
At that time, such facilities existed in only two government hospitals.
The responsibility felt enormous.
At the same time, I deeply wanted my work to genuinely contribute to society.
Then, in 2007, a friend introduced me to Nichiren Buddhism.
That encounter transformed not only my personal life but also my understanding of healthcare and leadership.
For the first time, I began seeing my profession not merely as a career, but as a mission to protect the dignity of life.
Discovering A New Way Of Living
After taking faith, I started basing my actions on daimoku.
At meetings, I often heard members discussing concepts like:
Absolute happiness
Mission in life
Human revolution
These ideas deeply inspired me.
I began reading Ikeda Sensei’s writings on life and work.
Gradually, I started applying Soka humanism in daily life — especially at my workplace.
I became more conscious of:
How I spoke to patients
How I encouraged parents
How I treated colleagues and staff
In 2011, I enshrined the Gohonzon in our new home and joyfully offered my house for Gakkai activities.
Soon afterward, I took responsibility for a block.
Initially, however, balancing my demanding medical career with Gakkai activities felt difficult.
Particularly, I struggled to make time for home visits.
But through earnest daimoku, Gosho study, and consistent efforts for human revolution, I gradually expanded my capacity.
Slowly:
My home visits increased
Many new members joined the Soka family
Members began reporting beautiful victories
I realized something very important:
The more sincerely I cared for others, the more my own life expanded naturally.
Building Healthcare With Buddha’s Compassion
One guidance from Sensei deeply shaped my professional approach:
“Buddhism is an earnest struggle to win…. A Buddhist, therefore, must not be defeated.”
(Faith into Action, 3)
I determined to apply this spirit fully in my work.
After establishing our state-of-the-art NICU, our entire team worked with one guiding principle:
Treat every baby with Buddha’s compassion.
The results were extraordinary.
Within months, our NICU gained widespread recognition.
We became the first government hospital to successfully save neonates weighing as little as 550 grams.
Alongside clinical work, I immersed myself in research and teaching.
I:
Participated in national and international research projects
Guided postgraduate theses
Presented papers at conferences
Served as faculty at workshops and seminars
One major collaborative project with:
Indian Council of Medical Research
AIIMS Delhi
focused on neonatal infections and antibiotic use.
The findings were eventually published in a prestigious international journal.
The research received national and international media attention and later became the basis for government policy formulation regarding antibiotic use in NICUs.
At that moment, I truly understood how sincere efforts rooted in compassion can create value far beyond one’s immediate environment.
Leading During Times Of Crisis
In 2017, I was appointed Medical Superintendent of the hospital.
At the same time, I also began collaborating on a research project with a senior doctor from PGIMER Chandigarh.
Then came one of the most difficult periods for healthcare professionals worldwide:
The COVID pandemic.
Those years tested every aspect of leadership, courage, and endurance.
I challenged myself to take courageous action without fear.
Together with the team, we:
Made major infrastructure changes
Started an RT-PCR lab
Established a COVID vaccination center
Treated COVID-positive children
I also used national media platforms to educate the public regarding COVID in children.
Additionally, I developed educational training modules for nurses and doctors across Delhi Government hospitals.
In 2021, I received the Honorary Fellowship Award from the National Neonatology Forum India.
That same year, when the BSG Healthcare Division was formed, I renewed my determination to become an even more compassionate doctor as gratitude to my mentor.
A Fresh Departure Amidst Personal Challenges
In September 2023, I resigned from the position of Medical Superintendent to focus more deeply on:
Research
Teaching
A month later, under the National Health Mission, I started a Lactation Management Unit that provided mothers’ breast milk to sick newborns.
Then this year brought multiple personal challenges simultaneously.
My elder daughter had to undergo major surgery.
My father developed severe pneumonia.
My own arthritis flared up painfully.
Despite everything, I challenged myself not to retreat from my responsibilities.
As chapter chief, I continued chanting earnestly for every Women’s Division member in my chapter.
Gradually, many members began reporting beautiful victories:
A senior member re-enshrined her Gohonzon after years of struggle
A member on dialysis underwent successful kidney transplant
Another member resolved long-standing relationship issues with her in-laws
New leaders and members emerged joyfully
At the same time, I was appointed Honorary President of the Neonatologist Association in Delhi.
This role gave me further opportunities to educate doctors and nursing staff on neonatal healthcare.
I realized that every new responsibility was actually an opportunity to deepen my mission.
Creating Value Through Every Challenge
Toward the July 3rd WD Campaign, I increased:
My daily daimoku to over one hour
Home visits to three per week
Around the same period, I also received the opportunity to organize a three-day neonatal health conference in Delhi.
The conference became a grand success.
More than:
300 delegates
Faculty members
participated enthusiastically.
Meanwhile, many personal victories also unfolded beautifully:
My elder daughter secured admission to a top university in the United States
My younger daughter received the job of her choice
My husband’s business flourished steadily
My father also received tremendous protection.
His heart disease was diagnosed at the right time and he underwent angioplasty successfully despite advanced age.
My mother, who suffers from severe Parkinson’s, continues receiving proper care.
Looking back, I feel immense gratitude.
Sensei’s guidance helped me recognize my own true potential and transform obstacles into opportunities for growth and contribution.
A Line That Stayed With Me
“A Buddhist, therefore, must not be defeated.”
Reflection
In professions like healthcare, it is easy to become consumed by pressure, exhaustion, and responsibility.
But Buddhism taught me that true leadership begins with human revolution.
Real compassion is not limited to technical expertise.
It is reflected in:
How we encourage people
How we respond during crises
How we uphold dignity amidst suffering
My journey taught me that when we align our profession with a larger purpose, work itself becomes a form of contribution to humanity.
And often, the more sincerely we pray and act for others’ happiness, the more our own life expands beyond what we imagined possible.
Key Takeaways
Humanistic leadership creates lasting value in society.
Compassion and courage transform professional environments deeply.
Faith strengthens one’s ability to handle responsibility calmly.
Challenges become opportunities for growth and contribution.
Supporting others expands one’s own life condition naturally.
Forward With Determination
Today, I determine to:
Continue building a society that respects the dignity of life
Advance compassionate healthcare practices
Support and encourage members wholeheartedly
Deepen my mentor-disciple spirit further
Above all, I aspire to become Sensei’s foremost disciple by continuing to transform every obstacle into value, growth, and hope for others.
Inspired by a published Buddhist experience and retold with commentary, reflection, and adapted storytelling.