Faint beeping sounds of the lifesaving machines filled the air. They served the perfect background score for my unusual thoughts at the time. There was a silent hustle bustle happening around me. I could hear the thoughts of the few people sitting with me at the waiting lounge of Asian Heart Hospital, Mumbai. All our thoughts were in unison. There was a death-like silence in between all the chaotic emotions. The elevator opened and the nurse emerged. She was not alone but with some news, the news that we all were waiting for an hour now. She informed us about the extent of the surgery. I felt suffocated with the knowledge that the surgery is in progress. Being a medico, I could vividly imagine and calculate the entire process. Chills spread through my entire body. I switched off "the doctor" switch and chose to be "the daughter". To be a strong and responsible daughter is what the situation demanded from me when my father was undergoing a major heart surgery one floor above the waiting lounge.
A few days back, on 10th January 2017, I was ecstatic for getting qualified in the preliminary state civil services examination. 4 years of working as a full-time Dental Surgeon made me realized that I am a "people's person". A position like Civil Servant would give me the desired platform, opportunity and recognition to work for the people and with the people. It was a dream. With the preliminary results, the initial stage was set. I had already formulated a blueprint in my mind to crack the Mains examination. I was determined like never before to face it. But little did I knew that I was preparing myself to face one of the biggest challenges of my life, which will not only try to break me but my entire family. One fine morning, my father had faint chest pain. The mild discomfort which we all thought was a normal acidity burn was a silent heart attack. It was confirmed by the ECG and ECHO reports. There were 5-6 major blockages in the arteries and veins about 99%. The surgery was scheduled at a small corporate hospital in Bhubaneswar. When I consulted the cardiac surgeons, I could decode the sheer inexperience in their talks. I was horrified when given a success rate of 85-90%. I was not ready to listen to anything less than 99-100%. After all, he was my father. My innocent mother had got no options but to go into a religious mode. My father, being aware of his condition, was waiting for the next verdict. Their eyes spoke to me to take the charge. Many friends and relatives rushed to help us but few were genuine. My brain was thinking at a thousand speed and hands were cold. I had to make the 3 most difficult decisions of my life.
The first decision was the easy one. I had to choose between the civil services mains exam and saving my father. Any sane person would go with the latter. So did I. I set aside my preparation and got my nerves ready for the impossible. The second decision was whether to go ahead with the surgery at Bhubaneswar or go for an alternate opinion from one of the best cardiac surgeons of the world with a 99.6% success rate. Sometimes when things get out of your hands, then just try to focus on the statistics and listen to your heart. I listened to my heart. I used all the networks and sources that I had made during my work experience to reach out to Dr. Ramakanta Panda, founder of Asian Heart Hospital, Mumbai. Otherwise known as "THE PRIME MINISTER'S SURGEON". He was more than generous to take us and lead us to the path of trust. The 3rd decision was the most difficult one. It was purely intuitive. A critical heart patient is not supposed to travel at any cost. But my inner self persuaded me to go for it. It felt like the entire universe wanted me to take the risk, a risk that involved life and death. Before we knew we reached Mumbai and my father was inside the operation theatre within 24hours. And I have a scared mother to console.
It was 11:30 pm, I was still waiting at the lounge. I was informed that the surgery was a success. I went inside the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) to meet my father. He was unconscious with a ventilator attached to his body. This man survived an 11 hour-long surgery and still breathing. I was overwhelmed with all kinds of emotions. I was relieved to see him breathing. My eyes broke their silence and cried until there are no more tears left. The next month at the hospital was all about dealing with the post-operative stress, depression and physical activity. My father was improving at a steady pace. At the hospital, I met people from every corner of the world. Our tears spoke the same story since we have a common challenge to face. We empathized with each other and stood there. We created a bond that was pure and beyond any manipulations. When things became normal, we returned home. My father never thought he will get a chance to enter his room again, but he did. Between all these, the civil services mains examinations flew by.
The next year was all about to bring back the normalcy. I stood with my family like a rock. On the other hand, this unusual situation unleashed the hidden potentials in me. While treating patients I became more kind, more serious and matured. I started seeing every situation from a very different perspective. How can you not get inspired by such vibrant people like my father and Dr. Ramakanta Panda around you? One taught me to fight against all odds and emerge as a winner. Another taught me how to be a leader and work with 100% precision. My time at the hospital inspired me to fight again with high spirits. Whenever I see the long surgical scar on my father's chest, I salute the fighting spirit of this man. I stopped dreaming about my goals after that and started working hard for reality. This whole situation changed my life. Sometimes, when I sit alone with a cup of tea in my hands, I wonder, what would have happened if I had chosen my dreams instead of choosing my father? What would have been happened if I had not taken the necessary risks? Life is all about listening to the inner callings and taking judicial risks. Failures, unfavorable circumstances and disappointments will break you down. But what needed is to rise above these, have patience, self-motivated and rise as a winner. With all the valuable learnings, I wore my running shoes on to run towards my goal again. I got selected to one of India's reputed B school in 2019 with the hope of becoming a leader in the healthcare industry. I wanted to be a part of revolutionizing the global healthcare sector. Here at B school, I am being tested for my patience and knowledge every moment but I am facing every challenge like I am born for this. I am valued here for my talents which I never knew I possessed. In the journey of life, one came across many people and many situations, but it takes just one to inspire you for the greater good. This was my story, my situation which has inspired my every cell and changed my life.
Aditya Birla Group- A way of life
"A civil engineer is going around the city with the vision to construct better roads, bigger hospitals, and bridges. All his visions are ornamented by a cement". The cement that I was aware of since I gain my consciousness. This was the advertisement of the Ultra Tech Cement that we used to see on TV commercials in our childhood days. The famous tagline saying "Build Beautiful" has been the vision of Ultra Tech cement. As a product of the famous Aditya Birla Group, it has done a tremendous job in changing the overall picture of urban and rural infrastructure.
This is just a drop of water from the giant ocean. Aditya Birla Group has been influencing our generation since we gained our consciousness. The biggest influence that it has in our generation is by acquiring ‘Pantaloons", the very famous clothing store having multiple brand outlets. It has been a one-stop shopping destination for people of varied economic backgrounds. Especially in Odisha, pantaloons have been my only multi-branded store for every festival, occasion, celebration and impulsive buys.
When I entered into B school, a corporate world demanded proper grooming and dressing sense. Fashion brands like Van Heusen, Allen Solly, etc., owned by AB Group has helped me immensely in achieving a perfect corporate woman look. The office going apparel that these brands offer us has done no stone unturned in making my life easier. Aditya Birla Group has done a tremendous job in witnessing our necessities at the right time and taking over these brand stores. Most importantly, it has captured the perfect essence of our choices by making the brands available at as many as cities as possible.
Whether constructing houses by Ultra Tech cement or buying ethnic wear for Diwali at pantaloons, whether getting the corporate pantsuit from Van Heusen or getting the aluminum wraps from fresh wraps, Aditya Birla Group has been influencing my life since my birth. I believe it will continue to make my life easier with new perceptions and ideas in the future also. The mission and vision of the group are to make our dreams come true. The inception of the group is to make our hopes turn into reality through its innovative ideas and social responsibilities. I, being a resident of Odisha state have closely witnessed the various social responsibility work taken up by the group for the state. The group went beyond its business boundaries to change the lives of many tribal populations, women, and children at Sambalpur, Bhubaneshwar and Koraput areas.
One group but many functions. Aditya Birla Group defines the soul of India. I hope to get inspired by the group by its holistic approach for many years to come.