Dr Samdani is an Associate Professor of Medicine and Critical Care at Mumbai’s Breach Candy, Bhatia, Saifee and Reliance H.N.Hospitals. He has received more than 53 awards, delivered over 400 lectures globally and has several publications and trials. He is an eminent Physician, who has worked for the last 25 years to provide healthcare to the underprivileged, strengthened the Medical community, and joined the fight against emerging diseases.
He has been accorded with one of the highest state honours in 2020, The Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Jeevan Gaurav Puraskar for exemplary services in the medical field. He has been in the frontline along with his wife Dr Ruchi G Samdani in the fight against Covid-19 in India.
1) Which place, or city or country do you most feel at home in?
Born and brought up in Mumbai where I continue to live and practice, is where my home is. After all, Home is where love resides, memories are created, friends always belong, service always honoured, and laughter never ends. This is truly ‘Mumbai Meri Jaan (life)’.
2) What are your proudest achievements?
The Break Dengue consortium in 2015, wherein I collaborated with a global team to strategise an approach to fight Dengue in India and globally. Was also instrumental in orchestrating the formation of the World's First and Largest Biosafety environment, the BIO BUBBLE, during the ongoing Covid pandemic.
3) What inspires you?
It's Truly my patients that keeps me on. The zest to cure the sick keeps me kicking! The power of passing a smile to the entire family is priceless.
4) What has been the biggest obstacle in your career?
As a Doctor in India, the biggest obstacle has been the access, availability and affordability of world class healthcare to the needy and underprivileged. In my endeavour to overcome this, I served in rural India and at the State Police Camp to drive Awareness, Prevention, and Treatment of diseases.
5) Who has been the biggest influence on your career to date?
Shri. A.P.J Abdul Kalam, an aerospace scientist and former President of India has been one of the biggest influences in my career. His famous words “To succeed in your mission, you must have single-minded devotion to your goal” has been my driving force and echo every single day to me.
6) What is the best aspect of your current role?
The Covid pandemic has transformed the world and ‘DOCTORS’ into Warriors. Being able to provide medical care, treatment, empathy, trust and care to patients not only nationally but also globally is very rewarding and fulfilling. For, we are the world, and we are the people for each other.
7) And the worst?
In a resource reserved country like India, where treating patients becomes a challenge, especially during COVID times, the rising cases, increasing mortality and many at times helplessness at being unable to provide healthcare due to non-availability of resources is very trying and mentally exhausting.
8) What are your long-term goals?
My aim is to live in a Healthy - Disease free India, where good, affordable, equitable and competitive healthcare along with access to world class health facilities is available to every citizen - the rich, poor and underprivileged in every corner of my country because ‘Health is Wealth.'
9) If you were Prime Minister, what one aspect would you change?
If I was the Prime Minister of India, I would continue to invest a lot in Healthcare! I would change the landscape of the health infrastructure. Increase the government supported and aided healthcare facilities, introduce compulsory medical insurance for everyone, increase medical personnel and ensure standardised medical care is available to every Indian as a right rather than a privilege.
10) If you were marooned on a desert island, which historical figure would you like to spend your time with and why?
I would like to spend time with Mother Teresa who unconditionally took care of the neglected, needy and downtrodden. During my visits to Kolkata, I learnt the virtues of sympathy, and empathy from her actions and deeds. She was, till the end, true to herself and unchanged by fame.
