A Renowned Laparoscopic And Bariatric Surgeon From India.
LOOKING THROUGH THE HOSPITAL CORRIDORS Hospitals are places where life unfolds in its truest forms—birth, healing, pain, and sometimes loss. For most of us working in a hospital, our days are fast paced. They are measured in patient rounds, surgeries, emergencies, clinics, meetings, academics, audits …
This evening, I checked out of a hotel after attending a conference. The check-out counter was super-crowded and the hotel staff looked totally overwhelmed with the sudden rush. Despite their immaculate make up and perfectly draped saris, they looked harrowed and tense. With a frown …
Soon after we finished the question and answer session in a CME, a doctor came up to me and had a short conversation about weight loss medications.
Then he asked me, “Madam, are you a dietitian?”
I glanced at my colleague, a brilliant surgeon in her own right, and we both shrugged. Some things never change…..
I’ve been a doctor for 25 years and a surgeon for nearly 20. I’ve heard it all. Back in my post-graduate days, I was the only woman in the department of surgery. The general consensus was that I would leave within 6 months and probably waste a precious surgery seat. While the male PGs were proclaimed as “Doctors”, I was the eternal “Sister” throughout.
It was assumed that being a female PG in surgery was just the backdoor to practicing gynaecology in future. When I finally graduated, if people saw me in scrubs, they almost always assumed that I was the anesthetist. There was a lot unsolicited advice about the wrong choice of my chosen profession and ofcourse the assumption that—”Women in surgery never make it to the top.”
Today after nearly two decades, people still do not expect or accept that the woman standing in front of them could actually be a surgeon.
In the early days, I’d get angry and upset. I would react. The whole “sister” or “anesthetist” thing would set me off. But today? I just shrugged and laughed it off.
Because no matter what you call us, we are here—and we’re here to stay.
Women in surgery aren’t just breaking barriers, we’re shattering them. Women are leading departments and organizations, conducting complex surgeries, and showing the world what true excellence looks like. Women surgeons score higher on empathy and compassion.
Research shows that women surgeons actually have better patient outcomes and lower morbidity and mortality. People live longer when they’re treated by women doctors.
So call us whatever you like—but know this: the numbers of women surgeons are rising, the tables are turning, and the world better get used to it.
We’re not just here to stay, we’re here to thrive.
©️Dr. Aparna Govil Bhasker
©️Dr. Aparna Govil Bhasker Last week, my son had one of his first serious #publicspeaking assignments at school. As always, he wanted to set a benchmark for himself. With no siblings for comparison, he turned to my husband and me, eager to hear about our …
©Dr. Aparna Govil Bhasker “I am continuously trying, but I feel like I’m constantly failing.” This was the first thing she said when we started talking about her weight issues. She was a 32-year-old working mother of a 16 months old baby girl, struggling with …
Nineteen dietitians! That’s how many my patient had consulted before she walked into my clinic today for a consultation for #weightloss. She had tried everything—calorie counting, portion control, intermittent fasting, medical diets, naturopathy, —only to be met with the same assumptions: She must be eating too much. She must not be trying hard enough. It must be her fault.
“On one single day, eight different people commented on her weight. That night, she couldn’t sleep. Not because of hunger or discomfort, but because their words replayed over and over in her mind, louder than any diagnosis she had ever received.”
As a doctor, I see this all too often. People think that obesity is all about #gluttony and #sloth. Unfortunately, society has reduced obesity to an oversimplified equation: Eat less, move more. But if it were that easy, wouldn’t obesity have disappeared from our world by now?
The reality is far more complex. Obesity is a chronic, progressive condition influenced by genetics, hormones, metabolism, medications, gut microbiota, mental health, and more. Stress, sleep deprivation, and medical conditions all play a role. Food is just one of the many factors.
Yet, people tend to cling to this oversimplified narrative. They love to offer unsolicited advice without understanding the struggles that a person with obesity goes through. They don’t see the crushing frustration of doing everything right and still not seeing results. They don’t know what it’s like to wake up every day in a body that everyone feels entitled to judge. They don’t know the exhaustion of carrying not just extra weight, but the #shame and #stigma that is added to it.
I wish people would stop assuming. I wish they would see the person before the weight. And most of all, I wish they would understand—sometimes, the heaviest burden is not the body itself, but the weight of their words.
#ObesityAwareness #StopTheStigma #HealthNotJudgment #MoreThanFood #ChronicCondition #EndWeightBias #CompassionOverCriticism #MindYourWords #ObesityIsComplex #SeeThePerson #Bariatric Surgery #DrAparnaGovilBhasker
©Dr. Aparna Govil Bhasker Over the past week, I have been trying to figure out what is my real issue with the recent statement made by L&T Chairman, Mr. S. N. Subrahmanyan, proposing a 90-hour workweek. It’s not just him; similar sentiments were voiced by …
THE POWER OF A COMMON MAN ©Dr. Aparna Govil Bhasker My husband and I have always divided our household chores equally. If I order vegetables, he orders the fruits. If our cook doesn’t show up, either one of us can step in to cook. If …
©Dr. Aparna Govil Bhasker
As we step into 2025, a quarter of this century has already passed. It’s fascinating to reflect on the world of 1925, a hundred years ago, and to imagine what it might look like a hundred years ahead, in 2125. We are but travellers on the infinite road of time, covering a brief stretch before passing the baton to the next. Life in this universe, in its essence, is like a relay race—each generation carries the baton for a while before handing it over to the next, ensuring the journey continues.
And yet, in this grand relay, we often overestimate our importance. At most, we remember those who handed us the baton—perhaps one or two generations before us. But beyond that, the faces and names fade into obscurity, and eventually, all of us will be forgotten, our footprints washed away by the endless tides of time.
In our eagerness to sprint ahead, we sometimes miss the beauty around us—the vibrant moments, the connections, the simple joys that line the path we are traveling. We run so fast, striving for purpose, recognition, or legacy, that we tire ourselves out, forgetting that the race is eventually a relay and isn’t ours alone to finish.
This tendency to overestimate our role, to focus solely on forward motion, is uniquely human. Other living beings don’t run this race of overthinking; they simply exist, savouring the world around them. Whether this is a blessing or a curse depends on how we approach it. While it can inspire progress, purpose, and meaning, it can just as easily lead to stress and dissatisfaction. Perhaps the key lies in finding harmony—learning to embrace our unique drive while also taking the time to pause, reflect, and appreciate the journey.
As the new year begins, let’s resolve to run differently—not just for speed or significance but with awareness, gratitude, and a deep appreciation for the journey itself. After all, the baton will eventually be passed, whether we like it or not. Let’s ensure that while we hold it, we cherish the view and make the run worthwhile.
Here’s to a year of mindful traveling through life. Happy New Year!
Beyond the prescription ©Dr. Aparna Govil Bhasker I’ve always enjoyed talking to my patients, and as much as I love surgery, I truly cherish my time in the OPD. However, the time available in the OPD is limited, and we need to cover a lot …