On the evening of 14th July 2024, BSG hosted its 4th Healthcare Professionals Seminar, themed “Beyond Medicine: Cultivating Inner Well-Being for Holistic Health”. Convening nearly 1,000 BSG members and guests, the event celebrated the ethos of BSG’s Healthcare Division: compassion as the cornerstone of well-being.
The event kicked off with a powerful message from BSG’s National Healthcare in Charge, Ms. Jaya Rao. She encouraged the audience to think beyond the physical, emphasizing the importance of emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being.
Dr. Mamta Jajoo, a BSG member, then took the stage and shared her inspiring odyssey of enhancing neonatal care in India. Her experience exemplified the transformative potential of thoughtful and compassionate action.
The focus shifted to a lively panel discussion featuring a dream team of doctors – Sumit Sural, Rama Chaudhry, Sumedh Kumar, Manveen Gill, and Arupparna Sengupta. By weaving personal narratives into their presentations, they illuminated the practical application of “cherishing each individual” – a tenet of Soka Humanism – in their daily practice.
The spotlight then found its way to our distinguished speakers: Dr. Mathew Varghese (Head of Orthopaedics at St. Stephen’s Hospital and former Director at St. Stephen’s Hospital); Dr. Parveen Bhatia (Senior Consultant Surgeon specializing in Laparoscopic and Robotic Bariatric Surgery at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital); and Mr. Sujay Santra (Founder and CEO of iKure TechSoft, a population health management company).
Dr. Varghese, in his keynote address, declared that a robust set of values is the bedrock of a flourishing inner life. He then issued a timely reminder that the pursuit of technological advancements in medicine must not overshadow the fundamental importance of human dignity. The relentless march of medicine, he argued, risked leaving the vulnerable in its dust. His passionate words served as a compass, urging the audience to navigate the future with inclusivity at the helm. He closed with a poignant statement – “Medicine cannot be for profit, it has to be for compassion”.
Mr. Santra addressed the real-world challenges of healthcare delivery in rural India. Speaking of the underserved communities, he argued for a holistic intervention, one that digs deeper than clinical needs and considers the social and behavioural landscape. Noting that even in the next 50 to 100 years, it will not be possible to have doctors in every village, he introduced his unique and significant work of creating rural healthcare workers. Through these localized healthcare workers, iKure is making healthcare accessible to the last mile of the country. Speaking of the future, he made an important observation. He emphasized that a future powered by Artificial Intelligence in healthcare would require on-ground data from underserved communities – a gap his company, iKure, is actively bridging.
Dr. Bhatia brought the day to a harmonious close. Drawing lessons from the Buddha’s teachings, he shared that inner well-being rests on two precious pillars: optimistic thinking and knowing how to celebrate each moment of life. In closing, he issued a stirring call to action: Let love and compassion guide all our interactions. Adding them to the fabric of our society, he argued, is the key to unlocking a vibrant, joyful and healthy world. His words, laced with humour, resonated deeply, leaving the audience with a lasting takeaway and a sense of joyful closure.
In his concluding remarks, BSG Chairperson Mr. Vishesh Gupta invoked wisdom from SGI Founding President Mr. Daisaku Ikeda, stating, “A healthy body resides in a healthy mind, leading to holistic health.”
Some visuals from the seminar are attached below:
