Book Review - The Reluctant Doctor by Balesh Jindal

 

The Reluctant Doctor – Stilettos To Stethoscope written by Balesh Jindal

Trigger alert – Some chapters in the book deal with crimes such as rape, abetted suicides and dowry-related torture.

This book is a candid account of Balesh’s tryst as a doctor in a little village named Kapashera.

Like the title suggests, the journey began reluctantly, for Balesh had dreams of pursuing medical practice in London. However, her father’s nudging brings her to a little clinic in Kapashera. Balesh meets the patients gradually, hoping that this would only be for a short term, but she spends the next thirty-eight years of her life as a doctor for the village and the nearby ones. Not just a doctor, she becomes a confidante, lending a helping ear to every patient in need and ends up building a rapport that far exceeds the relationship between a doctor and a patient.

Balesh has been very candid throughout her narrative, sharing both her moments of strength and weakness. Her narration takes the reader into her clinic. The scenes mentioned in the book feel like they are happening right in front of us.

Throughout the book, one harsh truth stares back at us – that it is never easy to be a doctor! You need another level of dispassion and detachment to perform, diagnose or even treat illnesses that can break your heart. Balesh writes about such instances with all the dispassion that she must have accumulated on her journey as a doctor. Some of the incidents where she hauls people of out danger zone are mind-boggling, and yet Balesh writes about them in a way that doesn’t come off as boastful or arrogant. Like a doctor, she states these incidents as another duty done right.

The patients that Balesh meets in her clinic stay in your mind for a long time. Mostly the child-patients. They break your heart and heal it too with their stories of suffering and survival. Her adult patients too are unforgettable. Some are innocent, some are arrogant, some are friendly, some are shy – the reader can’t help but relate to these people. They are from all walks of life, seeking solace not only for physical ailments but also for their struggles. Balesh’s transformation from a reluctant doctor to their confidante has been portrayed really well.

The last few chapters are heart-breaking in their content as they deal with crimes such as rape, abetted suicides, dowry-related torture cases, etc. Balesh has provided deep insights into the human psyche as she comes across victims and criminals that severely test her both as a human and as a doctor.

Balesh’s journey as a doctor in a village not only gives her a glimpse into the mindset of villagers but also shows her the vast difference in their lifestyle that modernization and globalization usher in. She reflects insightfully about the pros and cons that these two bring for the society.

I would have liked a better ending for the narrative as I felt the book ended quite abruptly. I would have loved to read a summarized review from Balesh about her tryst as a doctor and the life-lessons she has learnt from the numerous people that she got to meet on a daily basis. The story could have had a better finish. However, this doesn’t take away anything from the poignancy of the narrative.

Balesh’s journey is an inspiring one, and I would definitely recommend this book to everyone looking for some motivation and seeking a purpose to their lives.