I had done MBBS from Christian Medical College & Hospital, Punjab. At the age of forty I got a scholarship and thus was able to do Master Public Health from Johns Hopkins University, USA.
When I was a third year medical-student I realized that I would like to work for the poorer communities. I was a Church-sponsored candidate and I had to repay by serving three years in the Mission Hospitals. So, after Internship I worked at Clara Swin Hospital Bareilly, UP, Noor Manzil Psychiatric Centre Lucknow and Medical Centre Ganaur, Haryana.
I got married while I was working at Lucknow and moved to Delhi to be with my husband. My husband is a Civil Engineer. Next few years I worked for Charitable Dispensaries. God blessed us with two children – a daughter and a son. Later in 1986 I joined the Delhi Brotherhood Society, a Non- Government Organization as a Medical Officer. Soon, I was promoted to the post of Executive Director. It was in 1995, God so helped me to pursue my post-graduation at Johns Hopkins University USA.
I got a chance to be a consultant at the National Program for Control of Blindness at Nirman Bhawan. After finishing two years there I joined the Community Health Department, St. Stephen’s Hospital, Delhi. I retired after 21 years as the Head of Department. Thus, I was an active faculty member for 21 years (1999 – 2020). We are a department of 6 doctors and twenty other staff. We have a Community Medicine DNB (PG) seat.
In the department we give equal importance to Health and Social development. On the Health side we run various clinics – General OPDs, Antenatal Clinic, for Under five children, for Senior-citizens and under the Social-side we have a Creche for poorest of poor under five children, Child to Child Education Program, Old Peoples’ Centre. We conduct a lot of training Programs too.
Projects implemented by us, till the year 2020: Mother NGO for the Homeless Citizens, Humana People to People Foundation:(i) Kitchen Garden to enrich Elderly Homes in Delhi, (ii) A Model for Development & Health of Adolescents and their Families, Eli Lilly and United Way Worldwide: Home Care for MDR TB Patients, The Hans Foundation: Community Mental Health Project, and Indraprastha Gas Limited: Swastha Saarthi Preventive Health Program for Auto and Taxi Drivers.
I also shouldered the responsibility of Deputy Director (Material Management) of the hospital from 2012 till retirement. I chaired several committees – Emergency Preparedness & Disaster Management, Internal Complaints Committee for ‘Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace’ etc.
I am the first author of more than 25 published research papers for various Medical Journals. I continue to do so post-retirement.
