At The Helm Of Care & Learning

In Grant Medical College, now in its 181st year, there is a legacy that is both historic and deeply relevant even today. It is the oldest and one of the most prestigious medical colleges and hospitals in the state, and it functions as an apex referral centre for patients from across Maharashtra. There is a certain pride in working here, because the scale of service is immense and the impact is real.

What sustains this institution is not only its history but its people. From Class 1 to Class 4 employees, everyone contributes to keeping the system transparent, accountable and responsive. During crises such as Covid, the entire workforce came together without hesitation. That willingness to stand united in service of patients defines JJ. It is an institution where tradition and responsibility go hand in hand, and where public healthcare is delivered with both efficiency and commitment.

I feel proud to be associated with the oldest institution for medical education in western India. I joined JJ Hospital as an undergraduate student in 1992. While working here, I have come across numerous people from different parts of Maharashtra who have abiding faith in JJ Hospital when it comes to healing and institutional care. In the coming years, I hope to improve upon this legacy.

Sir JJH and Grant GMC is not just a place where medicine is practiced—it is a place where you are gently embraced and adopted. I have journeyed through esteemed medical institutes during my academic and professional tenures, and have evolved through diverse experiences. But JJ has a way of making you belong. There is rich heritage in its corridors, urgency in its wards, and an unspoken promise that no one stands alone. From pioneering the first Department of Paediatrics in a medical college in India to the first human milk bank in a state government hospital of Maharashtra to establishing the first Paediatric Tuberculosis Centre of excellence for western India, JJ and GGMC don’t chase legacy, they build it, patiently, child by child. What stays with me most isn’t only the research, the rankings, or the state-of-the-art facilities. It’s the way students, nurses, and faculty rush to lift someone when they fall—sometimes in spirit, and sometimes in the most tangible sense. It’s residents calling a village sarpanch so a child can complete its treatment. This is where excellence and empathy coexist, where learning is relentless, care is collective, and service is instinctive. JJ doesn’t just train doctors; it raises a family that never stops showing up.

Sir JJ Hospital is not just a workplace for me—it is where my identity as a doctor was shaped. Studying here meant being immersed in a living heritage, where every corridor carries stories of generations of clinicians who learned medicine the hard way—at the bedside, with humility and responsibility.

What JJ taught me very early is respect for patients. You see disease in its most advanced forms, across every socioeconomic background, and that exposure builds not just clinical skill but empathy and resilience. The patient load is enormous, resources are often limited, but the commitment to care never wavers—and that, I think, is the true strength of this institution.

Returning to serve here felt like coming full circle. JJ gave me my foundation, and working here allows me to give back to the same system that trained me. There is a deep sense of purpose in contributing to an institute that has served the city and the country for more than a century.

One small anecdote that stays with me is how seniors here would stay back late, often without being asked, to ensure patients were stable—teaching us that medicine is not about duty hours, but about duty itself. That culture of quiet dedication is something you don’t learn from textbooks; you absorb it by being at JJ.

In many ways, JJ Hospital builds doctors who are clinically strong, ethically grounded, and socially conscious. I feel privileged to be both a product of this institution and a part of its continuing legacy.

I have been working at JJ Hospital since 2005, when I joined as a medical officer. We have a vast campus spread over 48 acres, which I am very familiar with since I studied MBBS here. This helps me greatly while working in the administration. I strive to ease out-patient procedures and resolve financial difficulties they face as far as possible by seeking recourse to government schemes, state funds and grants from nonprofits.

In 2022, I came across a 130-year-old tunnel on campus quite by chance, when I was trying to resolve a persistent leakage problem. I was intrigued when I spotted a ventilator-like opening at ground level during an inspection, in a building near the principal’s office. I ventured in, only to realise that what some old medical staff had said about a tunnel connecting two buildings may have been true. The archaeology department later sealed the premises.

I began my journey at GGMC in 2015 as an associate professor. Before that, I had been working in Solapur and other places. Back then, students were selected via CET, now there is NEET.

At GMC, I teach students enrolled in courses like MBBS, MD and PhD as well as skills-based courses. I have more than 30 publications in reputed national journals and am associated with 10 financially aided research projects, some of them in collaboration with cardiology, neurology, psychiatry and other departments.

I am the coordinator for the sickle cell project, which has been running since 2007. We have a database of 30,000 sickle cell and thalassemia patients across Maharashtra, identified through screening camps for anemic patients. We have organised screening camps in remote locations as well, with the help of nonprofits.

I was transferred here from Solapur in 2017. VMGMC Solapur was a small institution, with fewer students, but at JJ, I had to manage 250 students in one go and the workload was much higher.

We get a lot of students from small towns who are scared of Mumbai and find the institution imposing. There is a stark difference between them and students from Mumbai when it comes to standards of living and culture. Most of them also have a hard time grasping lessons delivered in English as they are educated in the vernacular medium. I make it a point to identify and counsel such students, and guide them through things like using the library or online resources; it usually takes them a year to get well–versed with things.

“The Department of Anatomy has one of the most unique and famous Anatomy Halls, a heritage structure, with a capacity of 500 students. Also, we have a huge museum with more than 600 unique specimens of the human body.”

I completed my MD from Nagpur and came to JJ Hospital in 2005, hoping to learn MRI, which was not popular yet. Many of my batchmates had enrolled here earlier, and had told me that there was ample space to live on campus. While joining, I had to opt for interventional radiology as learning MRI was difficult and there were no fellowships back then.

JJ has been my home for more than 20 years now. I have got many things here and feel compelled to repay whatever I can. I also do not want to use my skills to seek commercial success, following the guidance of my father, an engineer.

I like to find out about the socio-economic background and situation of patients as I have seen closely how people lose their money and are compelled to sell their land when their loved ones fall sick. As I often say, most of us are one disease away from bankruptcy. I am glad that organisations like the Tata Trusts and corporate companies donate to us generously and help us address many serious cases.

Students now think of radiology as a money-making discipline, which I try my best to counter, including by telling them about the job satisfaction derived from a good investigation.

While JJ Hospital has the aura of a pioneer institution, the cardiology department here is among the earliest in India and its contribution to the field runs deep. I learned everything about cardiology here, and especially appreciate how the residency exposes students to a host of situations and primes them for the long run. As HoD now, I want to make this the preferred institute for DM Cardiology, and integrate alternative systems of medicine such as Yoga, Ayurveda and Homeopathy instead of depending on Allopathy alone.

Most patients at JJ are poor, ordinary people for whom treatment is unaffordable. We cater to them through various schemes and perform urgent procedures by taking help from the CM’s Fund and various trusts. This enables us to intervene in critical, high-risk cases. For instance, two years back, we performed a successful surgery on a two-month-old baby who had a hole in her heart, making it the second such case worldwide. The father was a daily wage earner from Karnataka who worked in Mumbai and the family had visited multiple hospitals, only to be turned away as the surgery involved significant risks.

I finished my MS from KEM in 2000 and joined JJ after that. I have trained numerous students and colleagues over the past 25 years, organised conferences on urgent and emerging topics, and achieved many firsts such as starting endoscopies and a minimal surgery unit. I have published more than 200 papers in indexed journals and like helping students develop an aptitude for research.

I also formulated a robust disaster management plan for JJ drawing on cases we handled during serial blasts in the city in 2001 and 2005, which was put to test during the 26/11 attack in 2008. While treating two kids who had lost their parents in the 2005 blasts, I realised they were stunned beyond disbelief even though they had escaped with minor bruises. So when I was at the helm of affairs during the 2008 attack, I ensured psychiatrists remained present at all times and all patients were evaluated before discharge. The efforts were appreciated by many, including the Israelis who have the best trauma management practices in the world.

As HoD, I want to make MS surgery here more sought after than AIIMS, while keeping the department ahead of the curve by integrating technology with surgery and encouraging patents.

As a local boy with an interest in studying medicine, I was always enamoured by Grant Medical College & Sir JJ Group of Hospitals and aspired to pursue my MBBS here. I missed that opportunity by a couple of marks, but later had the privilege of joining as a resident.

At the age of 29, I was extremely fortunate to train under stalwarts such as Dr Sangeet Gawhale, a legendary surgeon and former Head of Department, and Dr Sanjay Jagtap, who was then the HoD. They helped me imbibe the true spirit of the institution, shaped my professional journey, and made me what I am today. They also stood by me and did not let me leave, even during times when I felt low and dejected.

I have been serving as the Head of Department for the past one and a half years. My vision is to make the MS Orthopaedics program here the prime choice for aspiring orthopaedic surgeons across India. The Department of Orthopaedics at JJ has evolved over the decades, continuously adapting to advancements in modern orthopaedics. Today, we are able to perform highly complex surgeries, often leaving patients overwhelmed with their recovery.

For instance, a lady who had been suffering from severe knee pain and was unable to walk for five years underwent a complex bilateral total knee replacement surgery. The entire procedure was funded under schemes run by the Government of Maharashtra. When she was finally able to walk again a few months later, she was overjoyed to the point of tears.

My association with JJ began in 1996 when I joined as a postgraduate student. I became a lecturer in 2000, a professor in 2014, and have served as Head of Department since 2016. I am originally from Nagpur, and since most members of my family are teachers, I was always inclined toward teaching. When I had to choose between anesthesia, forensic medicine, and physiology, I chose physiology. My journey at JJ has been fantastic, even as medical education evolved from Mumbai University to the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences.

I was in charge of MBBS, BDS, MD, MS, DM/MCh admissions for ten years from 2009 to 2018. I was also part and parcel of medical college admissions for 20 years, right from 1998. I have seen JJ handle statewide admissions, and I was in charge of the process in 2019. JJ has always balanced academics with manoranjan. Film stars visited the gymkhana, and college functions were lively. Earlier, students managed with lower attendance but read deeply and coped better with failure. Today, attendance norms are stricter, reading habits differ, but intelligence and exposure have expanded in new ways.

It has been my privilege to serve in the government healthcare sector throughout my professional career, holding the positions of Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor across various medical colleges in Maharashtra. When I joined JJ Hospital as a Professor in 2017, the shift was remarkable. I faced several new challenges, as JJ is not only a premier tertiary care institute but also the appellate body for Hearing and Speech Disability cases in Maharashtra. Apart from issuing disability certificates, I also had the responsibility of verifying certificates issued across the state.

Furthermore, during my time here, I have had the opportunity to treat some of the most challenging cases. One such case was that of a young, newly married male with a bullet lodged in his orbit. We managed to remove it endoscopically, saving the patient from any disfiguring facial scars. The patient still pays us fond visits to express his gratitude toward us and this institute.

But of all the phases of my long tenure at JJH, COVID-19 remains the most demanding. With Mumbai emerging as a major epicentre, JJH was at the forefront of the state’s response. In my role as nodal officer, I had the honour of contributing to the formulation of Standard Operating Protocols for Maharashtra. Also, with the Department of ENT primarily dealing with airways, we were at greater risk of exposure to the virus. I myself contracted COVID-19 seven times during the outbreak. In spite of that, my team and I worked tirelessly to fight against this pandemic.

The post-pandemic period brought another formidable challenge in the form of mucormycosis, the so-called “black fungus” epidemic. Our department rose to the occasion with prompt surgical intervention and multidisciplinary coordination, successfully operating on over 250 patients. As I look back at my time here, I take great pride in all that this institute has accomplished, and I believe it has the potential for even further growth.

With our already thriving Audiology services, there is tremendous potential to further expand into an academic programme or dedicated college for Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, thereby nurturing the next generation of skilled professionals. Sir JJ Hospital has always stood as a beacon of service, teaching, and innovation. I remain confident that, with collective vision and commitment, the institution will continue to scale even greater heights in the years to come.

Being an alumna of Grant Government Medical College & Sir JJ Group of Hospitals (1987 batch) is a matter of immense pride for me. With a legacy of over 180 years of teaching and healing, this institute provides a conducive environment that builds a unique blend of confidence, academic excellence and clinical training, thus enriching the learning experience.

We were trained in an environment where every patient was a teacher and every ward a classroom. The long hours, the challenges and the limitations shaped us into resilient, confident and compassionate professionals. What truly set GMC apart were the teachers who guided and mentored us; and peers who became lifelong friends.

My tenure as Head of Department, Microbiology has been professionally enriching and deeply fulfilling. It has been a journey of constant learning and immense responsibility. I take great pride in leading a team dedicated to high quality diagnostics, impactful teaching and clinically relevant research.

The Department of Microbiology is a dynamic academic and diagnostic unit committed to excellence and is a critical backbone of patient care. The laboratory is NABL Accredited since 2011 for the entire scope of diagnostic tests. Our focus extends beyond routine diagnostics and we are actively involved in antimicrobial stewardship, infection control practices and surveillance of emerging and re-emerging pathogens.

My sincere appreciation for the dedication and unwavering commitment of the faculty, post-graduate students and laboratory staff, who with their technical expertise and adherence to quality standards have contributed significantly to effective patient care. The faculty members have been instrumental in maintaining high academic standards, mentoring UG & PG students and fostering in them a culture of continuous learning and research. Their collective efforts truly uphold the values and reputation of the department and I deeply appreciate their contribution.

Being a true GMCite, I feel that wherever we may be, the values instilled in a GMCite continue to guide our ethics, practice and our lives.

“Once a GMCite, always a GMCite!”

Although I did not train at Grant Government Medical College and Sir JJ Hospital, working here for nearly three decades—and now serving as Head of Pathology—has given me a deep respect for what this institution stands for.

Our department has quietly shaped the hospital’s scientific conscience. When I reflect on the first autopsy performed here in 1882, I see the early foundations of Sir JJ Hospital’s enduring commitment to evidence, inquiry, and accountability in medicine. That spirit continued through landmark contributions in cancer and leprosy research by Dr Vasant Ramji Khanolkar, and through the rich tradition of rigorous pathology discussions that began here and continues to this day.

What sets Sir JJ Hospital apart is the extraordinary breadth of disease, the immense patient volume, and the responsibility that comes with serving those who often have nowhere else to turn. It is demanding work—but it is deeply meaningful in a way few institutions can offer.

To many, it’s a hospital. To me, it is Maher—my maternal home. My journey at Grant Medical College began in 1988 with a single, clear dream: to become an ophthalmologist. I stayed because this place became a part of my soul. From joining as a lecturer in 2003 to taking the helm as Head of Department in 2023, every step hasn’t felt like a climb up a career ladder, but like a deeper anchoring in the place I belong.

I call this place home because it is all-encompassing; it is where I find my comfort and pride, my energy and enigma. It provides the motivation and dedication that drive my work, offering a sense of safety and achievement that only a true home can provide. Working here doesn’t feel like a job—it feels like being exactly where I am meant to be.

The spirit of “JJ” isn’t found in a trophy case or a formal ceremony. It lives in a tapestry of shared pride, late-night huddles, and that unmistakable “Chakrak Chakrak” call that can bond two GMCites instantly, anywhere on the globe. I often think back to Dr Patki’s words during my first year: “You choose who you become.”

Ultimately, we choose to be guided by unwavering ethics and strong moral values. We are not just practitioners, but protectors of health, leading with integrity. This is JJ: resilience, responsibility, and a moral compass etched in our hearts forever.

Community Medicine at JJ has never been confined to classrooms or charts; it has always belonged to people.

For over a century, this department has grown alongside the city it serves, evolving from lessons in sanitation to a living practice of public health, prevention, and social responsibility. When I walk through JJ, I see not just an institution but a continuum of students learning to look beyond individual illness, of faculty translating research into policy, and of communities that trust us in moments of vulnerability. From Palghar’s rural field practice to Bandra’s urban wards, from vaccination OPDs to pandemic response, service and learning have always moved together here. What makes JJ different is this constant immersion in reality where teaching, service, research, and emergencies intersect daily. And the spirit of JJ reveals itself most clearly in crises, when hierarchies dissolve and purpose takes over. It is collective, resilient and deeply humane. At JJ, public health is not an abstract idea; it is lived, every single day.

I did not train at JJ, but working here teaches you every single day.

The Medicine Department at Sir JJ Hospital has always stood at the frontlines of care. Long before national frameworks existed, JJ began India’s first HIV OPD in 1993, guided by the visionary Dr Alaka Deshpande. What followed was not coincidence, but commitment—two ART Centres on a single campus, the only hospital in the country to do so, and recognition as a Centre of Excellence in HIV care. None of this belongs to one name. It belongs to teams, including dedicated doctors, nurses, counsellors, residents who carry this work forward with quiet rigour. As an apex referral centre, JJ receives the most complex cases, and every challenge sharpens our thinking, our compassion, and our resolve. During the Covid-19 pandemic, that collective strength became unmistakable, as departments moved as one to serve the city. At JJ, medicine is demanding, relentless and deeply humbling. It is a privilege to work here.

It is really a privilege working in this institute. Here, everybody, including residents and students, gets actual practical experience, hands-on experience in every speciality. That is the essence of JJ. Basically, this is one family. Whenever we need help from any department, without any prejudice or formalities, we get the necessary help and cooperation, always for the benefit of the patient or the relatives. We give hands-on experience to postgraduate students and practical exposure to undergraduate students. Everybody devotedly gives their services for the betterment of the patient. Wherever we go, we get some campus, but there is a special feeling that we are associated with this institute. Under the leadership of our dean, and under the guidance of our higher authorities, we are planning further progress and projects. JJ keeps growing, and along with it, we also grow. Working here teaches you responsibility, cooperation and service. That is what makes JJ different.

Our department came into existence in the 1960s. This was started by the late Dr Irani. He thought children are a different subset, a different entity altogether, and not a subset of adult surgery. So a specialised surgical care unit had to be created, dedicated only for children. The doctors working in this unit would only operate on children and not adults, because the requirements are different. He trained in England and came back, and then continued his legacy in JJ Hospital.

Our junior doctors work intelligently to find newer ways to treat and deal with these situations. The HODs give them enough freedom to give the best possible outcome. I’m proud to say that JJ Hospital Paediatric Surgery has been number one for a very long time. We have done a lot of research. This is how our department works. We give students freedom. When they go out, they start thinking out of the box. They build their practice intelligently and become very successful.

Working at Grant Government Medical College and Sir JJ Group of Hospitals, as Professor and Head of the Department of Dentistry since 19 May 2023—an institution enriched by over 180 years of legacy—is both a privilege and a significant professional responsibility. Being part of such a prestigious institution inspires a constant pursuit of excellence in academics and patient care. The department maintains a balanced focus on academic development and patient-centered services. Alongside training students with clinical and theoretical foundations, we are equally committed to delivering high-quality dental care. With the support of advanced dental equipment, and refined treatment techniques, a wide range of dental procedures are carried out with precision, safety, and efficiency. Our team comprises experienced and skilled dental specialists from various disciplines, whose dedication ensures comprehensive and compassionate care for every patient. In addition to treatment, emphasis is placed on oral health awareness, patient counseling, and preventive care to promote long-term well-being. As part of this esteemed institution, the Department of Dentistry remains committed to upholding its legacy by providing excellent dental services and enhancing every patient’s smile with confidence and care.

As one of the largest and most reputed public hospitals, JJ receives patients from across India, and the diversity of pathology we encounter is truly unmatched. In a single OPD session, we may see a tech professional with high-functioning OCD, a farmer with untreated bipolar disorder, a woman surviving domestic violence, and a young man with substance-induced psychosis. That range sharpens you clinically and humbles you personally.

Returning here as Head of the Department of Psychiatry has been deeply emotional. The lecture halls where I once sat as a student are now spaces where I teach. JJ built me into the psychiatrist I am. Leading the department now feels like coming full circle, a responsibility to preserve its academic rigor, integrate newer modalities, and give back to the institution that shaped me.

I completed my MBBS from Government Medical College, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in 1991, my Diploma in Obstetrics and Gynaecology in 1995, and my MD (Ob-Gy) from SRTR Government Medical College, Ambajogai in 1999. Working at JJ as a Professor and Head of Department is a privilege, honour and a responsibility.

JJ represents one of the oldest institutions, with 181 years of tall standing in healing and teaching excellence. We make quality Indian medical graduates and postgraduates to serve the nation. We receive patients from across the state and country, many of them high-risk and challenging cases, and we are lucky to serve society. Our department has contributed through committed patient care, academic excellence, and by training generations of doctors in India and abroad. JJ Hospital is life for us. We serve and save. What can be more rewarding than that? Working 24×7 to save pregnant mothers—every mother counts. JJ Baba is our inspiration, with miles to go before I sleep.

I completed my MD in Dermatology from Seth GS Medical College and KEM Hospital, Mumbai, in 2009. Working as Faculty and Head of the Dermatology Department at Grant Government Medical College and JJ Hospital means a great deal to me because JJ is one of India’s legendary institutions. I joined on October 10, 2024, and since then have led the department’s renovation, streamlined workflows, and organised annual clinical meetings that bring together residents, faculty and private practitioners to share the latest knowledge in dermatology.

The JJ Dermatology Department has, for generations, pioneered treatment for chronic skin diseases such as leprosy, vitiligo, psoriasis and autoimmune conditions, while training countless dermatologists. JJ stands apart for its scale, history and patient diversity, offering unmatched hands-on experience while remaining deeply committed to caring for those below the poverty line. Our annual clinical meeting during the institute’s 180th anniversary captured JJ’s spirit of collaboration, innovation and community.

I completed my MD in Respiratory Medicine from Grant Government Medical College in 2003. My undergraduate degree was from GS Medical College, KEM Hospital, and my post-graduation was from Grant, so I have seen both institutions. JJ has a very long history. It was one of the oldest colleges in western India for native Indians, and I always wanted to come back because I had decided I would be a teacher in a medical college.

Our department started in 1950 and recently completed 75 years. We were the first government medical college in Maharashtra to start a sleep lab, and we are one of five centres of excellence in India for managing drug-resistant TB, receiving patients from across the country. JJ is an all-inclusive place—very warm, very comfortable. For me, Independence Day and Republic Day celebrations capture the spirit of JJ. I never miss them. They remind me of school, and they remind me why JJ feels like home.

I joined Grant Medical College and Sir JJ Hospital as an Assistant Professor in February 2000. The Neurosurgery Department at JJ has a remarkable legacy, having been established in 1958 as one of the country’s earliest superspeciality departments. Over the decades, it has provided both emergency and routine neurosurgical services to patients not only from Mumbai but from all over India. The department has also maintained a strong academic tradition, training neurosurgeons through the MCh (super-speciality) program affiliated with the then Bombay University.

Working at JJ is unlike working anywhere else. The vast campus and the heritage buildings create an environment that balances intense clinical work with a deep institutional pride. I saw this spirit most clearly during the 26/11 terror attacks, when the entire hospital came together. Staff across all levels worked tirelessly to treat more than 200 patients in just two days. That dedication defines JJ.

I completed my MBBS from IGMC Nagpur, MS from GMC Miraj, and MCh from Telangana. Working at JJ as faculty and Head of Department feels like an honour and a responsibility bestowed on me that has to be fulfilled with grace.

Our department was the first dedicated Urology department in the country, and today we are trying to keep that legacy alive by taking on robotic surgeries, renal transplants, and by conducting Continuing Medical Education programmes. JJ stands at the apex of the state medical system in Maharashtra. The referral cases, the working atmosphere, and the values here are something beyond. During a cadaveric renal transplant call, when residents, staff, Class IV workers, and other departments came together in perfect sync—from the OT to the green corridor—I saw JJ’s spirit in action. That dedication never dies here.

I completed my MBBS from the Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Sevagram, in 1993, my MS in General Surgery from INHS Ashvini, Mumbai, in 1998, and my MCh in Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery from Grant Government Medical College in 2003.

For an alumnus, returning to JJ is never just a job; it is a homecoming filled with duty and nostalgia. I feel a fierce responsibility to ensure the department remains a pioneer. We are not merely teaching surgery—we are bequeathing it in true Grant style, that rare intersection of surgical grit and instinctive clinical wisdom. Our department has been JJ’s pioneering edge, from performing Maharashtra’s first total correction of Tetralogy of Fallot to achieving the first minimally invasive Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting in a state-run hospital. JJ teaches you not just how to use a scalpel, but when to use it. Here, we don’t just mend hearts but also restore faith.

To serve as Head of the Department of Neurology at JJ is both an honour and a great responsibility. It is a matter of pride to be part of such a historic institute and to ensure continuity of its greatness.

Our department has always believed in churning out doctors proficient in the clinical art, with a strong sense of service and a desire to give back to society. The corridors and floors of JJ have been traversed by some of the greatest minds in medicine. Even today, those walkways seem to whisper their stories. That sense of timelessness sets JJ apart. For me, the spirit of JJ is best captured in Dr S M Katrak, our first Neurology postgraduate student and now Professor Emeritus, who continues to be involved in patient care and teaching. That continuity defines us.

I took charge as Head of the Department of Nephrology in February 2020, just as the Covid-19 pandemic began. It was an extremely challenging period. Hemodialysis units across Mumbai were shutting down, and patients had very limited access to life-saving treatment. At JJ, stopping was not an option. We expanded our services and started a dedicated ten-bedded dialysis unit for Covid-positive patients at St George Hospital. Those months tested our endurance, but they also strengthened our resolve to serve.

The nephrology department is credited with conducting the first successful Cadaveric Renal Transplant among the State Government Hospitals. Our residents have received prizes at national conferences and made the department proud. Our department has always believed in combining academic excellence with patient-centric care. We started the Fellowship in Clinical Nephrology and later Maharashtra’s first DM Nephrology course. We have introduced the Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis program for patients from remote areas and worked towards building skilled dialysis technicians. Our vision is simple. We aim to provide the highest standards of kidney care, make specialised treatment accessible, and prepare the next generation of nephrologists with knowledge, compassion and commitment.

Working at Grant Government Medical College and the JJ Group of Hospitals, especially as Head of Department, is not just a job. It is a responsibility rooted in a 180-year legacy. The role goes beyond academics and administration. It involves shaping doctors of tomorrow to be beyond reproach.

The Department of Anaesthesia has trained generations of professionals who now lead in their fields. We confer fellowships in super-specialty anaesthesia and train Bachelor of Paramedical Technology (BPMT) paramedics. Our department established the first post-surgical Critical Care Unit in Maharashtra in 1998 and has supported pioneering robotic and laparoscopic surgeries within the institute. JJ is the main tertiary hospital of the state, handling large volumes of complex cases from diverse backgrounds.

During Covid-19, the hospital functioned 24x7 when the world had stopped. Staff worked double shifts, residents stayed back beyond their tenure, and the collective effort reflected the true spirit of JJ.

Though not an alumnus of Grant Medical College, my association with the institution has been both formative and enduring. My journey began as a post-MCh resident, where a brief yet intense period of training played a crucial role in shaping my clinical skills and professional outlook. Soon thereafter, I joined as an Assistant Professor in 2007, marking the beginning of my career in surgical practice and postgraduate medical education.

Over the years, my dual role as a clinician and teacher has provided me with immense experience in managing complex and demanding cases in plastic and reconstructive surgery. The environment at Sir JJ Group of Hospitals, with its high patient load and wide spectrum of referrals from across Maharashtra, has been instrumental in refining decision-making and surgical expertise. Patients often present at advanced stages, leaving little scope for referral, thereby instilling a strong sense of accountability and clinical responsibility.

Since taking over as Head of the Department in 2018, I have focused on strengthening both academic and service dimensions of the department. We initiated several academic activities and public awareness programs to enhance learning and outreach. A notable milestone has been the establishment of a dedicated Cosmetic Surgery Outpatient Department—an innovative initiative in a government setup—reflecting our belief that the desire to look and feel good should be accessible to all, regardless of financial limitations.

Over the years, we have expanded postgraduate training, increasing MCh seats from four to nine annually, making it one of the largest superspeciality programs in the state.

I completed my MBBS from BJ Medical College, Pune, from the 1996 batch and graduated in 2000. Working at Grant Government Medical College and Sir JJ Hospital as faculty, and now as Head of Department, is a matter of immense pride and responsibility. JJ carries a legacy that demands commitment not only to academics but also to patient care and institutional integrity.

Our department has actively participated in academic, administrative, research, patient-related, and faculty and student welfare activities. We have worked relentlessly to ensure the availability of quality drugs for patients and to strengthen systems that directly impact patient outcomes. JJ is different because of its scale, its diversity of cases, and its role as a tertiary referral centre for the entire state. The sense of accountability here is unmatched.

The spirit of JJ is best seen when the entire hospital comes together during times of crisis, working beyond duty hours to ensure that no patient is left unattended.