July 3, 2011
Health Care
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It is often said that health is wealth. But wealth is not always health is the message from Vedanta. One can not buy health by welath is known to every medical doctor.
Dharma, Artha, Kama, Moksha are the four basic purposes of life. It means earning righteously with a desire to fulfill the inner happiness. The word ‘Artha’ relates to righteous earning. Any unrighteous earning can put one into danger.
There are enough references in modern medicine describing “property disputes†as one of the main causes responsible for heart blockages. The other being “marital disharmonyâ€.
Many Vedic texts also give reference to the meaning of ‘Artha’. As per Vedic philosophy desire only begets desire. The desire of accumulating wealth is dangerous and infectious.
As per Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, any wealth acquired more than one needs cannot make one sleep properly.
Vidur in Vidur Niti in a dialogue with King Dhratrashtra described five basic reasons for not getting sleep. Two of them being “if one has stolen somebody’s money†and “if one has lost all his or her wealthâ€.
Chanakya Niti mentions that any wealth acquired by unfair means will not last for more than eight years.
Adi Shankracharya in his book Bhaj Govindam, Shloka 6 warns the rich community to beware of even their own sons. He mentions, “One should regard wealth always as danger as there is not even an atom of happiness to be really derived from it. To the rich there is a fear even from their own sons. This is an established law everywhere.â€
Jesus in Bible also said that the rich lacking contentment can never reach the heaven.
Every wealth one acquired should be treated as a property of the trust of whose one is the trustee and this trust should be only for the welfare of the society, said Dr. Karan Singh in one of his lectures.
Sathya Sai Baba said that wealth is like a shoe. If it is small, it brings difficulty, if it is big, then also it makes one uncomfortable.
In Bhagavad GÄ«tÄ, Lord Krishna said that those who cook for the sake of their body alone, eat only sins.
Wealth is the womb of all other types of vises, said Rishi Narad in Shrimad Bhagwad. He said that along with wealth come vises like gambling, drinking and sexual perversions.
Taittiriya Upanishad also said that food will eat up the eater who eats without sharing. The Upanishad talks about importance of sharing the food with others.
Lord Krishna in Bhagavad GÄ«tÄ said that whatever elders do, others follow the same. If one acquired money out of unfair means, it is likely that the next generation will follow the same.
Wealth should be treated as a flow of money in the universe, said Dr. Deepak Chopra. Your purpose should be only to make sure that this flow not gets diverted through your river.
Accumulating money serves no purpose unless one uses it properly for the purpose it was collected. I recall an example of a lady who let her son die for financial constraints. When asked if she had any ancestral belongings, she said she only had some gold lying in his house but that was only to be used for bad time.
March 22, 2010
Medicine
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Dr. Aggarwal’s life, a saga of grit, hard work, devotion and compassion and academic excellence
Well-known Delhi-based Cardiologist and Physician, Dr. KK Aggarwal, Dr BC Roy National Awardee is being honoured with PADMA SHRI, the country’s 4th highest civilian award.
Dr. Aggarwal is known in the country for his splendid achievements in the fields of clinical practice, research and social welfare. He is a senior Physician Cardiologist and Dean Board of Medical Education at the renowned Moolchand Medcity, New Delhi. He is also the President of the Heart Care Foundation of India.
The eminent doctor continues to draw his inspiration from his almamater, Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Science at Wardha in Maharashtra. As part of his training at Wardha, Dr Aggarwal lived with rural communities to take care of their health and emotional needs, not to speak of their livelihood concerns, from time to time. Dr Aggarwal has been the Past Hony. Director IMA AKN Sinha Institute; Past Chairman IMA Academy of Medical Specialties; Past National Finance Secretary IMA; Past President of IMA New Delhi Branch and Past President Delhi Medical Association. He is an elected Member Delhi Medical Council and is the Group Editor-in Chief IJCP Group of Publications and eMedinewS, the first national daily emedical newspaper of India.
He is a prolific writer, having written several articles on Vedic sciences and their relevance to the field of medicine. Several of these have been published in leading newspapers of the country. A pioneer in public health education, Dr Aggarwal has taken upon himself the mammoth task of updating the knowledge and skills of the medical fraternity.
Dr Aggarwal has made a mark in medicine, especially preventive cardiology. He found a mentor in late Dr (Col) KL Chopra, who was a pioneer in spreading awareness about heart diseases to prevent their onslaught. Prevention is better than cure was his guiding philosophy. Dr KL Chopra was the father of the new age guru, Dr Deepak Chopra.
Dr Aggarwal is a pioneer in introducing the clot dissolving streptokinase therapy for acute heart attacks in 1984 and started the technique of Colour Doppler Echocardiography in North India in the year 1988.
To create health awareness among the masses, Dr Aggarwal conceptualized and organized the first ever ‘Perfect Health Mela’ in 1993 and ‘Run for your Heart’ in 1991. Both the popular events continue till date. And interestingly, on both these occasions, the Government of India released National Postal Commemorative Stamps. He has served on many Government committees, both at the Centre and State levels, and is consulted by them on issues of health and medicine.
He is credited with 14 International Publications, and has contributed to the famed International Textbook on Echocardiography. Besides, his research papers have appeared in as many as 115 publications in Indexed National Journals and over 350 publications in review Indian Journals.
His professional career is richly strewn with numerous awards and honours right from his days as a medical student: A Paul Harris Fellow, from Rotary International,: Dr. D S Mungekar National IMA Award (1991); DMA Dr. B N Behl Foundation Award (1992-93); Cardiology Society of India Mumbai Branch Dr KK Datey Oration (1993); Rajiv Gandhi Excellence Award (1993); The Great Son of the Soil Award (1996); IMANDB Health Communicator of the Last Decade Award (2002), IMA New Delhi Branch Swasthya Ratna Award (2002); Rashtriya Gaurav Samman (2002); Indira Gandhi Priyadarshini Award (2003); Abhipra Samaj Seva Puraskar (2003); IMA New Delhi Branch Life Style Interventional Cardiologist of the Last Decade Award (2003); IMANDB Life Time Achievement Award (2004), Delhi Medical Association Swasthya Health Ratna (2005-06), DMA Nursing Home Forum Medical Statesman and Communicator of the Last Decade (2005-6); Delhi Hindi Sahitya Samellan – Sahitya Shree Award 2007 (Doctor and Philosopher of Indian Culture); Mohammad Rafi Award of excellence (2008),Dr B C Roy National Award 2005 (Govt. of India) in the field of socio medical relief (received in 2008), Acharya Sushil Muni Manavata Puraskar (2008), Delhi Medical Association Sunder Lal Roopwati Memorial Award (2009), Delhi Medical Association Award of Excellence ( 2009), Agra Vibhushan from All India Vaishya Samellan (2009), Jain Vibhushan (2009) and XXI National Excellence Award of P.P. Jhunjhunwala Foundation (2010).
Dr Aggarwal topped the Nagpur University in MBBS and received a medal in every subject including four Gold Medals. He is frequently seen demonstrating how to perform life saving procedures like CPR and resuscitation in schools, colleges and professional forums with a missionary zeal. “There is no greater act of compassion and benevolence than to save a life. I see God in the ailing humanity. Everything that I have achieved in life, I attribute it to the benevolence of God, the blessings of my parents, friends and patients, my legendary teachers and to my friend and guide Dr. Deepak Chopra.” Dr. Aggarwal says.
He has conceptualized events like: Health Darbar; Perfect Health Parade; Health Tambola; Health Playing Cards; Miniature Health Books; Health Games like Snake and ladder, Ludo, Dart, Kaun Banega Healthy Crorepati; Tongathon March, Health Break (break ke baad); Walks on health subjects; Tempothon; Mr. Tobacco – an anti-tobacco campaign; Delhi Ministers’ Pledge to boycott tobacco promoting functions; Take care of your sweet heart Glow red campaign; 100 meters race for the patients with knee pain or replaced knee; ‘the Green Concert on World Environment Day; Tobacco effigy burning with all rituals at cremation ground; Health awareness using the kites with health messages; Health awareness through competitions (school, college, dance schools, RWA and inter organizations).
Dr Naresh Chawla President and Dr Ashwini DalmiyaSecretary DMA in their message said that Dr Aggarwla has brought laurals to the medical fraternity. Dr Narender Saini President elect said that “its not an award for Dr Aggarwal but for all of us”.
In their message Dr A K Aggarwal President, Dr Vinay Aggarwal Vice President and Dr Girish Tyagi Registrar Delhi Medical Council said that DMC is proud to have Dr Aggarwal as its elected member.