SKIMS pathologist and a prolific writer, Dr Rumana Makhdoomi teams up with Kashmiri American Prof Faroque Khan to profile 100 top Kashmir doctors who have immensely contributed to modern healthcare. Syed Shadab Ali Gillani read Warriors and Falcons: Life Sketches of 100 Outstanding Kashmiri Doctors and found it interesting
Preserving the stories and contributions of pioneering doctors and medical practitioners is critically important for the advancement of medicine globally. As eloquently stated in the preface of Warriors and Falcons the 100 legends profiled in this book were instrumental in laying the foundations of modern healthcare in Kashmir by replacing superstition with science and rational approaches. Their selfless commitment to serving the community in the face of immense challenges is inspiring and sets an example for current and future generations of physicians and surgeons.
Documenting the medical history of a society or a region also allows valuable insights to be gained into the healthcare challenges and successes of the past. Analysing the epidemiology of diseases, innovations in treatments, public health policies and their outcomes provides a blueprint to inform best practices going forward. For instance, the high incidence of preventable nutritional, infectious and parasitic diseases revealed the need for awareness campaigns and health schemes that were effectively implemented by pioneering doctors like Dr Abdul Rauf. Preserving these stories is imperative so current and future healthcare leaders can learn from past victories and mistakes.
The profiles of outstanding physicians in Warriors and Falcons, jointly by Dr by Faroque A Khan (New York) and Rumana Makhdoomi (Srinagar), and published by Patridge Publishing also demonstrate the profound impact individual doctors can have on entire healthcare systems when driven by a sense of purpose and commitment to community service. The establishment of institutions like Government Medical College and Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) against great odds is a testament to the vision and perseverance of leaders like Dr Ali Jan. These legacies must be upheld as sources of inspiration.
Ultimately, medical history tells the story of medicine itself – how healthcare philosophy, education, research, and clinical practice have evolved over decades and centuries. It chronicles the most impactful medical breakthroughs and innovations that have dramatically improved quality of life. This cumulative body of knowledge propels medicine forward as new generations build on the work of those before them. Capturing and honouring medical history is thus a key responsibility that the medical community owes to pioneers of the past and the future of the profession.
The Vital Role of Doctors
The far-reaching influence of doctors profiled in Warriors and Falcons underscores the invaluable role of physicians in society. Beyond the obvious responsibility of clinical service to patients, outstanding doctors like Dr Ali Jan, Dr MS Khuroo and others shaped public policy, established institutions, promoted community health, conducted pioneering research, and inspired future generations of medical professionals. Their vision and commitment to advancing healthcare went far beyond individual patient impact.
This highlights why medicine cannot simply be approached as a career or job by physicians. It is in essence a noble public service profession charged with profound social responsibility and trust. Going above and beyond clinical requirements to transform healthcare landscapes for the collective good must be integral to a doctor’s mission. The pursuit of research and innovation that cures diseases and revolutionises treatment paradigms is also a fundamental obligation physicians owe to society in return for the prestigious status granted to the medical profession.
Doctors are uniquely positioned to be powerful change agents that influence cultural mindsets, governmental policies, and models of healthcare delivery for the benefit of all. Physicians who embrace this higher purpose leave enduring legacies for their communities and for medicine itself. The outstanding Kashmiri doctors showcased in Warriors and Falcons leveraged their expertise, public influence, and leadership to make the world a little better place. This gold standard must continue to define and inspire the medical profession.
Warriors and Falcons
Warriors and Falcons bring to light poignant stories of Kashmiri physicians who overcame immense personal and societal challenges to deliver outstanding service and establish strong foundations for healthcare against all odds. The book is broadly divided into multiple sections – The Legends, The Pioneers, The Flag Bearers, The Path Breakers, and Tributes. While exhaustive, the compilation provides illuminating profiles of many towering figures spanning about a century of modern Kashmiri medical history.
The Legends section aptly honours physicians like Dr Ali Jan, considered the most popular and influential clinician Kashmir has known. His unrelenting commitment to patients, teaching prowess and instrumental role in establishing institutions like SKIMS despite resource constraints leaves an enduring legacy. Other legends like Dr Gwash Lal Kaul, Dr Girja Dhar and Dr Hafizullah were pioneers, braving resistance to bring modern medicine to Kashmir.
The history of medical progress always stands on the shoulders of visionaries who paved the way. The Pioneers section recognises such figures, including Dr GM Dhaar who spearheaded community health efforts and Dr Sheikh Abdul Ahad whose contributions were vital to the growth of ENT as a specialty. Pioneers like Dr Mushtaq Ahmed Margoob brought modern psychiatry practices while Dr Ghulam Nabi Kozgar introduced specialised eye care. Their foundational impact catalysed rapid advancement.
As medical institutions were established, a bright generation of physicians drove standards of excellence to greater heights. The Flag Bearers section documents the storied careers of master clinicians and surgeons like Dr Mahmooda Khan whose consummate skills broke glass ceilings and inspired women in medicine. Alongside her, venerable teachers like Dr GQ Allaqaband shaped entire generations of doctors and upheld the nobility of medicine. The scholarly impact of researchers like Dr MS Khuroo and Dr Abdul Hamid Zargar gave Kashmiri medicine global recognition. These flag bearers signify the coming of age of medicine in Kashmir.
Medicine never rests on its laurels as emerging frontiers constantly beckon. The Path Breakers section profiles Kashmiri physicians like Dr Nancy Khardori who brought specialised care in genetics to Kashmir. Dr Suhail Shah blazed new trails as a pioneering hospitalist while Dr Rafit Hassan’s cancer research at the NIH has broken new ground. Though dispersed globally, their Kashmiri roots drive their passion to advance medicine. They signify the capacious talent Kashmir has produced.
Ultimately, Warriors and Falcons is more than just a compilation of accomplishments – it provides poignant insights into the sociocultural fabric of Kashmir interwoven into these stories of exceptional physicians. It chronicles the coming of age of medicine in the valley through periods of conflict and turmoil. Peacebuilders like Dr Upendra Kaul shine as beacons of compassion and unity, serving broken communities. Undergirding it all is abiding Kashmiri pride and esprit-de-corps that unify this fraternity.
This invaluable book fills an important gap in recording the history of modern Kashmiri medicine over the past century. It immortalises the dedication and self-sacrifice of outstanding physicians who laid strong healthcare foundations for future Kashmir generations. May this inspire a new wave of visionary doctors to advance Kashmir’s proud medical tradition. As the preface suggests, every profile here deserves a book of its own that hopefully will be written in the years ahead.
Passionate Writer
Dr Mukhdoomi, who serves the SKIMS’s Pathology Department as a senior professor is a passionate and prolific writer. Earlier in 2013, she authored White Man In Dark, a detailed narrative about the making of doctors at the peak of an unprecedented situation in Kashmir. Her 2023 Warriors and Falcons showcase the life and contributions of 100 doctors and medical researchers from Kashmir who have served society within and outside Jammu and Kashmir.
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