Intro
Dr. Rajeev Bagarhatta is a renowned cardiologist with many decades of experience. After specialization from PGIMER, Chandigarh, and fellowships in Australia and USA, he is presently the Principal and Controller, SMS Medical College and Attached Group of Hospitals, Jaipur. He has published more than a dozen articles in English newspapers.
Dr. Rajeev Bagarhatta is also a prolific blogger focused on finding ways to wade through human emotions and relationships. He loves playing tennis, hockey, and cricket and is an avid fan of old Bollywood music. He is actively involved in sports representing the University of Rajasthan in cricket, captaining the college team in cricket, and playing for SMS Medical College in hockey.
About Book
Well Played is the story of Jagdish Prasad Bagarhatta’s unorthodox journey—from neglect during his childhood and witnessing Partition, to perpetuating the spirit of competitive sports and then spreading the philosophy of care with the help of cardiac rehabilitation. An inspiring saga of transition and transformation, Well Played will motivate readers to keep the faith, take chances, and—when the time is right—go for it and flip the ordinary into the extraordinary. Drawing from Jagdish’s story, the author’s single message to his readers is: ‘You too can do it!’
Insights
I am here to share about Dr. Rajeev Bagarhatta a renowned cardiologist, who recently authored Well Played, a heartwarming biography of his father Dr. Jagdish Prasad Bagarhatta, It tells the story of a man who started his career as a physical training instructor in Alwar, a small town in Rajasthan, India, and went on to become a renowned cardio rehab doctor and a sports director. Let’s deep dive into his insights and the recent dialogue exchange in the below discussion.
Q&A
Q: Cardiology and penning down a book seem like two poles apart. please walk us through your journey from Heart Specialist to Publishing the book “Well Played”?
A: The human emotions of the heart patients treated by me, their social strings, and their personal stories always connected me deeply to their well-being. Having penned a few of them in my previous blogs and newspaper articles, the next natural sequence was writing this book. Building on the pieces of my personal memories and adding social, historical, and academic relevance to them gave the book its final shape.
Q: How, according to you, do physical fitness and mental well-being play a vital role in building a better individual?
A: Talking on a personal note my stress on physical fitness is an integral part of my interactions with the heart patients whom I treat. And when they watch me, their doctor, actively following an active routine of sports, a major part of my instructions is through.
Q: While I get carried away with the portrayal of the character ‘Jaggo’/ ‘Jagdish ‘, what is that special tinge you took in crafting Jaggo in “Well Played”?
A: The social quotient of Jaggo’s life in his dealings with his friends, colleagues, seniors, relatives, and acquaintances and his resilience had been the underlying color of his portrayal in the book.
Q: As I see the book is mostly centric on sports, how well do you connect yourself to the concept of “competitive sport” and its respective impact on “cardiac rehabilitation“?
A: The science of sports is very rational and result-oriented and the rehabilitation of heart patients involves the holistic reinstating of a cardiac patient. The science and the philosophy of sports resonate with cardiac rehabilitation perfectly.
Q: Tell us which sport(s) is your go-to place and close to your heart, can you name a few of the icons in the respective sport whom you get inspired to?
A: Hockey in intermediate school, cricket in high school and medical college, and now tennis as a medical college faculty all have been my favorites in respective time zones. Hence the icons changed from Dhyan Chand to Sunil Gavaskar and finally to Roger Federer respectively. The common feature in all three have been their dedication, immaculate techniques, and the professional stability of their characters.
Q: Being a published author from RUPA Publications let our readers know about the difficulties and learnings you underwent for your book till go-live?
A: Working with Rupa was a great exercise. Having got the manuscript edited by different persons earlier, the editing by the Rupa was relatively easy. They stuck to the timelines very assiduously which was important in my case as it was to be launched at the JLF 2023.
Q: Which title thoroughly justifies you: Leading Cardiologist, Sports Personnel, or Well-Established Book Author?
A: If I say all three, I won’t be wrong!!
Q: What is the most difficult part about writing for you?
A: To visualize and recreate the times when I was not around was quite difficult as it entailed equal degrees of research, imagination, and sequencing of events.
Q: Where is that one place you want to visit, and you haven’t been before?
A: Kazakhstan is the dream destination that I would like to visit.
Q: With the ample experience you carry in the field of “Cardiology” & Health Care, can we expect any books/writings on the field of your expertise?
A: Any writing which I envision shall be for the good of the general population to help the common man understand the vagaries of heart problems and their treatments.
Q: Share something about yourself which is so unique and What keeps you motivated?
A: Finding time for everything which I have to do and which I like is one thing that surprises me and others alike. Setting new goals and trying to achieve them is my way of keeping myself motivated.
Q: Being a busy professional how do you manage to dedicate time to your passion for reading and writing?
A: The morning hours are the most productive ones for my passion for reading and writing. Mind is relatively fresh and there are not many extraneous influences disturbing you at that hour of the day. An hour a day is what is enough for me.
Q: What does success mean to you?
A: Success is when people and patients recognize me not for my car or my bungalow but for my healing touch and my writings. How my writings have influenced their lives is always a matter of great satisfaction for me.
Q: One message to your reader’s community about health cum sports in the journey towards a better tomorrow that is free from ailments and sufferings?
A: Be regular in what we pledge, have conviction in your profession, and try to rejuvenate regularly so that it helps in overcoming the drudgery of life.
Q: How can your readers interact with you over social media?
A: Here are my social media links
Email: rbagarhatta@yahoo.com
Instagram: rajeev_bagarhatta
Facebook: Rajeev.Bagarhatta
Website: www.rajeevbagarhatta.com
Regards
Kiran K Adharapuram
Kiran K Adharapuram, an ecstatic techie with a decade-plus of technical expertise, currently outperforming as “Lead IT Consultant Engineer” in one of the top-notch IT companies. Without limiting himself to a vicious “9-5” job, he extended his arms to become a successful Bibliophile, Bookstagrammer, Blogger, Social Media Freak, Book Reviewer, Casual Writer, Spiritual Believer, and Occasional Journalling Practitioner.
