Book Review
By Dr Satish C Aikant
Whispers of the Heart – Not Just a Surgeon: An Autobiography
By Dr Ratna Magotra
Konark Publishers, New Delhi, 2023, Pages 328, Rs 800 (HB)
Autobiographies often seem a window into the minds of the individuals whose contributions extend beyond the boundaries of their chosen professional fields which is why they are able to make an impact on society at large. Those written by professionals in the field of medicine have emerged as a distinctive genre within the broader framework of literature. Such narratives serve as significant informative documents detailing the lifeworld of those who navigate the complex terrain of illness, healing, and ethical issues involved. Moreover, the intrinsic value of medical autobiographies lies in their potential to unravel the intricate interplay between the technicalities and protocols of medical practice and the humanistic dimensions of patient care. It is in this context that Whispers of the Heat – Not Just A Surgeon: An Autobiography by Dr Ratna Magotra can be read. Tracing the arc of the author’s life over seven decades, it is an extraordinary account of a world-renowned surgeon’s personal and professional odyssey and her crowning achievements in the field of healthcare. The book is aptly titled to convey that the author is not just a surgeon and that the readers can gleam much more from the rich harvest of her experiences. It is also the story of a small-town girl from Jammu who went on to become a renowned cardiac surgeon and distinguished herself in her chosen field, both, in India and abroad.
After her early education in a government school, the author went to Lady Hardinge Medical College in Delhi where she had plenty of fun and plenty of hard work which paid her back, earning her plenty of credits for her academic achievements. Staying in a hostel provided her education in community living and taught her the art of adaptation and adjustment to different circumstances and individuals. During her college days, Maharani Gayatri Devi and Jawaharlal Nehru, both charismatic personalities, became her idols.
From Delhi, she embarked on a journey to Bombay through what she calls a ‘conspiracy of circumstances’, but which in effect proved to be a fortuitous destination for her professional career. In Bombay, she found employment as a resident medical officer in Northcote Nursing Home, a small private hospital which became a pivotal point in her journey towards becoming a surgeon. During the tenure, she had the privilege of working with some of the most renowned surgeons in the city, the most prominent figure being Dr Kersi Dastur, who became a mentor to her. Later, she also got introduced to Christiaan Barnard, the legendary heart surgeon, who had performed the world’s first human transplant operation. India, then, was lagging behind in coronary bypass surgery mainly because selective coronary angiography, the necessary adjunct for the surgical programme, was yet to take off.
Armed with a letter of introduction from Dr Dastur to Dr Paul Ebert of Cornell University, New York, Dr Magotra left for the USA and began working at the Cleveland Clinic. Earlier, a chance meeting with actor Jaya Bachchan at the residence of Dr Dastur, who had performed a complex surgery on Amitabh Bachchan, resulted in Jaya Bachchan helping the author with emigration clearance. She had, the author admits, inadvertently become a beneficiary of the VIP culture that she had always criticised.
Back in Bombay, Dr Magotra developed interest in cardiothoracic surgery and, while working at BYL Nair Hospital in the city, she completed her Master’s degrees in general surgery and cardiothoracic surgery from Bombay University. Then she left for UK to train at Guy’s Hospital in London and to the USA, on a four-month fellowship, for exposure to coronary artery surgery and get training at Texas Heart Institute (THI) in Houston. At that time, cutting-edge research on cardiac devices for treating heart failure was taking place at the THI which she visited two more times, in 1991 and 1999. In between she also attended an international course in cardiac surgery organised in Sicily. The trip to Sicily was an opportunity to listen to the ‘gods of cardiac surgery’ in close proximity.
Dr Magotra worked at Nair Hospital in early 1983. She later became Professor and Head of the Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery Department at the GS Medical College and King Edward Memorial Hospital in Bombay. While practicing paediatric cardiac surgery every instance of a recovering patient leaving the hospital after a successful heart operation would fill her with immense joy, more so when that patient happened to be a tiny tot.
Working in public hospitals provided the author with a deeper understanding of the social dimensions of medicine. She became acutely aware of rural realities and the related public health concerns. Those impacted most were the poor who had limited options for affordable treatment, relying on public hospitals which were mostly in appalling conditions. As for the doctors, the adrenaline rush of tackling surgical challenges and the allure of cutting-edge technology can sometimes shift the focus away from the holistic needs of the patient.
Dr Magotra’s outstanding contributions to the medical field have earned her numerous accolades including ‘The Spirit of Humanity Award’ in the Community Cardiovascular category for her work in Amravati, and the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ from the Indian Association of Cardio-Vascular Thoracic Surgeons in 2013, which is a testament to her exceptional expertise and social commitment. She took early retirement in order to devote her energies to the social sector deciding to focus solely on paediatric surgery.
The author also takes the readers beyond facets of the medical realm, to the accounts of her enriching travels and impactful social activism. She was with Anna Hazare in his crusade against corruption and participated in the protest rallies in Mumbai’s Azad Maidan. A sense of disappointment crept in when the movement took a political turn. She records that the Bombay riots (1992-93) in the wake of the destruction of Babri Masjid shattered the cosmopolitan character of the Maximum City and the searing experience resulted in Hindu Muslim divide which has only widened in recent years.
Dr Magotra is a deeply spiritual person. She has undertaken yatras to Kailash Mansarovar and Char Dhams, visited Ladakh and travelled in the Nort East which has widened her horizons. She also describes her meeting with savants and important public figures like Sane Guruji, Swami Ranganathananda, Dr S Padmavati, Nani Palkhivala and Julio Ribeiro getting inspired by their ideas and ethical concerns.
Whispers of the Heart is an exceptional literary work that transcends the boundaries of a conventional autobiography. Dr Magotra’s prose exhibits a literary finesse that goes beyond the mere conveyance of facts and anecdotes engaging readers in a nuanced exploration of the emotional landscapes inherent in medical practice. The reflective passages elevate the text to the sublime realm of literary imagination. What is particularly creditable is the author’s ability to articulate the emotional and ethical dimensions of her medical practice through the lens of creative writing which does not betray gender stereotyping, a familiar ploy of elitist feminist discourse borrowed from the West.
Dr Magotra effectively uses the power of narrative. ‘Narrative medicine’, a term coined by physician and literary scholar Rita Charon, underscores the significance of storytelling in medical practice. Literature serves as a mirror reflecting the human experience of illness, enabling healthcare practitioners to empathise with patients and comprehend the nuances of suffering. Narrative medicine fosters empathy by encouraging healthcare providers to listen attentively to patients, appreciate the nuances of their narratives, and recognise the individual behind the medical condition.
Dr Magotra’s autobiography offers a candid exploration of the factors that have shaped her identity fostering a deeper understanding of the human subject behind the writing, and offers an empathetic and expansive view to the readers.
(The reviewer is former Professor and Head of the Department of English, HNB Garhwal University and former Fellow of the Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Shimla)