Chennai: A Guardian Through Every Phase of My Life

I first set foot in Chennai back in 1996, armed with a stack of textbooks and a head full of dreams. My mission was simple: crack the postgraduate medical entrance exam. Little did I know that the city would soon become the backdrop of almost everything that mattered to me.

After a stint of three‑and‑a‑half years serving in a remote rural hospital, I felt the pull of the city again. I enrolled at Madras Medical College for an MS in General Surgery. It was there, amid lecture halls and bustling wards, that I met my wife, who was pursuing her own postgraduate studies in Anaesthesia. We were both at the start of our professional journeys, and the city quietly welcomed us into its rhythm.

Those years were a whirlwind – long surgeries, sleepless nights, and the occasional weekend spent exploring Marina Beach or savoring a steaming plate of dosa. As our careers progressed, so did our family. Chennai turned from a place of study to a place we called home.

When the time came for further specialization, I stayed at Madras Medical College for an MCh in Vascular Surgery. The campus became my second classroom, and eventually, I joined its faculty as an Assistant Professor. A few years later, I took charge of the Vascular Surgery Department at Government Stanley Medical College Hospital – a role that felt like a culmination of all the mentorship I’d received.

The pandemic tested us all. In 2020 I was seconded to the Directorate of Medical Education, diving head‑first into health administration when the city’s hospitals were under unprecedented strain. It was a tough chapter, but Chennai’s resilience shone through, and I learned that leadership isn’t just about scalpel skills.

By 2022 I was back at Stanley, back to the operating tables and lecture halls that felt like old friends. Looking back, nearly three decades later, the city has been a steadfast companion – the same streets that witnessed my nervous first exam now echo with the laughter of my grandchildren.

From a wide‑eyed youngster chasing an entrance test to a seasoned surgeon shaping the next generation, Chennai has been the guardian of every stage of my life.