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Hon’ble Dr A. P. J .Abdul Kalam Former President of India on arrival to the hospital first started his visit auspiciously by offering his respects to Srila Prabhupada ,Founder Acharya, International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Later he took a tour of the hospital and interacted with the key management of the hospital and also with the hospital staff and others. Mr.Hrishikesh Mafatlal, (H.G.Krsnachandra Prabhu) Chairman and Dr.Ajay Sankhe,(H.G.Madhavanand Prabhu) Director of the hospital also spoke on this occasion.

Dr.Kalam appreciated the hospital for the righteousness prevailing around when he visited the departments , spiritual background and health care services to the community . He then proceeded to give a wonderful inspirational talk for the medical fraternity with latest relevant examples and statistics. Here are some of the highlights from Hon A.P.J. Abdul Kalam’s speech which we can take few lessons in our life.

- He cheerfully greeted the assembly of doctors on the eve of the ‘International Doctor’s day ‘and added "Be a lamp ..a life boat and a ladder, help someone’s soul heal, walk out of your house like a peaceful shepherd. He emphasized the need for the doctor’s to have 2 hearts, one biological and second ‘human, caring heart with ‘service’ attitude."

- He suggested that the community care should reach the unreached sections and asked the hospital to consider mobile dialysis clinics . He spoke of the affordable and accessible treatment for needy patients in India, which will help in rapid national growth.

- He emphasized the need for the using research to provide break through and gave examples of John Hopkins which has become a world class medical research center, LV Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad on Eye Care and Thrombosis Research Institute at the Narayana Hrudayalaya, Bangalore,

- Periodic review is very essential with the hospital’s medical community. Whether it is pre-operative, operative, post-operative and recovery period, and large number of sophisticated instruments and monitoring systems are used, safety of the patients is utmost importance and sharing of the experience of the treatment and problems need to be done periodically and results documented and recorded. This will become wealth of the information for the Cardiology Department.

- He spoke about the mortality and morbidity resulting from the cerebro and cardio vascular diseases which have increased rapidly and is increasingly a public health problem. The stroke which is a age related disorder in developed countries occurring in age group 55 and above occurs to much earlier in India and 18-40% stroke occurs for people below 40 yrs of age. The condition adds dramatic consequences on the young patient and heavy burden on the family and society in general. Thus he stressed the need for Preventive Cardiology services. He was appreciative of the fact that Bhaktivedanta Hospital has Preventive Cardiology in its agenda.

- He spoke at length on including the life style intervention and gave example of the programme carried out by DRDO in partnership with Global Hospital and Research Center, Mount Abu. There was remarkable improvement in the cardiac health of these patients within 7 days by following the following

o Simple and rudimentary lifestyle
o Traditional Indian fiber diet with fruits and sprouts
o Brisk walking morning and evening
o Stress management through meditation
o Empower people with information and education on heart disease and how they can control or reverse it
o Chest pain and uneasiness reduced
o Capacity to exercise increase and post six months many could take to swimming
o Bad cholesterol, stress hormones increased remarkably
o Improvement in psychological and mental health

Dr Kalam concluded talk by inviting all the doctors and para medical staff present to take a oath “ I love my medical profession a noble mission, I will follow the motto “Let my care, remove the pain and bring smile, I will always radiate cheer to give confidence to patients and their families, I will be a lifelong learner , I will practice what I learn and I will train my team to be competent, I will deliver quality care with high standard irrespective of whom I am treating , I will not introduce any diagnostic pain, I will work with integrity and succeed with integrity”.

- Humbleness: As a man of his stature & fame (accomplished, distinguished scientist of world repute, Former -President of India, Inspirational leader) he took opportunity to discuss with one and all inspiring them. There was no air of being Bharat Ratna or Padma Vibhushan or Padma Bhushan.

- Righteousness: He made everyone recite the wonderful couplets linked the importance of righteousness which is the foundation of everything i.e. character, attitude, success …. Peace at country level

• Where there is righteousness of the heart… there is beauty in the character
• Where there is beauty in the character… there is harmony at house
• Where there is harmony at house … there is order in the nation
• Where there order in the nation … there is peace in the world

- Approachable: He mingled and interacted with the staff at all the levels, this shows that although a person of his stature, he was well grounded and set the example for humility in the leaders.
- Simplicity: We all know how simple and down to earth he is and this was the main reason that he was liked by one and all. The hospital also felt delight to host him as the Chief Guest. He was simple, serious and expressed himself with no ulterior motive
- Caring for others: He gave many suggestions for improvements (mobile dialysis, medical research) for taking the programme to mass community healthcare.
- Leader: He leads by example and encourages team work, learning, sharing, growing through co-operation
- Life style Intervention: He spoke at length on including the life style intervention and gave example of the programme carried out by DRDO in partnership with Global Hospital and Research Center, Mount Abu shows how inclusion of the traditional Indian Vedic lifestyle improves overall health.

If you look at all these qualities they reflect a life of perfection based on strong righteous founding principle. We all know he was rational religious person with respect for ultimate truth .He was born and cultivated in the holy city of Rameshwaram. Some of qualities which reflect his personality - He is a vegetarian and Teetotaler
- He listens to Carnatic music & plays Veena
- He recites both Koran and Srimad Bhagvad Gita
- He leads by his conduct
- He stresses the importance of power of prayers in ones life
- His books are inspiring and he has given practical solutions for success, perfection and sustainability of individual as well as the country

The following message from his book Wings Of Fire speaks for itself.

“My third and last year at MIT was a year of transition and was to have a great impact on my later life. In those days, a new climate of political enlightenment and industrial effort was sweeping across the country. I had to test my belief in God and see if it could fit into matrix of scientific thinking. The accepted view was that a belief in scientific methods was only valid approach to knowledge. If so, I wondered, was matter alone the ultimate reality and were spiritual phenomena but a manifestation of matter? Were all ethical values relative, and was sensory perception the only source of knowledge and truth? I wondered about these issues, attempting to sort out the vexing question of “scientific temper” and my own spiritual interests. The value system in which I had been nurtured was profoundly religious. I had been taught that true reality lay beyond the material world in the spiritual realm, and that knowledge could be obtained only through inner experience.”

Bhaktivedanta Hospital is grateful to Dr.Kalam for inaugurating the Heart Centre and sharing his inspirational thoughts.

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