“Time is the one thing that can never be retrieved, use it wisely,” suggests leading medical practitioner – Dr. Rupali Patil Jain!
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Tell us your story. What inspired you on your journey and made you the woman you are today?
Greetings! I am Dr. Rupali Patil Jain. I am an ENT surgeon, an Allergy Specialist and a Medico-Legal Advisor. I am a Governing Body Member of National ENT Association of India. I am mother of a beautiful loving daughter who is also a doctor and along with my husband, we three nest as a cozy caring family.
When I became an ENT surgeon, I had the opportunity to settle down in the city and be part of the big city life but instead I chose to practice in a rural place and serve the people. That has always been my focus, to give back to society and help those in need at all times.
During my regular medical examination, I started noticing that many of my female patients had bruises on them, they were being slapped or beaten by their husbands. These women were afraid to complain to the police. They didn’t even dare to tell their own family members about it. My friends and I decided to start a NGO for these victims of sexual and domestic violence. I knew if I wanted to truly make a difference in the lives of these abused women, I needed to have a strong legal knowledge as well. That is when I decided to earn Bachelor of Laws or as it is commonly called, LLB.
I also realized that my medical colleagues had very little knowledge of the law due to which they were facing a lot of problems. I decided to use my legal knowledge to help them prevent litigations.
Recently, I developed interest in allergic diseases. I then decided to do a diploma in pediatric allergy and asthma.This diploma was a 1 year course, recognized by The Gangaram Institute for Post Graduate Medical Education and Research & International Asthma Services, Colorado USA and is endorsed by American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology and Centre for Global Health, University of Colorado, USA.
Looking back, what three pieces of advice do you have for your younger self?
I will strongly remind my younger self to: Don’t waste any time. Time is the one thing that can never be retrieved!
Eat healthy
Exercise daily
What fictional world do you wish actually existed?
One world where men and women are treated equally!
From your personal experience, what piece of advice would you like to give to our readers?
Every human being is equal and everyone should be treated with respect. Always be kind and supportive.
Focus on your goals.
Your only competitor should be yourself.
Did you face any challenges and how did you overcome them?
While doing our NGO work, we faced a lot of problems from the police judiciary system and also from the victims’ family members. We also received lot of threatenings but we didn’t deter and continued our work! We knew we were on the right path to bring a positive change in society.
What are some of your proudest moments?
I had embarked on the right path. Very soon my work started getting recognized and I started receiving invitations to deliver talks on various platforms. I also received awards for the same. I also got opportunity to prepare consent forms for various surgeries for my association which brought about a big difference.
Did you have a woman leader as a mentor or are there specific women who inspired you and why?
I am inspired from many strong women personalities like Indira Gandhi, Sudha Murthy. Many other female ENT surgeons who have excelled in the field have also been my constant inspiration.
How according to you should women support other women?
Every woman faces difficulties in this male dominated society. It becomes imperative that every woman supports, encourages, guides other women. Women should refrain from jealousy and gossips which is the typical norm understood by society.
What moment from your life would you love to relive?
Definitely my college days with my friends. Those were the best days of my life!
If you had to switch careers, what career would you choose?
I love to interact with children, so I definitely would have become a school teacher or in some role as an educator.
You are certainly a busy woman. How do you relax and unwind? How do you find your work life balance?
I am a trained classical singer so whenever I get a chance I practice singing. I love traveling to historical places. I also do cooking and gardening.
