Today we had a privilege of enjoying the ‘Chai’ with scintillating star-Dr. Srikant Solav. He graduated from Bhopal University and completed DRM from Mumbai University. He is a fellow of Asian Board of nuclear medicine. He is one of the very few private nuclear medicine consultant and practitioner in India. He has a great practice in Pune with SPECT and PET facilities. Dr. Takalkar commenced the sixth episode of ‘Chai with scintillating stars’ welcoming Dr. Solav, and asking about his journey in the field of nuclear medicine. Dr. Solav narrated his story with a desire to become an agriculturist. But he happened to be in medicine due to ‘wrong company’. He said he was surrounded by excellent teachers and intelligent students which made him choose medicine. He was fascinated looking at how his professors treated the patients. These circumstances led him to venture nuclear medicine. Dr. Takalkar rightly exclaimed that ‘his failure in pursuing his desires was a gain to the field of NM’.
Moving forward with the challenges that Dr. Solav faced in his career, he said that he truly believes in country’s self-reliance and the need to generate more employment. ‘It was challenging to let away a cozy job in Radiation Medicine Center, and to get into a corporate job. There were challenges to create awareness about the subject’. He worked against all odds and traveled extensively in Maharashtra to bring up broad referral base and made his practice a success. Speaking about a role model in his life, Dr. Solav proudly said that his parents had a huge influence on him and taught him against discrimination. His teachers who taught him bedside manners and patience had an unparalleled impact on him. Dr. Pathak was one such respectful teacher. He also added that he has highest regards for all the colleagues and staff members. He believes in destiny and blessings of his forefathers.
Dr. Takalkar inquisitively asked about how Dr. Solav walked through the unprecedented times of COVID-19 pandemic, to which Dr. Solav replied that ‘Covid’ has given us a lesson of life to be disciplined, nature friendly and respectful. There was major financial losses in his practice during the Pandemic, but he could sustain fortunately. During the downtime, Dr. Solav practiced writing case reports, collecting interesting case data, and was also involved in writing poems and made a library of 12 poetries.
Looking back at his long journey, Dr. Solav admitted that if given a chance he would have spent more time in woods with plants. ‘One has to see it to believe that there is so much to learn from the plant kingdom’. Dr. Takalkar could not hold him from praising the garden owned by Dr. Solav and his knowledge and passion for the plants. Talking about other hobbies, Dr. Solav said he enjoyed soft music. Getting back to the plantation, Dr. Solav pressed hard against using pesticides and advised to judiciously use these dangerous chemicals. Giving a message to the youth, Dr. Solav said ‘Take your desires passionately. Patients are our customers and one should be sincere to them… There are challenges to clinically satisfy the referring doctors. One should be honest and credible about their work. One has to be just with the practice’.
Lastly, the ‘Chai’ ended with Dr. Solav’s sensitive composition (translated in English, with all due respect). Here, he praised the great Indian nation, despite of prevailing circumstances of discredited peasants, health crisis, ration bidding, ripped elections, destitution, corrupt administrators, self-centered government, religious discrimination, and anti-humanism. In these adverse times, he raises a voice to gather the fellow-men to make India a truly great nation. Narrated by, Dr. Khushboo Gupta
