Delhi- I was born and brought up in Delhi, and I have spent most of my life here – nearly eight decades. From early on, my greatest companion has been books. Reading, studying, and understanding have not just been habits, but a way of life.
I completed my MBBS from Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi in 1961. Soon after, I was fortunate to join the ‘Department of Anatomy’ in 1964 where my formal journey in this fascinating subject truly began. I completed my ‘MS in Anatomy’ in 1968.
At that time, the thought of writing a textbook on ‘Anatomy’ seemed like a distant dream. It is not an achievement that comes quickly – it took years, even decades of dedication, patience, and perseverance. With the constant support and guidance of my seniors, Dr. Mohini Kaul and Dr. Indira Bahl, I co-authored my first textbook of ‘Histology’. It was published in 1988 by CBS Publishers and Distributors Pvt. Ltd., and to our delight, it became widely accepted and appreciated.
This success encouraged us to move forward. Together, we continued our work in Anatomy, and gradually, more books followed. Being younger than my co-authors by a few years, I was once told something that stayed with me forever:
“You are younger—you must carry this work forward.”
That moment planted a seed of responsibility and purpose in my mind.
Our next major work was a textbook of ‘Neuroanatomy’, which further strengthened our contribution to Medical Education. Alongside, I was also working on my “Ph.D. in Anatomy”, where guidance, mentorship and continuous support was happily provided by Prof. Chandrama Anand. After completing my thesis, I was entrusted with editing the “Handbook of General Anatomy,” a task completed diligently within a year.
In 1996, just a few months before my retirement at the age of 57, I visited the office of CBS Publishers and Distributors Pvt. Ltd. to submit the revised edition of our ‘Histology’ book. I believed it might be my last assignment with the publishers. But life had other plans.
I was approached by Mr. S.K. Jain, CMD of CBS Publishers and Distributors Pvt. Ltd., with an unexpected opportunity – to edit B.D. Chaurasia’s three-volume Anatomy series.
I still remember that moment vividly. My legs trembled, and for a few seconds, l could not even find a chair to sit on. The responsibility felt immense. But I also recognized it as a divine blessing – a rare opportunity to contribute to one of the most respected Anatomy textbooks for undergraduate students.
When I began working on these volumes, I approached them with a fresh perspective. It took me more than two weeks just to decide what improvements and additions could be made to align the books with international standards.
Then one day, a simple but powerful idea struck me – ‘Why not include step-by-step dissection guidance?’
This idea transformed the books, making them not just theoretical texts, but practical guides for students in the dissection hall.
After my retirement in July 1996, I joined Santosh Medical College, Ghaziabad. There, I had the opportunity to practically test and refine these “steps of dissection” on cadavers, with the help of colleagues and Prof. Tripta Bhagat from Surgery Department. This ensured that the content was not only academically sound but also clinically useful.
The fourth edition of the book was published in 2004 after a gap of eight years. The fifth edition followed in 2010, and subsequent editions saw valuable contributions from colleagues such as Prof. P.S. Mittal and Prof. Mridula Chandrapatla. For tenth edition, Prof. Y. Sontakke joined us. Over time, the books evolved, improved and reached a wider audience.
Simultaneously, I continued editing other books – on Histology, Neuroanatomy, and General Anatomy. These books gained popularity and were widely appreciated by students. I remained deeply involved in writing, editing, and improving each edition.
However, I also realized that many students from other healthcare fields needed simplified and accessible resources. This led me to expand my work further.
I contributed towards one holistic volume for BDS students, including General Anatomy, Gross Anatomy, Embryology and Histology text including a workbook.
Understanding the challenges faced by Hindi-medium students, we helped develop books in Hindi with technical terminology in English, making learning more accessible.
Books were also written for ANM and GNM courses with contribution from Dr. Medha Joshi.
In 2021, I had the opportunity to contribute to a combined Anatomy and Physiology textbook for B.Sc. Nursing students. Dr. Anju Dhir’s hard work and dedication in this book is really commendable. The book was enriched with diagrams, animations, and workbooks, making it highly engaging and student-friendly.
Further, books were developed for Pharmacy students (Diploma and B. Pharm.) where Dr. S. Kundu supported us. Anatomy for Physiotherapy, and Occupational Therapy students has been assisted by Dr. Abha Sharma and Dr. S. Kundu. It is in the pipeline. Thus, we ensured that Anatomy education reached learners across diverse healthcare fields like MBBS, Nursing Pharmacy, BP, BOT and MLT. Practical workbooks were prepared for MBBS students (Anatomy and Histology) for BDS students for Nursing and Pharmacy students. Dr. Medha Joshi supported me in all these workbooks.
Today, when I look back, I see not just books, but a lifelong journey – one built on dedication, hard work, and continuous learning (Life Long Learning LLL).
These books have kept me active and engaged throughout my life. Each new edition, each revision, and each piece of feedback from students, has been a source of motivation.
I have been fortunate to receive immense support from my renowned publisher (CBSPD), Mr. Y.N. Arjuna, Ms. Ritu Chawla, parents-in-law, parents, husband, entire family, colleagues and students. Their encouragement has been invaluable.
Above all, firmly believe that this journey has been possible only because of the blessings of the Almighty.
“Message to Students”
Success does come overnight. It is built step-by-step – through patience, consistency, and a willingness to learn.
If you are passionate about your subject that passion becomes your profession.
Dreams may take time – but with perseverance and parent’s blessings they do come true.
