Every profession, demands dedication commitment and a genuine inclinations towards the profession
Dr. Indu Saini
Head, Clinical Nutrition & Dietetics, Jaipur
email indusaini118@gmail.com
Contact No 9636749124
Dr. Saini, can you tell us what inspired you to become a dietitian and work in the field of oncology?
Right from my school days, I wanted to pursue profession in medical field as I had a natural inclination towards Biology. But the area which always caught my attention the most was the extreme lack of awareness towards a balanced diet, especially in rural areas. But a specialization in oncology is a result of the social service oriented atmosphere at my home. Me and my family always believe in the value of “what we can give back to the society”. Cancer patients, health-wise, are amongst the most vulnerable, and for them a proper diet planning is not just a lifestyle choice but a survival necessity. These inherent value systems are the primary reason that keeps me inspired and self satisfied on a daily basis while pursuing this noble profession.
How has your role at Bhagwan Mahaveer Cancer Hospital and Research Centre evolved since you started in 2021?
I joined Bhagwan Mahaveer Cancer Hospital and Research Centre as a Senior Dietician, who had the initial responsibility to apply it’s technical and super-speciality skills to provide nutritional support to the Cancer patients. At present, as the Head of Department (HOD) of Dietary Department, my role has evolved from a technical expert to a Manager-cum technical expert. Apart from Dietary expertise, it’s my responsibility to devise patient-specifc nutritional planning strategies for this 300 bedded hospital , and to oversee, manage and monitor their implementation through devolution of responsibilities to Junior Dieticians under me. Also, it’s my duty to motivate and guide my department members so as to bring the best out of every individual. Additionally, I regularly conduct dietary awareness sessions for doctors and patients.
Could you share some of the key initiatives and programs run by your NGO, Maa Seva Sansthan?
Our NGO is working since 2002 for the welfare of the underprivileged sections of the society. We have worked for the skill development of women and girls. We have worked for the empowerment of Banjaras community. We were the first NGO who initiated Beti Bachao Beti Padhai Campaign in 2006. Presently, we are running a rehabilitation center for mentally retarded by the name of “Maa Ashram”, where at any time 50 to 60 patients are receiving rehabilitative care.
What are some of the most rewarding experiences you have had working with mentally retarded patients and differently-abled children?
The mentally retarded patients and differently abled children are mostly orphans or family-abandoned. They lack the privilege of basic nurturing, attention and care that normal humans recieve. As a result, they expect extreme parental love, care and support. At Maa Sewa Sansthan, We work with a vision to either rehabilitate them in order to let them live a dignified life, or to condition them in order to reunite them with their family members. There are thousands of experiences of rehabilitation to narrate but one common thing which I observed in every rehabilitation case is the extreme quest for survival amidst apathetic environment. And here, they have a very valuable lessons for everyone of us – to always value whatever the almighty has given to every individual with a progressive mindset.
How did it feel to receive awards from the Chief Minister of Rajasthan and other organizations for your work with Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Abhiyaan?
Definitely I feel honoured when my work is awarded and appreciated. But this is a short term happiness. For me real happiness is when I will be successful in creating a positive long-term impact in someone’s life.
Can you explain the impact of health camps and nutrition briefings you organize in rural and urban areas?
Urban and Rural areas have different set of issues in terms of health and nutrition. While inability to follow a healthy diet and lifestyle amidst hectic schedule, and access to fresh and unadulterated food, are the two major issues in urban areas, in rural areas, lack of knowledge and awareness of what exactly comprises a balanced and nutritious diet, and limited or no access to quality healthcare, are primary cause of concerns. During health camps and nutrition briefings, I use this differential approach to address area-specific issues on a broader level. In my nutrition briefings, I tend to focus more on imparting solutions and small nutritional and dietary changes that any individual needs to bring in so as to simultaneously address both the issues of malnourishment and undernourishment. The health camps on the other hand, act as a medium serving the dual purpose of awareness generation centers as well as contact points for providing periodic and quality health checkups.
How do you contribute to the Rajasthan Unsung Stars Abhiyaan for dropout girls, and why is this initiative important to you?
Rajasthan Unsung Stars Abhiyaan was started by my younger sister in 2019 for school dropout girls in six districts of Rajasthan. Since we live together, everyday she narrates me the courageous stories of dropout girls she meets. What I realised from these conversations is that girls and women are still facing so many issues and their condition remains pathetic. I feel that apart from my profession their is still a huge void that needs to be filled by my contribution. Keeping this in mind, I regularly conduct awareness sessions on diet planning through, both ofline and online mode, and I organise medical camps periodically to provide basic health checkup facilities to these underprivileged girls.
What topics do you cover in your “Food and Nutrition Issues” programs on All India Radio, and how do they benefit listeners?
I cover topics related to global public health days, and current health issues( Cancer, Diabetes, cardiac disease, mental health issues etc) healthy eating habits, healthy weight management, and how balanced diet plays an important role in our lives.As we all know that in present time people are more dependent on junk food, are leading a poor lifestyle, are suffering from depression, and have been diagnosed with diseases like cancer, BP, Obesity, Diabetes etc. Therefore, diet plays an important role for management of these health issues.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, what were some of the biggest challenges you faced, and how did you overcome them to help those in need?
The onset of Covid-19 pandemic and associated nationwide lockdown challenged the basic premises of human existence. Humans are social animals, and thus we all have a tendency to interact, socialise, exchange information and pursue our economic, intellectual and emotional likings for our overall survival. COVID pandemic and Lockdown struck a powerful blow to all these basic parameters. Lack of information and misinformation, fear of exposure to the virus in case of face to face interaction, apathy towards eatables available in local areas, feeling depressed due to long period of isolation etc., were some of the common challenges everyone of us had to face. For me this period acted as one of the most important learning phases of my life, both professionally and personally, and that was how to finely balance both these aspects and that too during crisis situations. Definitely, like everyone, I too had a fear of contracting this virus or acting as a carrier for my family members and my daughters on daily basis, but professionally this period helped me to evolve as a dietitian. Our professional ethics demands us to act as saviours for the needy ones in the society without giving any primacy to personal risks, fears and challenges. This principle acted as a guiding light for me during my daily visits to hospital for attending cancer patients and giving them nutritional briefings. Back at home, I was continuously handling nutrition planning and addressing many diet and food related misinformations of variety of patients, either on calls or through virtual medium.
What advice would you give to young dietitians who want to make a positive impact on society like you have?
Every profession, demands dedication commitment and a genuine inclination towards the profession. For every young dietitian, my piece of advice would be to take this profession as something beyond diet counseling, nutritional planning, and diet chart preparation. In this world where climate change is real, lifestyle diseases are common, and infectious outbreaks are the new normal, the role of diet and nutrition goes beyond it’s classical role, and therefore it should be taken as a way to giving back to the society. It’s a public service of highest virtue, and therefore not just another profession. Also the shift towards organic food and sustainable living requires periodic upgradation of skills for every dietitian so as to remain in sync with the latest developments.
Mental health is major issue in today’s hi tech life. What are the basic reasons you see in this regard?
Though the issue of Mental health is a by-product of population explosion, fast paced urbanisation and an increased competition in market, it has attained an entirely new dimension in the age of social media , digitalisation and Post-Pandemic world. Covid-19 pandemic once again brought this silent pandemic at the forefront. As per me, the possible reasons behind this issue includes gradual nuclearisation of joint families, long periods of isolation from friends and family leading to depression, increased levels of anxiety and frustration due to social media lifestyle comparison culture, virtualisation of human interactions and emotions, and the inability to synchronise with an urgent upgradation of advanced skills for a traditionally educated youth in this age of Artificial Intelligence.
What are the compliments and expactations from your life Partner?
A bold lady, a responsible mother, a person with very high survival instincts even in adverse situations, an ambitious personality, a lady who knows how to take and defend her stand etc. are some of the compliments which my life partner uses for me on a daily basis. Regarding the question of my expectations with my life partner, I can only say that I truly believe in the principle that in order to progress and excel in any area of life, whether professional or personal, a like minded support team is the biggest asset. When we talk about progress in personal life, our team is our family and our close friends, of which the life partner is one the most valuable team member. Therefore, it would be unwise to call it as an mere expectation, rather it’s a necessity for anyone who aspires to act as an agent of change for the society. As a women, I appreciate my husband, family members, and would like to extend my honest gratitude towards them for their love, support and care.
Which is your favourite quote?
“The number one principle that rules my life is Intention”.
