Inspired, perspired, impressed, depressed: like India itself, the operative word for my experience there this past week is “contrast.” No question India is worth seeing, not just because with 5 times the U.S. population it is by far the world’s largest democracy, but because despite all of its challenges it is doing a lot of good things. As it turns out, I was there on the one-year anniversary of 26/11 (November 26th), the terrorist attacks on Mumbai and other sites. India has comported itself well in the aftermath of that tragedy, and the commemorative observances were moving.
I was there to give a paper at the IPRAS meeting (International Confederation for Reconstructive, Plastic, and Aesthetic Surgery) in New Delhi. It was interesting to be on a panel with plastic surgeons from Brazil, Columbia, Iran, the U.K., and Portugal. The IPRAS meeting was more than just a meeting of the minds though, it was a source of inspiration in itself. Plastic surgeons around the world have long been able to put aside political differences between governments and work together in the interest of service. Through partnerships with organizations such as Doctors without Borders, and a new effort called Women to Women, IPRAS has fostered efforts to care for burn victims (mostly women) and children with birth defects, where access is limited either by cultural customs, lack of funding, or both. The challenge remains a large one, but encouraging progress is being made.
Of course there was some fun to be had, and seeing the Taj Majal is a worth the effort. We just missed seeing Ben Kingsley (Academy Award-winning actor who played Ghandi) there by a day. He is doing a movie based on the life of Mumtaz Mahal, the wife whose love inspired the Taj.
I was there to give a paper at the IPRAS meeting (International Confederation for Reconstructive, Plastic, and Aesthetic Surgery) in New Delhi. It was interesting to be on a panel with plastic surgeons from Brazil, Columbia, Iran, the U.K., and Portugal. The IPRAS meeting was more than just a meeting of the minds though, it was a source of inspiration in itself. Plastic surgeons around the world have long been able to put aside political differences between governments and work together in the interest of service. Through partnerships with organizations such as Doctors without Borders, and a new effort called Women to Women, IPRAS has fostered efforts to care for burn victims (mostly women) and children with birth defects, where access is limited either by cultural customs, lack of funding, or both. The challenge remains a large one, but encouraging progress is being made.
Of course there was some fun to be had, and seeing the Taj Majal is a worth the effort. We just missed seeing Ben Kingsley (Academy Award-winning actor who played Ghandi) there by a day. He is doing a movie based on the life of Mumtaz Mahal, the wife whose love inspired the Taj.
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