A well-established eye surgeon now, she is nothing less than a Samaritan on a
mission to save lives. Meet Dr Himika Gupta from the batch 1998 of Apeejay
School, Nerul. In a candid interview, she walks down the memory aisle to share
her most loved moments at school.
What are you pursuing now and what’s your ambition?
I passed Class X from Apeejay School, Nerul in 1998. Thereafter, I secured Rank 54 in Maharashtra Medical Entrance (2000) and underwent 14 years of medical training (India /US, Canada) to become an eye surgeon with specialised training in eye plastic surgery, eye cancers, eye problems of brain tumour kids and special kids. I run my clinic in Navi Mumbai, apart from being a visiting surgeon at Multiple Medical Institutes. I am also Ophthalmology in-charge of a pan India Humanitarian NGO that provides health care in remote and disaster areas.
What is the aim?
To develop an ecosystem that addresses all needs of children suffering from eye diseases, (especially eye cancer) irrespective of their economic status. I hope to inspire people around me to be skilled and compassionate and deliver quality service in whatever they do. Striking a work-life balance to ensure the home front is not neglected, is another aim that most working moms like me focus on.
How were the teachers here?
Teachers in Apeejay School were (and continue to be) extremely dedicated, they knew us in and out. I confess that I became a doctor majorly because of my class teacher who was also my Class X Biology teacher. The love for the the subject developed from there and everything fell in place thereafter.
Share your favourite memories from school.
I was in Apeejay School from 1988-98, a complete decade. So there are many. The rappelling camp of Class III, the overnight camp of Class V, the Ajanta Ellora Aurangabad trip (in Class V), the guides camp (Class IX) and the outstanding performance of our Class in X exhibition/open day as well as Board exams bring back fond memories. In 1997 I had the fortune of attending a
leadership camp at Apeejay School, Noida and met Dr Stya Paul in person, which was also an unforgettable experience.
Which extracurricular activities did you enjoy at school?
Except for sports, I was an all-rounder. I enjoyed being part of the choir group, editorial board for the school magazine, and compering and painting backdrops for the Annual Day functions. My school ensured I never had stage fear. The curriculum taught us to multitask without compromising on academics. Leadership qualities and value education were also inculcated. Those qualities helped me a lot, and when I chose the medical career I realised that this training at the school level had given me a clear advantage.
Message for the present Apeejayites.
Good quality training never goes to waste. Kindly focus on discipline, time management, and sincere learning. Training from a good institute matters a lot, and so does your peer group. The friendships and fun times of school are a treasure of a lifetime. Whenever you get stressed talk- to friends, siblings, parents, seniors or teachers. Not chatting via texting — meeting up and talking face-to-face, solves many problems and relieves stress. Stay away from digital screens as much as possible in the current era and have a hobby which is not digital media dependent.