The riskiest decision I had ever taken in my personal/professional life was my career switch from

being a doctor to entering Civil Services.

I was a good student during my graduation, if I may say so. I had been the best outgoing student,
topped my university and was selected for an exchange programme to National University of
Singapore. Everyone had expected me to settle down in the Medical profession.

However I had closely watched the scenario of Medicine in India. I felt that it was fundamentally
flawed – instead of making the country’s people healthier, it actually made them poorer, trapping
their families in vicious debt cycles. I wanted to do better than just treating the symptoms; I wanted
to take part in policy making which prevents the disease in the first place by improving the quality of
life of our people.

I was well aware of what I was stepping into – I would not be earning the hefty doctors’ fees, I might
never get the chance in the Government machinery to make policies, I might look at my classmates
and feel unsatisfied with my choices, I might be judged by others for leaving a profession popularly
considered lucrative and noble.

The options with me were to finish my post graduation despite my misgivings, or leave the country
to some place with a better medical system or take a break and try to get through the highly
uncertain entrance exam for Civil Services. I chose the last option and succeeded.

I have learnt valuable life lessons in this process – I knew what I wanted, took bold decision to
pursue and achieve it, never regretted and dealt with the consequences with optimism and
ambition. It is better to have played and lost rather than sit on the sidelines of life!