DiabEase is an education campaign aimed at teaching the future generation of this disease, how to live physically and emotionally with it, and de-stigmatising it. Having been diagnosed with this disease at the juvenile age of eleven, this diagnosis of Diabetes type II stuck with me. It changed me, so to speak: my attitude towards life, diet and exercise. At the time, I was oblivious of the significance of this silent killer, but as I grew, physically, emotionally and spiritually, with this disease, I learnt its importance in an ignorant world, and in fact, how to even reverse it when caught early, paralleled in my situation.

With the knowledge I gained throughout my diagnosis, I wanted to pass this on to the future generations, so that the youth does not fall down the same rabbit hole as I did. Therefore, one of my first initiatives was a workshop named Diabetes: A Story about Life to conduct at The Shri Ram School Vasant Vihar Campus (Junior School). Aimed at educating the youth (ages 9-12) about the disease, it was conducted in a fun loving and wholesome manner, where the disease itself was portrayed as the villain, and the body, its victim.

Teaching was as fruitful as learning. The children's reaction at the science experiments of decolourisation, and the practicals of tossing the marble (insulin) into the bowl (cell) made me realize why I endeavor to do what I did. The presentation involved what diabetes is? How it affects the body?, the different variants, treatments, fun-facts, science experiments, and practicals. Teaching the young about this disease in this way not only fulfills my dream of making sure I can foresee a brighter tomorrow, but also educationally, is extremely productive, and this knowledge would stick by them, as it did to me, for the rest of their lives.

After the presentation was over, I conducted a short Q and A session, with a personal circle time, where I projected my transformation photos from when I was their age to now, having lost 20 kilograms in weight.

This part of the presentation expressed the personal connection I have to this topic, and helped the children understand my initiative on a deeper level. The teachers enjoyed the presentation as well.

Another ongoing project is Diabetes Warriors. This is an expansion scheme to Panipat, an industrialized city with extremely high levels of child-diabetes. I have hosted workshops at an underprivileged school over there named Baal Vikas and am working on selecting a group of students to train and mentor, to help them cope with their lifestyle disease. Then, I also conducted an education campaign, part of Diabease, where I introduced the DESTIGMATIZATION pledge that I have designed with Doctors from Mumbai, New York and Chennai. I have gotten 150 kids to sign the pledge to not indulge in Diabetes stigma, as this is an issue that is unaddressed. Furthermore, I have organized a diabetes health day campaign where those who cannot afford testing get their checks, and a distribution camp for the underprivileged at a textile factory in Panipat. We found that after testing 643 people, 15 were diabetic AND unaware of their disease, being a prime case of how under-education about this disease can be so detrimental.

Evidence for this can be seen on the following links and pictures:

Hindustan Times

“Exploring Stigma in Young Adults Living with Type 2 Diabetes”– Research Associate with Dr. Lathia

As a research associate on this project, I understood the experiences of young adults diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) in India, focusing on the stigma they faced and its impact on their healthcare interactions and disease management. Through in-depth interviews using a narrative inquiry approach, I gathered insights on the perception and management of the disease in collaboration with endocrinologists, psychologists, and individuals living with T2DM.

The study highlighted how stigmatizing language, like "diabetic," and HCP interactions can influence patients’ experiences and approach to self-care. The findings contribute to better strategies for reducing stigma in healthcare, improving patient communication, and supporting young adults in managing a potentially reversible condition.

I have been mindful to avoid using stigmatizing language, including "diabetic," "fat," and "fault," in all my research, writings, and technological interventions.

Max Hospital, Job Shadow under Dr. Bipin Walia (Head of Neurosurgery)

During my 2 week internship at Max Super-Speciality Hospital in New Delhi, India, under the guidance of Dr. Bipin Walia, Chief of Neurosurgery, I immersed myself in the dynamic world of neurosurgery. Spending a minimum of three hours daily in the operating room, I witnessed intricate procedures that expanded my understanding of surgical techniques and neurological interventions.

Engaging in daily rounds on the neuro ward and ICU provided me with a holistic view of patient care. I actively contributed to maintaining and updating patient charts, honing my organizational skills and attention to detail. This exposure not only enhanced my medical knowledge but also emphasized the importance of meticulous record-keeping in healthcare settings.

Beyond technical skills, I learned invaluable lessons in bedside manner and laboratory protocol. Interacting with patients taught me the significance of empathy and effective communication in establishing trust and comfort. Understanding laboratory procedures deepened my appreciation for the interdisciplinary nature of medicine.

This internship has been a transformative experience, solidifying my passion for medicine. The hands-on exposure to neurosurgery, coupled with the emphasis on holistic patient care, has provided me with a profound insight into the medical field. This enriching and fruitful experience has clarified my career goals, affirming my commitment to pursue a future, hopefully, in the biochemical or medical field.

View Certificate of Internship

National Student’s Leadership Conference (NSLC), Medicine and Healthcare, UC Berkeley (Certificate and Recommendation)

View Certificate and Recommendation for NSLC (PDF)

The Junior Academy, New York Academy of Science – Ambassador

In this role, I collaborated with an international cohort of STEM students to design an innovative implant known as the ‘Wisdom Chip’ capable of detecting health problems while simultaneously tracking natural calamities. Moreover, as the leader of the R&D cohort, I was responsible for collecting sufficient data to write the proposal. This program expanded my horizons as we brainstormed ideas about the linkages between nanotechnology and biology as a group.

ICrest Laboratories Summer Program

ICrest Laboratories hosted a summer program this summer, and the topics taught to the 8 attendees (including myself) were microbiology and biochemistry. With hopes to someday be a surgeon, my counselor and I agreed that this program would concentrate my focus onto knowledge that may give me a headstart to this dream, and in terms of this, it was successful.

Week 1: Microbiology

Having flown into Bangalore from New Delhi (my residence), I was quite home-sick, however the intriguing laboratory immediately diverted my attention from my friends and family to pipettes, beakers and test tubes. Not only was the staff extremely considerate and professional when it came to the content being taught, but also were great teachers, and made the experience more enriching.

In week 1, I was taught how to conduct different streaking techniques to culture bacteria, how to inoculate colonies, and how to properly disinfect a surface to prevent contamination. Introspectively, this module also helped me gain a larger perspective on the COVID-19 disease, and how a virus of this magnitude should be dealt with. Moreover, when I returned to school, I found myself leagues ahead of students in lab classes, as the laboratory taught me how to use apparatus correctly.

Week 2: Biochemistry

As my time in ICrest progressed, I found myself making more personal perspectives, and by this I mean being able to link my knowledge to real world scenarios. For example, in week 2, when we learnt about protein synthesis, I was able to link this to a cancer module I did 1 month prior on the changing of base sequence which causes proteins to alter. This aided my growth as I was able to put two and two together to unlock another perspective, which may help me become a better science student in the future.

Furthermore, in Biochemistry, I learnt the process of serial dilution, a skill that is very important for the International Baccalaureate board, which is the board I am currently in, and this helped me gain access to knowledge not available to others. In continuation, this process was extremely fun to do, and though it was tiring, it was fruitful.

View Certificate of ICrest Laboratories Summer Program