If someone had told me in 2015 that one day I would be sitting in the headquarters of the Bureau of Indian Standards, drafting national policies for Yoga and Naturopathy—fields that were once considered “almost invisible” in mainstream healthcare—I might have smiled politely and brushed the idea aside. Back then, I was just another student with a dream most teenagers in Kota carried: to crack medical entrance exams and secure a good rank in AIPMT.

Chapter 1: Kota — Where Dreams Were Lights Burning Late at Night

Kota in 2015 was a factory of dreams, fears, formulas, and fluorescent study lamps. I studied at ALLEN, where every lecture felt like a small competitive exam in itself. The walls carried the silent pressure of previous toppers; the air had the smell of books and steel tiffin boxes.

My teachers there were extraordinary—sharp, disciplined, and deeply committed to shaping students who would become doctors. I learned not just concepts, but how to learn. The systematic breakdown of subjects, the emphasis on discipline, the art of time-table building, and most importantly—consistency.

But Kota also tested us—physically, emotionally, mentally. One such day, during the peak winter months, I developed a stubborn cold and cough. It was routine, but I needed medication. I visited a local doctor (Dr. Mahesh Soni, MD)—a consultation I believed would end in the usual prescription of antibiotics and steam inhalation. But instead, that doctor gave me a suggestion that nudged my life in a direction I had never imagined.

“You seem very inclined towards holistic health,” he said. “Have you ever heard of BNYS? Bachelor of Naturopathy and Yogic Sciences?

I hadn't.

He explained how it was a medical science focusing on natural healing, diet therapy, hydrotherapy, yoga therapy, lifestyle medicine. I remember feeling strangely drawn—not convinced, but curious. Something in me paused—not the kind of pause that stops life, but the kind where life silently changes direction.

I didn’t know then that this casual conversation was going to shape my next decade!!

Chapter 2: A Different Choice

I did clear my entrance exams. I even got selected for AIIMS Raipur later, something most students in Kota would celebrate like a festival. But between the selection and the admission window, a different sense of clarity rose in me.

Every choice in life has two voices—the one that comes from expectations and the one that comes from a deeper truth. Mine whispered, quietly but steadily:

"Go towards what feels like purpose, not just prestige."

I had heard someone say Naturopathy and Yoga would take 7–10 years to gain real visibility in India’s healthcare system. Something in me believed that prediction—not because I needed validation, but because I felt it.

I enrolled in BNYS.

Just like that—my path separated from the classmates I had studied shoulder to shoulder with in Kota. They went forward into MBBS colleges, white coats, stethoscopes clicking around their necks. I went in a direction most didn’t understand.

Some people said: “Scope nahi hai.” ; “Kya job milega?” ; “Ye toh secondary field hai.”!!

But I was stubborn—in a quiet, stable, determined kind of way.

Chapter 3: The Making of a Healer

BNYS wasn’t just a degree—it was an initiation into a way of living. I learned anatomy, physiology, pathology, obstetrics & gynaecology, biochemistry, microbiology, etc —the same medical fundamentals as any physician—but with a shift in perspective: Health, not just disease.

I began to understand:

• The body’s ability to heal itself.
• The emotional layers behind physical symptoms.
• The rhythm of breath as a diagnostic tool.
• The ancient science of food and nature as medicine.

This wasn’t alternative medicine to me. It was integrative medicine.

I started seeing patterns: Where modern medicine controlled, naturopathy restored. Where allopathy treated, yoga balanced.

This wasn’t slower. This was deeper.

Chapter 4: Research, Responsibility, and Restlessness

After graduation, I wanted to strengthen the scientific foundation of what I had learned. So, I pursued a Fellowship in Clinical Research Methodology at NIN Pune. This became a turning point—it taught me how to generate evidence, not just use it. I learned how research influences health policy, how data shifts practice, how science persuades systems.

But after the fellowship, I moved back home where my mom & sis was at that time—Indore. And reality hit me.

There was almost no established scope for naturopathy practitioners there. I worked three jobs at a time—managing OPDs, consulting in wellness centres, and teaching yoga therapy sessions—sometimes for very minimal pay or no pay pay at all. some pharma companies hired me for some formulation and didn't acknowledge or pay me and let along didn't provide me an experience letter as well. well I was young too.

People believe transformation comes through opportunities; sometimes, transformation comes through lack.

The lack made me creative.

The lack made me resilient.

The lack made me built for endurance.

Eventually, I opened my own clinic at home. It grew slowly but beautifully. I was about to launch a brand of my own—healing, authentic, rooted in science and tradition.

But life doesn’t always ask whether you are “ready.”

Chapter 5: When Life Calls, You Change Your Plans

My father fell seriously ill and had facial palsy.

I moved to Jaipur, leaving everything—clinic, plans, patients, ambitions. Not out of sacrifice, but out of love. Family is not something you put aside while building a career; it is something you build your career around.

But in the midst of caretaking, stress, and adjustment—there came a moment that changed everything. My father made a remark—not out of malice, but out of frustration—questioning my choices, my effort, my capability.

It hurt. But it also ignited me.

I said, loud and firmly: “I will get a job in one week.” You see!!

Seven days later, I joined Patanjali Yog-Gram, Haridwar as a Medical Officer.

I had proved my point. But inside, I was unsettled. Was this my destination? Or just another chapter?

Chapter 6: The Call of a Dream (AIIMS, Rishikesh)

While working in Haridwar, a thought kept returning: “Is clinical practice the only form of healing one is meant to do?”

During my time there, I learned deeply—not just therapies and patient handling, but adaptability, communication, and self-leadership. I understood how large wellness institutions run, how patients’ belief systems shape healing, and how clinical environments evolve. And in that phase, something significant happened.

I realized the need for an integrative approach that included acupuncture—an evidence-backed branch of Chinese traditional medicine that could synergize beautifully with naturopathy and yoga. With clarity and initiative, I worked to open the Department of Acupuncture there. It wasn’t there before. It began as a way to carve out my own professional identity.

I trained, practiced, and refined the treatments. Slowly, results began showing—patients responded, outcomes improved, and trust grew. The department not only established itself but today stands as a high-impact clinical unit, generating remarkable revenue and supporting the institution in a big way. It became a space where I proved to myself what I was capable of building from scratch.

I had always believed learning should be continuous—not to collect degrees, but to strengthen purpose. So, when All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Rishikesh opened a research position in Yoga and Integrative Medicine, I applied without hesitation.

I had dreamed of working in AIIMS Rishikesh since 2015.

The Himalayan valleys felt like home to my spirit.

I joined as a Research Officer and spent four years conducting RCTs, developing therapeutic yoga modules, teaching, counseling, publishing, and contributing to academic development in areas like sleep quality, frozen shoulder, breast cancer, atopic dermatitis in integrative medicine. I have also authored two books—“Healing Frozen Shoulder Through Yoga” (also available on amazon: https://amzn.in/d/2KQlZoG) and “Management of Low Back Pain”—designed to support patients, families, and academic learners alike.

It was fulfilling. But institutions are made of people. And people change.

Colleagues, work environment, repetitive stress—it began chewing away at my peace. I wanted to resign. But I didn’t have the courage yet.

Sometimes courage doesn’t come from strength. Sometimes it comes from timing.

Chapter 7: The Email That Changed Everything

One evening, in July 2025, I opened my inbox casually. There was an email: “Shortlisted for Interview – Bureau of Indian Standards, New Delhi.” A form which I filled and had forgotten about. 

It felt like a sign. A message. A nudge from life.

I had always wanted to work at a level where I could shape systems. Here was the chance.

I interviewed. I got selected. I moved to New Delhi.

And today, I work as a Consultant at BIS, drafting standardization policies for Yoga and Naturopathy—a role that did not exist in our fraternity before. Many have contributed to standardization; nobody I know has held it as a job.

I created a path in a field where roads didn’t exist yet.

Chapter 8: Pride, Stillness, and a New Resolution

I haven’t yet received my first salary here yet. But I have already received something, My family is proud. My teachers are proud. My ex boss is proud. My husband is proud. 

And most importantly: I am proud of myself. 

The journey is still long, but reaching this point at age 30 feels deeply meaningful.

But now, I feel the need to pause.

For years, I have run—not frantically, but persistently.

Now, I want:

• Slow mornings
• Warm sunlight
• Gentle yoga
• Deep breathing
• Soft meals
• Time with myself
• Time with people I love
• Time to simply be

This is my next chapter.

Not achievement. Not acceleration. Integration.

The Journey Was Never Linear

Every step looked disconnected while happening. But now I see— Every detour was direction. Every pause was preparation. Every setback was redirection. Every challenge was expansion. 

I didn’t choose the easy path. I chose the true path.

And that has made all the difference.

My New Year Resolution: To walk life at a pace that feels like me.

What's yours? 

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