Meet the SHEROES - Dr Renuka Parmar

She’s an artist but a Doctor first! Believe it or not. This wildly talented SHERO has pursued a career in Homeopathy after achieving her MBBS degree. Furthermore, she sings too and is part of a music group. It doesn’t stop there, she paints and writes poems too and also has regular exhibitions of her art work all around Mumbai.

Let’s meet Dr. Renuka Parmar and see what she has to say to us!

How did you get inspired to be a Doctor?

I am a practicing medical doctor. I did my MBBS from Grant Medical College and the JJ Group of Hospitals. After my graduation, I did some introspection and decided that I did not want to go down the expected route of entrance exams to become a MD. Instead I chose to do my masters in Homoeopathy from The Royal London Homoeopathic Hospital. It was a radical move because no one pursues Homeopathy after an MBBS.

I studied in London and then came back to intern with an accomplished Homoeopath - Dr Anil Habbu. Alongside, I started my private clinic at the age of 25. I am also a trained Acupressurist and a Yoga Instructor and use both these therapies in my practice.

I got into alternate medicine because I believe that the combination of traditional and alternate medicine is the need of the day. The rising numbers of chronic diseases makes the role of homoeopathy, acupressure and yoga irrefutable. 

What diverse / other interests make you who you are today? Do you plan on monetizing these interests ever?

As much as I love being a doctor and treating people, my other true joy is my art. My late grandfather, Shri Govind Solegaonkar was a famous artist. I have grown up with his art around me and I have drawn and painted from a very young age. My latest artworks are available on my website.

I had exhibited my artwork at the October edition of The Lil Flea, Bandra and now I have an upcoming show at Caravan Hands, a gallery in Kemps corner. The show is for a week starting from 23rd Jan 2015 to 29th Jan 2015.

Creative arts are the colour of my life and I can't imagine surviving without my art and my music. I am a singer and belong to a music group called Nabashruti. We perform beautiful melodies of Rabindranath Tagore and have performed in various events at Prithvi Theatre, SP Jain auditorium and Nehru centre to name a few.

I discovered a new facet of myself while painting abstract which is the style that comes naturally to me. In an effort to explain my thought process to the viewers, I started writing poetry about the artwork. I guess once you tap into your creative energy, various manifestations of the energy appear. My poetry is also available on my website.

How do you manage your creative spark and professional role of a Doctor?

Being a doctor is who I am and I enjoy interacting with and helping people. Treating someone when they are suffering and unwell is truly the most satisfying thing one can do. I have my private practice at Borivali East and I have been practicing for 5 years now.

My creative side bloomed much more after my son was born. Being a hands-on mom, I also decided that I had to carve out time for myself and my passions if I intended to remain sane. It’s very easy to lose oneself in the process of doing the best for one’s child.

I made it a point to paint whenever my son napped and it was the most therapeutic and relaxing time of the day for me. I try not to miss out on my painting sessions as I saw that I was happier and more relaxed on the days that I did.

What are your long term plans in terms of your profession (s)?

I am first and foremost a doctor and I will always remain one. I hope to bring traditional and alternate medicine together so that the patients at large can benefit from the best that each science has to offer. There is still a lack of awareness and acceptance towards homoeopathy though there are years of evidence in the form of patient stories. More systematic research and documentation of the effects of homoeopathy independently and in combination with traditional medicine needs to be done. I hope to write and publish more cases in this effort.

As an artist, I wish to understand myself better and hear my inner voice more clearly. What one paints is truly a reflection of what one is. One can always put up a facade, but when all the walls break down is when the brightest and truest art is produced. I plan to keep painting regularly and have many more exhibitions in the coming years. I hope to make a name for myself as an accomplished artist.

What advice can you give young women entering the corporate world?

Though I have been more of an entrepreneur myself, I have seen the corporate world very closely through my family and my advice stems from there. I feel that doing work you like is the easy bit. However, running a business involves a lot of other work which is the tougher part. It's a great asset to have a strong support system. In my case, my husband and parents are the backbone of my career. Whether it is the running of my private practice or arranging exhibitions, my husband plays an indispensable role without which I would have found it very tough to manage it all.

If you are a working mother, it is necessary to find a balance between work and baby time. An imbalance in either area will give you heartache. It is also essential to build a good system for the baby when you are away so that when at work, you do not keep worrying about your child and home. My mother in law and my son's nanny are God's blessing to me and his way of telling me to spread my wings!