Managaluru's Dr. Safwan Ahmed was on Monday, September 16, awarded with Dr. Anisya Vasanth Memorial Award for the Best Post-Graduate Resident in Neurology -2019.
The event was attended by Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, Union Health Minister Dr. Harshvardhan, MP PC Mohan, Rajya Sabha MP Dr. Rajiv Gowda, Institute's Director Dr. B N Gangadhar and other dignitaries.
Son of Late Ahmed Hussain and Tasleem of Kaikamba near Mangaluru, Dr. Safwan did most of his schooling in Bajpe. He finished his primary schooling in Popular School Bajpe and high schooling from St. Joseph School Bajpe. He did his PU at St. Aloysius College in Mangaluru and managed to secure a merit Medical seat in KMC Mangaluru with good rank in CET exam.
After MBBS, Safwan completed his MD from Mysore Medical College in General Medicine. There he secured overall sixth rank in Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences and topped the Bengaluru-Mysuru Division of the university during the course and was awarded with the gold medal. Dr Safwan, then joined NIMHANS ( National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences) to pursue to do DM in neurology. He has now successfully completed this super speciality with flying colors.
His wife, Dr Fathima Raeesa is doing her post graduate studies in Radiology at KMC, Mangaluru.
Dr. Safwan spoke to Vartha Bharati and shared his success story. During the interview, Safwan termed his latest achievement as a dream come true.
Excerpts:
What motivated you to take medicine as your career?
I was always fascinated with medicine and the profession right from my childhood. Whenever I used to visit doctors, I used to tell myself that I should get into this profession. Moreover, it was also the dream of my parents that at least one among their children should pursue medicine. Every time my father and I passed by Kasturba Medical College in Mangaluru, my father would express his wish for me to study here. So all of these drove me to this field.
How did your family support you in your journey?
My father passed away when I was in first PU. He had supported me all the while. And even after his passing away I never had to seek help from anyone for my studies. He had made all the arrangements for my future studies. He had made sure that there are no hurdles regarding my fees and other requirements. My mother, brother and all my family members have been of great help too.
How did you tackle your strong and weak areas as a student?
By God's grace, i have a sharp memory . That helped me in keeping pace with my academics. My weak area were few subjects like social. I was not very keen or interested in studying the subject. I used to generally go through it and manage it.
What are your hobbies? Did you have enough time to develop them?
To be honest I don’t have any such time consuming hobbies. I would just play some sport whenever I used to get some time. Not regularly. I play, just when I feel like going and taking some time out.
What factors would you attribute your success to?
I will attribute my success to all my family members who stood by me all throughout the journey. My mother, father, brother and my wife. I got married last year and my wife has been a great source of support for me.
What is your message/advice to youngsters who want to make it big in the medical field?
Those who are interested to enter the medical field as their career, they should first understand the seriousness of it. They should commit themselves and make up their mind. Because, when you enter the medical field, there will be a lot of academic pressure. It is not a cakewalk. And to make it big in this field you will have to struggle, study for at least 10-12 years before coming into the profession. I started medical studies in 2005 and studied for 14 years before starting my profession. We should not be here to earn money. Our goal should be helping people and rendering service to the needy.
Now that you have joined Father Mullers Hospital as a consultant neurologist, what are your plans?
Well, I want to set up a unit of Cognitive Neurosciences wherein we can thoroughly understand and treat people suffering from dementia. Cognitive Neuroscience is something where you spend time with the patients, their family and understand them. We need to counsel the family members also to handle the patient well. I am planning to open this unit here.
Vartha Bharati Bureau Chief Pushparaj B.N. handing over memento to Dr. Safwan Ahmed at 'Vartha Bharati' office. Kannada News Editor BM Basheer was also present.
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Lucknow: In a sequence of events shrouded in suspicion and allegations, the recent hospitalization and subsequent demise of convicted former legislator Mukhtar Ansari have sparked controversy and demands for a thorough investigation. Ansari, who was lodged in Banda jail in Uttar Pradesh, complained of abdominal pain and was hospitalized before his death, allegedly due to a cardiac arrest. However, his son, Umar Ansari, has raised serious concerns about foul play, citing instances of alleged poisoning and lapses in medical treatment.
A week prior to his hospitalization, Ansari had filed an application in a court in Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh, alleging that his meals had been poisoned on at least two occasions within 40 days. He claimed that the food provided to him in jail had been mixed with a poisonous substance, leading to severe illness. Additionally, Ansari stated that some jail staff, including those responsible for food tasting, also fell ill after consuming the same food. Subsequently, he sought a probe into the matter and requested adequate medical attention and security.
Ansari said after eating the food, he felt uneasy and felt pain in his limbs first and then in the rest of his body.
“My hands and feet turned cold. And it felt like I was about to die. I felt uneasiness. Before that, my health was completely fine,” said Ansari in his application.
He had further alleged that around 40 days before that, he was given a “slow poison” with his meal. Some jail members, including one who would taste his food before it was fed to him, also felt unwell and they all had to be treated, Ansari had alleged in his two-page application.
“The threat to my life in the jail has increased. Any untoward incident can happen to me at any time,” Ansari had said, alleging that his poisoning was part of “some big conspiracy”.
Upon receiving Ansari's application, special judge Kamal Kant Srivastava directed the Jail Superintendent in Banda to submit a report on Ansari's health and security by March 29. The court emphasized the need for proper medical examination and facilities for Ansari as per the jail manual. Furthermore, the court instructed the jail official to take necessary measures to ensure Ansari's safety.
On March 26, Ansari was admitted to the hospital after complaining of abdominal pain. His health deteriorated suddenly, leading to his transfer to Rani Durgavati Medical College. Despite initial treatment, Ansari succumbed to a cardiac arrest. The circumstances surrounding his death have raised suspicions, especially considering his earlier allegations of poisoning and concerns about his safety in jail.
Ansari’s son Umar Ansari had last year filed a petition in the Supreme Court saying that the state government was planning to assassinate Ansari in Banda jail, where he was lodged as a convict and accused in several criminal cases.
Umar Ansari had filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court last December praying that his father be moved to a jail outside UP. On December 15, 2023, the Adityanath government assured the apex court that “necessary augmentation of security as needed will be made” to ensure that no harm was caused to Ansari while in custody. In his petition, Umar had expressed concern for his father’s well-being by drawing attention to the murder of former Lok Sabha MP and tainted politician Atiq Ahmad and his brother Ashraf Ahmad while they were being escorted by a team of policemen for a routine medical check-up in Prayagraj on April 15 last year. The Ahmad brothers were killed in front of reporters and the footage was relayed live on television.
Ansari's family, including his son Umar Ansari, has reiterated their allegations of foul play and demanded a thorough investigation into his death. Umar Ansari, in particular, highlighted the lack of access to his father during his hospitalization and expressed concerns about the handling of the case by authorities. Moreover, the past assurances by the Adityanath government regarding Ansari's security have come under scrutiny in light of recent events.
“I am nobody to make an allegation. The who was poisoned (Mukhtar) had himself alleged that he was given poison along with his dinner on March 19.” Umar said.
Various political leaders and organizations, including Bhim Army leader Chandrashekhar Azad and AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi, have called for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into Ansari's death. They have criticized the state government for allegedly neglecting Ansari's health concerns and failing to address the serious allegations of poisoning.