Treating the star sports players of our country, Dr. Manit Arora, North India’s leading sports surgeon, has performed knee and shoulder surgeries on various Indian and international players. In conversation with Urban Melange, he talks about how this should be promoted more on the grassroot level, so that we have more such learned surgeons in our country.
Q. When did you decide to become a surgeon? How has your journey been till now?
During medical school in Sydney, Australia I came across a wonderful man and orthopedic surgeon by the name of Ian Harris who really got me interested in sports surgery and I knew then and there that is what I wanted to do. Since then, I spent the next 10-15 years studying in Australia, Japan, France and USA to hone my tradecraft. The journey since moving back to India and Fortis Mohali has been nothing short of remarkable. In the last 4 years we have become the highest volume center for sports injuries, and I have been blessed to operate and treat international players including Neeraj Chopra, Indian Hockey Team, Indian Cricket Team, International Basketballers and Footballers, Pro Kabbadi players and more just to name a few.
Q. Burst some myths about ACL surgery that people generally have.
One of the common worries is will I be able to walk again after an ACL surgery. Not only do we get the patient walking from the next day itself, but the whole purpose of the surgery is also to get you back to your normal life which may be sports or recreational.
Q. What has been your biggest challenge till now?
The biggest challenge has been navigating the Indian health landscape which requires a mix of thick skin and kindness of the heart. Luckily, I have had close friends and guardian angels who have helped me become a stronger person.
Q. Advice for aspiring surgeons.
To paraphrase a Will Smith movie “don’t let someone tell you that you can’t do something, if you want it, you need to go out and make it happen”.
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