When people see my practice in New York today, they often assume the journey was straightforward. They see the surgeries, the results, the reviews, and the accomplishments, but they do not always see the years of sacrifice, uncertainty, and relentless work that shaped me along the way.
My path started thousands of miles away in India in a family where medicine was not just a profession but a way of life.
I was born into a family of doctors. In fact, when I entered medical school, I became the 11th doctor in my family. My parents are both surgeons and growing up around medicine gave me a deep respect for patient care from a very young age.
I watched firsthand how much sacrifice medicine required. I saw how patients trusted my parents during some of the most difficult moments of their lives. That responsibility stayed with me and became a major part of who I am today.
Growing Up in a Monastic Boarding School
One of the most unique parts of my upbringing was attending an all-boys boarding school that operated more like a monastery than a traditional school.
I moved there when I was around 11 years old and stayed through high school. We were raised by monks and life was built around discipline, spirituality, and structure.
Every morning started at 5 AM with meditation.
At that age, I probably did not fully appreciate how unusual that experience was, but looking back, it shaped almost every aspect of my personality. It taught me patience, focus, humility, and emotional control. Those lessons became incredibly important later in life during surgical training where pressure and stress are constant.
The concept of karma and doing the right thing was deeply embedded in us from childhood. We were taught to keep our heads down, work hard, and stay grounded regardless of success or failure.
Even today, I still carry those lessons into the operating room.
The Challenge of AIIMS
After finishing school, my focus became medical school admissions. In India, getting into top medical institutions is incredibly competitive.
I was fortunate to be accepted into the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, commonly known as AIIMS, which is considered one of the most prestigious medical schools in India.
More than 70,000 students applied for only 34 seats.
That level of competition changes you mentally. You learn very quickly that talent alone is not enough. Discipline, consistency, and resilience become equally important.
AIIMS pushed me academically in ways I had never experienced before. The expectations were extremely high and everyone around you was exceptionally driven. At times it felt overwhelming, but it also forced me to grow tremendously.
Medical school was not easy, but it strengthened my work ethic and reinforced the importance of perseverance.
Discovering the United States
During medical school, I had the opportunity to come to the United States as an exchange student for a summer program at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.
That experience changed my life.
I was incredibly impressed by the level of education, innovation, and surgical training I witnessed at Johns Hopkins. The environment was intense but also inspiring. I realized very quickly that I wanted to continue my postgraduate training in the United States.
At the time, pursuing training in America felt both exciting and intimidating. Leaving your home country and starting over in a completely different system is never easy. There were moments of uncertainty and self-doubt, but I knew I wanted to challenge myself at the highest level possible.
That decision ultimately shaped the course of my career.
Yale, Harvard, and the Reality of Surgical Training
After graduating from AIIMS, I moved to the United States and worked as a postdoctoral research fellow at Yale University School of Medicine.
Research taught me patience and attention to detail. It also exposed me to an entirely different side of medicine where scientific discovery and innovation drive progress.
From there, I continued my training with a general surgery residency at Harvard Medical School.
Surgical residency is one of the hardest experiences a person can go through mentally and physically. The hours are long, the expectations are relentless, and the emotional pressure is enormous. You are constantly being pushed beyond your comfort zone.
But those years also shape your confidence and judgment.
Harvard taught me the value of precision, preparation, and accountability. In surgery, there is no room for shortcuts. Patients trust you completely and you owe them your absolute best every single day.
After completing general surgery training, I pursued a plastic surgery fellowship at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine which felt like coming full circle because it was the institution that first inspired me years earlier as a student.
That experience solidified my passion for facial rejuvenation surgery.
Why Facial Rejuvenation Became My Passion
During training, I became deeply interested in facial surgery because it combines technical precision with artistry and emotional impact.
The face is incredibly personal. When patients look in the mirror, they are not simply evaluating appearance. They are evaluating identity, confidence, and how they feel about themselves.
I was drawn to procedures like deep plane facelifts, necklifts, eyelid surgery, and facial fat transfer because when performed thoughtfully, they can create natural and transformative results.
The goal was never to make someone look different. The goal was always to help patients look refreshed and more like themselves again.
That philosophy became the foundation of my practice.
Building a Practice in New York City
After finishing my training, I made the decision to move to New York City and start my own practice in 2021.
It was honestly a very risky decision.
Starting a practice in New York is highly competitive and there are no guarantees of success. But I have always connected with the energy of New York City. The ambition, diversity, and intensity felt familiar to me.
In many ways, the city reflected the same mindset that carried me through medical school and surgical training.
I focused on providing natural results and exceptional patient care. Over time, the practice grew far beyond what I initially imagined. Today, we are fortunate to care for patients from all over the world and have received more than 1,500 five-star reviews.
I never take that trust for granted.
When I look back on the journey from India to New York, I realize that every chapter shaped me in some way. The monastery school taught discipline. AIIMS taught resilience. Yale taught curiosity. Harvard taught precision. Johns Hopkins taught artistry.
Together, those experiences shaped not only the surgeon I became, but also the person I became.