Nageshwar Reddy Exhorts Students To Be Lifelong Learners
“In those days, endoscopy was not considered a lucrative speciality. But, inspired by my mentor Dr Jung Dilawari, I chose therapeutic endoscopy as my calling. At one European conference, a senior gastroenterologist told me I would be nothing more than a technician if I pursued endoscopy.
Hyderabad: AIG supremo Dr D. Nageshwar Reddy on Tuesday asked students to be lifelong learners while nurturing discipline and “responsible independence.” He also asked them to balance intelligence with discipline, determination, and empathy.
Delivering a special address at the 29th Convocation of the Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS) in Lucknow, in the presence of leading medical and governmental dignitaries, Dr Reddy said, “I feel honoured to be speaking from a stage that has hosted luminaries such as Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Ram Nath Kovind, Dr Harsh Vardhan, Prof. R. Chidambaram, and Nobel Laureate Prof. Richard Ernst — all legends in science, leadership, and public service. To follow in their footsteps today fills me with immense gratitude.”
Sharing his journey with students, Dr Reddy reflected on how true success lies not in wealth but in service to society. He recalled his residency years with a sense of independence tempered by responsibility.
“In those days, endoscopy was not considered a lucrative speciality. But, inspired by my mentor Dr Jung Dilawari, I chose therapeutic endoscopy as my calling. At one European conference, a senior gastroenterologist told me I would be nothing more than a technician if I pursued endoscopy. Contrary to that prediction, I went on to have a well-established career that also brought financial success,” Dr. Reddy said.
However, a conversation with his father became a turning point. “My father, a distinguished pathologist and academic, once told me, ‘I don’t consider you a successful person despite the money you are making.’ He questioned me further: ‘What have you done for society? Have you trained anyone? Have you published any research? Have you built anything that will outlast you?’ That moment changed my life,” he shared.
What followed was the establishment of the Asian Institute of Gastroenterology. With hard work and a touch of serendipity, Dr. Reddy said the institute was built brick by brick, with love and labour, despite limited resources.
“One night, I was called to treat the wife of a Chief Minister in another state. She was in septic shock with a stone in the bile duct. We performed an emergency ERCP, removed the stone, and saved her life. The Chief Minister, deeply grateful, helped us secure a building that became the first 200-bed hospital devoted entirely to gastroenterology. From there, we kept building until we grew into a 1,000-bed hospital with the world’s largest endoscopy unit, a dedicated research block, and outreach programmes serving rural communities. Today, we train hundreds of fellows, conduct translational research, and use telemedicine to connect with remote areas — all because of that one moment of reflection that shifted my priorities,” he added.
