If Dr Mukesh Batra is the country’s most famous homeopath, it’s because he has not only set up the world’s largest chain of homeopathy clinics but is also playing a leadership role in the industry. He has treated a who’s who of the movers and shakers ranging from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to superstar Shahrukh Khan and legendary artist MF Hussain to industrialist Rajiv Bajaj. He has just released his fourth book, ‘Healing with Homeopathy’, which is like a reference book listing even remedies for both practitioners and followers. Excerpts from an interview with FE’s Rajiv Tikoo:
What motivated you to write this book?
I had not written for 13 years. This is one part of my life which was missing. This is my fourth book. I was so busy setting up my own business that I just lost track. So, I wanted to rediscover myselfand reinvent myself as an author. The timing was just right because now we have so much of experience, having opened so many clinics. Besides, today so much information is available about homeopathy. I thought it is a good time to come out with a contemporary reference book.
What was the biggest challenge?
The biggest challenge has been how to keep it simple and create a product that can be read by both doctors and lay people because its useful to them. I also wanted to write something very detailed so that its of great value to people. Otherwise there is no point in doing it. There is so much information on homeopathy available and when you see it through the prism of 40 years of practice, then you want to write everything. So what not to write was a bigger challenge than what to write.
You are a celebrity doctor, having treated a whos who in the country What kind of a feeling does it give you?
It just makes you feel humbled. It makes you realise that everyone is human. It also makes you realise that the bigger the people, the bigger their problems. It also makes you understand that no matter how big they are, they all have problems in life. They are also human beings. So, I have seen the ordinary aspects of extraordinary people through the medium of medicine.
Whats your take home from such patients?
Every patient of mine, who has come in, has contributed to my success. It all started when I had no money and operated out of a small clinic. A patient of mine, who was an architect, asked me to change the angle of the light so that I could examine patients better. That was the first patient involvement in my business. From that time everything that I have done is all patient driven.
It’s not only about industry leaders. I even had the privilege of interacting with some famous creative people. MF Hussain was my patient. He painted the ceiling in one of my clinics. I have interacted closely with Lata Mangeshkar. Asha Bhosle has sung for us. Ghulam Ali has sung in my house. I have had Mehdi Hassan sing for me. These are pleasures of my life. I also count interactions with these eminent people as my learnings. I learnt sensibility from artists, corporate warfare from industrialists, politics from politicians, and medicine from medical doctors. So every patient of mine has taught me something. Its not about being big or small. Its not that only big guys have taught me. Every person who comes in offers a learning experience.
What is your biggest challenge as a doctor?
Reinventing yourself is always a challenge. Statistics dont work with doctors. I may have cured 10,000 patients of a particular disease, but if I cant cure the present patient I am a failure. A doctor has to have 100% success rate with 100% of the patients. Its always challenging.This is also what keeps you going. Its intellectually very stimulating.
What do you think of the governments endeavours in promoting homeopathy?
Today you see a lots of promotional ads from the Department of Indian Systems of Medicine and Homeopathy or Ayush. They are doing well. I am not sure whether the focus is right. They could really take homeopathy to every village rather than engage in only educating people. Its so cost effective. They could use it as a barefoot doctors scheme. You need a few simple homeopathy remedies and you can treat a lot of diseases. They could make it as a simple homeopathy kit for every home with a little note on how to use it and give them a warning that if something like this happens, go to a doctor. So it could also act like first aid.
There are already 500,000 homeopathy doctors in India including 60,000 qualified doctors. Every year 5,000 doctors pass out from 125 universities in India. All of them are not employed. Why cant they be given simple kits and told to go to villages.
What is the way forward?
The best way for homeopathy to really grow is to make medicines available over the counter so that more people have access to them. Homeopathic medicines lack branding. You have so many brands in allopathy. You have no brands in homeopathy. Besides, it needs a very strong distribution system. Today you are restricted to 10 -12 pharmacies in homeopathy medicine in big cities. In smaller cities you have one or two pharmacies. If you can sell your medicines to only 10-12 outlets, how can you ever grow. In Europe every pharmacy has a homeopathy division.
Source: The Financial Express
Published on 2 October 2011