“At the height of his fame the author became a victim of cancer. In spite of the shock he received after knowing about his dreadful disease, the author fought against it with rare courage and emerged victorious. His sadness and distress were replaced by a rare degree of positivity,” writes Dr. N.G. Rajurkar in a foreword to Tryst With Destiny, the autobiography of Dr. Shyam Sunder Prasad.
This book is not just a remarkable record of Dr. Shyam Sunder Prasad’s eventful life, but it also takes the reader on an emotional as well as an inspirational journey. Tryst With Destiny is about an exemplary life, and about how we can deal with life’s problems with courage and equanimity.
Dr. Shyam Sunder Prasad is a consultant ophthalmic and corneo-plastic surgeon who has earned numerous awards for his contribution to the field of medicine. He is credited with over 275 titles, and has published his research and clinical studies in international journals. Dr. Prasad, a former student of Osmania Medical College, Hyderabad, spent many years abroad, researching and practicing, until his return in 1973. His passion for serving the people brought him back to his country. In 1984, he established the Kanchan Eye Hospital and Research Centre in Hyderabad.
In this book, Dr. Prasad has shared the experiences of his travels around the world. He writes, “My work as a doctor took me to various parts of the globe—the travel not only broadening my perspective as a doctor but also shaping my views on life in its amazing entirety.”
In 2010, Dr. Prasad embarked on one of the most challenging phases of his life. He was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma of the caecum, a deadly disease for which he had to undergo eight cycles of chemotherapy and a hemicolectomy. The story of his battle against cancer can be an inspiration for others looking to understand how one can deal with this ailment both on the physical and mental levels.
As he says in the book, “I was indeed lucky to survive. With the negative stigma attached to a cancer diagnosis, one must know how to look forward to life with immense positivity to be able to tackle this much-dreaded disease.”
Dr. Prasad’s book narrates the reality of a cancer patient’s life, and draws attention to the central role a patient’s family can play in the recovery process. During Dr. Prasad’s convalescence, his wife Premila’s support was instrumental, as was the constant presence of his friends, doctors and even the nurse who took care of him.
In Tryst With Destiny, while narrating his post-hemicolectomy experience, he writes, “I was shifted to a room and the drainage tube was removed. Dr. Sachin took off the clips from my wound. During this Premila never once broke down and was her usual smiling self. I salute the fortitude she showed in seeing me through this difficult phase!”
Optimism had been the guiding principle for Dr. Prasad throughout her darkest years. And what kept him going was his link with spirituality. “When there is little hope, meaning and purpose to life, it is spirituality that helps to sustain health,” he writes in the opening chapter of the book.
Tryst with Destiny is the story of a cancer survivor who has vanquished the disease against all odds while challenging the social stigma attached to cancer.
He writes: “Cancer, as I discovered, is a journey of self-discovery. It has the potential to make one bigger and better than one can ever dream. It is a path of intense self-discovery and healing. What helps one sail through this crisis is a positive, pragmatic approach and an attitude that encompasses the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual aspects of life.”
Dr. Shyam Sunder Prasad can be reached at shyamprasad37@gmail.com