From “I’ll Never Be a Doctor” to “Hi, I’m an Ayurvedic Student!” – A Twisty Tale

 Since childhood, I’ve always heard people saying they want to become doctors. And I used to be like—why is everyone so obsessed with that white coat dream? Even parents were training their kids like, “Beta, one day you’ll be Dr. XYZ.”

I honestly found it a bit... cringe.

I was that “I’ll-be-different-from-the-crowd” girl. While everyone ran towards stethoscopes, I was dreaming about ISRO, satellites, and space suits. Then came my engineering obsession—architecture, aerospace... you name it, I planned it. And all this because I got decent marks in Physics and thought I was the next Tesla. (Delulu much?)

I used to roast the medical field, like, “If everyone becomes a doctor, who will build the roads, bhai?” My mom was the sole audience to these TED Talks.

Until... life pulled out its reverse card.

Enter: lockdown.

All those online classes, endless sitting, and zero movement gifted me something special—an unbearable back pain. It was so intense, I couldn’t even breathe properly. Trust me, no exaggeration here. You’ll think I’m gaslighting you or making this up for drama, but I swear on my hostel lunch—it’s all true.

I tried allopathy, did rounds of physiotherapy, but my pain said, “I’m not going anywhere, babes.”

Board exams were near and I was crying more over my back than my syllabus.

Then one day, someone told my mom about a local Ayurvedic vaidya. Just a small one-room setup near our home. No fancy equipment. No degrees on the wall. Just pure old-school magic. He applied some herbal oil and did a massage... and that pain that haunted me for MONTHS—disappeared.

Gone. Poof.

That day, my inner anti-doctor died a peaceful death. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. And no, he didn’t chant spells or do some Harry Potter nonsense—it was all herbal and hands-on. I repeat, I’m not lying. Even my inner skeptic sat down and shut up.

But you know what? That wasn’t my first Ayurvedic miracle.

Back in 8th grade, I had severe stomach pain and vomiting. Doctors recommended keyhole surgery. I cried like a baby. Then we tried another Ayurvedic doctor known for treating kidney stones. Took the medicine, followed the diet (goodbye biryani), and after two months—no stone. MRI clear.

That was the first spark.

But it was 12th grade’s back pain saga that turned that spark into a full-blown flame.

From hating the idea of becoming a doctor to entering the world of Ayurveda... Plot twist, right?

Moral of the story?

Sometimes, the path we walk is not the one we imagined—it’s the one we were meant for.

I used to mock the medical field without knowing its depth. But life, in its funny way, showed me what I needed to see.

So here’s to all those who think they’ve figured out their destiny—you haven’t.

Stay open. Stay curious.

Because sometimes, a back pain knows more than your career counselor!