Exclusive Interview with Dr. Varsha Narayanan, Founder- Director of Dr. Varsha’s Health Solutions

HBW News presents the Global Achievers Awards 2021 to Dr. Varsha Narayanan, the Founder- Director of Dr. Varsha’s Health Solutions and Consultant of Family medicine and Holistic Health for her exemplary contribution to Healthcare industry. She believes in living a holistic lifestyle that balances both physical and mental health. As a dedicated professional she has helped more than 20k individuals to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Here’s an exclusive interview

Tell us a bit about yourself. 

I am Dr. Varsha Narayanan, born and brought up in Delhi. I schooled in Modern School Vasant Vihar and passed out as the Head Girl. I did my MBBS, MS (Oph) in Maulana Azad Medical College, and was awarded the Lieutenant Governor Trophy for Best MBBS student. I shifted to Mumbai after marriage and further acquired a diploma in Holistic Health, as well as Clinical Research. I worked in hospitals and health centers, and then in the Pharmaceutical Industry, heading Medical Affairs for several years, along with my independent practice. Over these years, I have also been fortunate to publish a lot of my research work, reviews, and editorials in reputed medical journals as well as speak at scientific forums. In 2020 I established my own interactive digital health awareness, information, and guidance platform – Dr. Varsha’s Health Solutions. I am also a passionate musician (composer and singer), and use my music to spread health, peace, joy, and well-being. 

What were the challenges that you faced and how did you overcome them? 

For a woman, excelling in her work along with managing a home and two children, is the biggest challenge. Time management, circumstantial prioritizing, and evolving domestic support by discussions, adjustment, and people to help, is the way to manage. Even so, there are some very tough days. Having an understanding and liberated leaders at the workplace who value the efficiency, creativity, and competence of women, as well as respect their need for work-life balance is extremely important. While building a big digital platform, technical challenges are many and one has to identify the right combination of trained and experienced persons to combat these difficulties. Above all, the greatest challenge is always to cultivate the balance of passion and peace in our minds. 

What has been your most significant achievement? 

Being able to establish a digital health platform that spreads health awareness and guidance in an interactive way has been a dream that I have at least crossed the first milestone of… but there are miles more to go. This platform Dr. Varsha’s Health Solutions has a wealth of health information that has helped more than 20K people monthly, provides digital health consultation, hosts and partners health events, and has associated specialists from several medical fields. This platform served as a great tool for COVID healthcare and homecare during the pandemic globally. The sense of achievement comes from the fact that I have done this entire content creation, and built this platform single-handedly.

How do you come up with new ideas? 

Ideas seldom come when you decide or sit down to think of ideas! The mind has to be open to the environment around, and always keep understanding what are the need gaps, how the community can benefit or be helped, interact with people from all walks of life, and want to make a difference or improve lives. That’s when ideas come…. Not all ideas succeed. Hardly 5-10% of ideas eventually turn into something significant, but the core desire to strive to improve people’s lives and make a difference in the community is the key. 

Who is your biggest inspiration? 

All people who have made a difference to society with their creativity, competence, and hard work inspire me. They do not have to be famous celebrities or have a huge fan following etc. My mother has been my big inspiration, as she has done amazing work in her field, believed in expressing her ideas freely and also encouraging others to do so, and had the courage to stand for what is right irrespective of what side the majority is on.  

What motivates you? 

Seeing someone happy, more comfortable, or healthy because of my guidance or action, is my greatest motivation. Love and support from my family is another great motivator.  

What does a typical day look like for you? 

The beauty of my life for which I have eternal gratitude is that I do not have a typical day. Each day brings something different with it. Many days are filled with consultation, digital health content, medical research, advisory work, or giving health and scientific talks. There are yet other memorable days spent enjoying nature, hobbies, discussion or games with family, or just creating music. The constant in each day is to be happy for the variety that life has given me at the start of the day, and feel that Idid something worthwhile at the end of the day. 

Whom do you look toward for advice? 

I am open to advice from everyone. I believe anyone can say the most useful thing that can set my thoughts rolling. I take advice from my mother, husband, seniors, colleagues, and even my children! Every advice should be heard, thought over, and then based on its merits, reasoning, one’s ability, and circumstance, either pursued or rejected accordingly. 

How do you define success?

Success is a very relative term. Often one may appear successful to the world but not think so oneself… and vice versa. For me, success is a life lived worthily enough to inspire others. When people tell me I have been an inspiration to them, that is success for me. 

What are your growth plans for the next 12 months? 

As I inch towards 2022, I aspire to further expand my platform to touch more lives. I will be introducing new features and health programs and also striving further to enhance digital health, preventive health, and holistic health in the community. I am also hoping to bring in more and more specialists and experts across the country to be part of this platform. I want to propagate family medicine as the foundation of healthcare in our country. There is a need to strengthen and empower family physicians and bring forward data from their real-world experiences and clinical practice, into formulating health guidelines and policies, as well as improving patient care and convenience.