Dr. Anupam Sibal, a paediatric gastroenterologist and hepatologist, medical administrator, motivational speaker, and author, called himself a “migratory bird”, upon inquiring about his stay in New Friends Colony. He happens to be a permanent resident of Defence Colony, but since his house is being rebuilt, he has temporarily moved to New Friends Colony. This was definitely an excellent opportunity to know about a temporary resident’s experience of staying in the colony.
Dr. Sibal lives in B-299 New Friends Colony, a standalone bungalow on the periphery of the colony, opposite Ashoka Park. As the conversation got rolling, he had some great words to speak about the colony. He called it a “vibrant and lively colony,” with numerous parks, scattered all over the colony, providing breathing holes to the pollution-stricken lungs. According to him, the security of the colony is also commendable. Life did not seem difficult in a new area, as the New Friends Colony has convenient accessibility to daily amenities. It is also surrounded by excellent healthcare facilities. His rationale for choosing New Friends Colony as a makeshift arrangement was closer proximity to his workplace, Apollo Hospital on Mathura Road.
Like two sides of a coin, everything has pros and cons; Dr. Sibal is vexed by the plethora of stray dogs, in the colony. Their insistent barking, during the night, is a total menace. Morning walks look intimidating due to the dogs. Cleanliness is another issue that Dr. Sibal says shrouds the colony like a black cloud. Despite the high-end, the educated populace of the colony, dirty back lanes, mounds of garages, and construction materials are seen at various points. Traffic inside and into the colony is irksome; in fact, the colony serves like a thoroughfare connecting adjoining areas, which makes the movement of the residents difficult.
In compliance with Dr. Sibal’s busy schedule, we met him at his ostentatious office at the corporate wing of the Apollo Hospital. His office was so tastefully done! Paintings, artifacts, and very meaningful knick knacks! The family pictures in his office clearly indicate that he is a thorough family man. He has been serving as a group medical director of the Apollo Hospitals Group since 2005. In 2020, he took over as the president of the Global Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (GAPIO)! He boasts of a wonderful academic record. He completed his MBBS from Maulana Azad Medical College, Delhi University thereafter completed his MD in 1995 from Lady Hardinge Medical College, Delhi University. Subsequently, he trained in paediatric gastroenterology and hepatology at Birmingham Children’s Hospital, UK.
It is indeed a laurel to his cap for being appointed a senior consultant at the young age of 29. He set up the paediatric gastroenterology hepatology at Apollo Hospitals, and in 1998, he established the paediatric liver transplant program. “Is your child ready to face the world,” authored by him, is a national bestseller. He has also edited a textbook on Paediatric Gastroenterology Hepatology, and Nutrition, published by Jaypee Publishers in 2015.
Overall, Dr. Anupam Sibal came across not just as a DOCTOR but as a multifaceted person. His vibrant, receptive, erudite personality was evident from the aura surrounding him. The Samvada team is indeed privileged to introduce the dynamic doctor Anupam Sibal to the residents.
