How Voluntarism Can Make Big Change

This ‘Mashaal’ story began in 2017 when (Late) Dr Sheetal Amte thought of enhancing leadership skills among healthcare professionals. Soon Dr Nobhojit Roy , Sujata Deshmukh , and I got together to design the first program – it was called ‘Mashaal.’ Later Nandeeta Vengsarkar-Wagh also joined us.

While Leadership training is widely offered in the corporate world, the healthcare industry did not invest in leadership development. In their article ‘Why Doctors Need Leadership Training’ the authors noted this lacuna

‘Medicine involves leadership. Nearly all physicians take on significant leadership responsibilities over the course of their career, but unlike any other occupation where management skills are important, physicians are neither taught how to lead nor are they typically rewarded for good leadership. Even though medical institutions have designated “leadership” as a core medical competency, leadership skills are rarely taught and reinforced across the continuum of medical training. As more evidence shows that leadership skills and management practices positively influence both patient and healthcare organization outcomes, it’s becoming clear that leadership training should be formally integrated into medical and residency training curricula.’

The objectives of the first workshop were – 1. Reaffirm one’s purpose as a Health care Providers (HSP) within the Healthcare system, 2. Learn new leadership perspectives and skills to perform one’s roles with resilience, and 3. To build camaraderie and create a space for doctors to interact, share experience and ideas to learn from each other thereby creating a supporting network

The first program was a big success. The participants who were mainly doctors and who came mainly from PHCs or Primary Healthcare Centres found the inputs both energising and guiding in their personal journey. That brought some volunteers from the participants who have been leading the Mashaal ever since.

The second program was conducted at Anandwan and Dr Sheetal Amte also joined us. Then the programs at Surajkund, Lonavala, Aarohi (in Nainital Distt), Alibaug followed. The participant profile has changed over a period, it now includes wide variety of professionally qualified healthcare professionals.

Then a new variant was introduced – Mashaal for Students. The budding healthcare professionals at MAMC (Maulana Azad Medical College) underwent leadership training. This is not in the curriculum of their education, it is voluntary, and the response is exceptional.

Soon Mashaal spread to Hindalco which has a hospital and a large team of healthcare professionals. Jupiter Hospital at Thane asked us to impart leadership training to their PGs. Both were very well received programs.

We then moved to the next stage – Train the healthcare professionals to conduct leadership training. The best way to learn is to train others! Eleven such trainers are the new addition to our team of trainers. Cardiologists, Professors in medical College, Doctors working in NGOS, Surgeons, Physiotherapists, Psychiatrists – they are all now trainers in Mashaal. One of the emerging trainers handles difficult subject like ‘organization development!’

All the trainers and organizers work pro bono (meaning for the public good) and without charging fee of any kind.

This has been a very fulfilling journey. It has given me a sense of purpose, as also to all the trainers.

The Mashaal or the torch has lighted our journey, not just in the world of healthcare professionals, but also it has kindled the fire within.

Please reach out to Dr Anurag Mishra (anurag.alok@gmail.com) if you wish to nominate healthcare professionals to the forthcoming Mashaal (tentatively scheduled in June 2025) or organize Mashaal at your organization. Join us in this noble cause.

“Pathmaker, there is no path, You make the path by walking. By walking, you make the path … ”

Feature Pic courtesy: Yuta Koike in Unsplash

Vivek S Patwardhan

What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others/ All work copyrighted.