Reflections at the Cusp of 2026

As the Christian calendar year 2025 draws to a close and a new dawn called 2026 waits at the threshold, pause becomes not a luxury but a responsibility. It is time to acknowledge—with humility and gratitude—the people, places, and moments that made the year joyous, momentous, productive, and perhaps the most meaningful one yet.

Gratitude, in the Indian tradition, is not merely good manners; it is dharma. The Taittiriya Upanishad reminds us, “Mātṛ devo bhava, Pitṛ devo bhava, Āchārya devo bhava”—revere your parents, teachers, and mentors as divine. Every step forward is carried on the shoulders of many.

A Year Written in Words and Work

One hundred and eighty-seven blog articles. That number is not a statistic; it is a discipline. Writing daily is akin to abhyāsa in yoga—showing up even when inspiration is absent. As Stephen King wrote in On Writing, “Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work.”

Each article was an attempt to think clearly, share generously, and leave a small trail of insight for readers navigating medicine, leadership, learning, finance, or life itself. To every reader who paused, reflected, disagreed, or shared—thank you. A writer exists because a reader listens.

When Life Teaches Beyond Medicine

Some lessons arrive not in lecture halls or operating theatres, but on mountain trails and reunion lawns.

A family trek to Everest Base Camp was not about altitude; it was about attitude. Each step at thinning oxygen taught the same lesson patients teach us daily—progress is slow, breath-by-breath, and surrender is not weakness. The Himalayas echo an ancient truth from the Bhagavad Gita: “Yogaḥ karmasu kauśalam”—excellence in action is yoga. One careful step at a time.

Then came the Ruby Reunion of the 1985 MBBS batch—forty years after we first walked into medical college with borrowed confidence and boundless dreams. Time had scattered us across geographies and destinies, yet one evening collapsed four decades into shared laughter and silent tears. As Khalil Gibran wrote, “Let there be spaces in your togetherness,” but some bonds need no bridges; they simply resume.

Teaching the World, Learning from It

The year unfolded across continents—four international workshops in Africa, one in Iraq, and landmark gatherings closer home. The AOI Karnataka State Conference in Mandya, Rhinocon 2025 in Chennai, and Otofest at Kolhapur—combined with the blessings of a visit to Sri Mahalakshmi Temple—were reminders that skill matures when service meets sanctity.

Teaching in different cultures teaches the teacher first. An African trainee’s curiosity, an Iraqi colleague’s resilience, or a young Indian surgeon’s hunger for hands-on learning reinforces what Rabindranath Tagore so beautifully expressed: “The highest education is that which does not merely give us information but makes our life in harmony with all existence.”

Home Is Where the Hard Work Is

While travel inspires, home is where transformation happens. This year was devoted to unfinished promises from the COVID era—26 workshops completed, online and offline, with an unwavering focus on hands-on training. More than 10,000 participants from 24 countries across Asia, Asia-Oceania, Africa, and Europe were touched through these programs.

There is a quiet satisfaction in completing deferred duties. As the Japanese proverb says, “Fall seven times, stand up eight.” Delayed does not mean denied—only refined.

Dreams Delayed, Not Denied

Several book projects were initiated, yet stalled—caught in the painstaking world of illustrations and visual clarity. Creativity, like surgery, demands precision and patience. Leonardo da Vinci famously said, “Art is never finished, only abandoned.” Choosing not to abandon—to wait until it is right—is its own discipline.

The launch of KENTVarsity, a dedicated learning app, was another milestone. Though marred by technical bugs, the intent remains firm: democratize learning, blend technology with mentorship, and make education accessible beyond geography. Progress, after all, is iterative.

Personal Milestones Matter Too

Amid professional milestones came a deeply personal one—the Silver Jubilee wedding anniversary. Twenty-five years of companionship is not measured in years, but in forgiveness, laughter, and shared silence. As the Indian poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan wrote, “Jo beet gayi so baat gayi”—what has passed has taught us how to walk together into what lies ahead.

The Road Stretches On

And yet, even after all this, the words of Robert Frost ring true:
“The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep.”

Medicine, teaching, writing, building systems, mentoring the next generation—none of these are destinations. They are pilgrimages. The ancient Indian parable of the stonecutter reminds us that greatness lies not in the role we play, but in the purpose we serve. When asked what he was doing, the stonecutter replied not “cutting stone,” but “building a temple.”

As 2026 beckons, the intention is simple: to serve better, teach deeper, write clearer, and live more consciously. With gratitude for the road travelled, humility for lessons learned, and faith in the miles ahead.

“To everyone who walked a part of this journey—family, friends, students, colleagues, and readers—this year was ours, and you made it possible. Please accept our sincerest gratitude. The next one awaits our best selves.”

Dr. Prahlada N.B
MBBS (JJMMC), MS (PGIMER, Chandigarh). 
MBA in Healthcare & Hospital Management (BITS, Pilani), 
Postgraduate Certificate in Technology Leadership and Innovation (MIT, USA)
Executive Programme in Strategic Management (IIM, Lucknow)
Senior Management Programme in Healthcare Management (IIM, Kozhikode)
Advanced Certificate in AI for Digital Health and Imaging Program (IISc, Bengaluru). 

Senior Professor and former Head, 
Department of ENT-Head & Neck Surgery, Skull Base Surgery, Cochlear Implant Surgery. 
Basaveshwara Medical College & Hospital, Chitradurga, Karnataka, India. 

My Vision: I don’t want to be a genius.  I want to be a person with a bundle of experience. 

My Mission: Help others achieve their life’s objectives in my presence or absence!

My Values:  Creating value for others. 

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