Sumit Gupta
If one wants to know what dedication and devotion is all about then Dr. Shakti Kumar Gupta, popularly known as Dr. Shakti, a multitalented personality of state is a role model. For the last so many years, he has been working to quench his thirst for excellence but is never satisfied.
To satisfy the same, he goes on innovating new things whether administration, teaching or research. It was only his mammoth contribution in different fields of health and hospital administration that he has been recently conferred with Capital Foundation National award in September, 2018, by Governor of Assam for tremendous contribution in the field of Healthcare Administration which in fact has been the honor for all associated with Hospital and Healthcare Administration of the state. Dr. Shakti Kumar Gupta, a living legend is a house hold name for his immense contribution as a writer, administrator and teacher. He was born on 10th of January 1956 at Village Ari, Tehsil Mehander, District Poonch, where he did his Primary Schooling, shifted to Jammu during the year 1965 and continued his education at Jammu, where he received his Middle Education from Govt. Middle School, Rehari, Jammu. Later, he joined the Central Basic School, Purani Mandi, Jammu where he received his secondary education. After matriculation in the year1972, he joined Govt. Gandhi Memorial Science College, Canal Road Jammu popularly known as GGM Science College, where he remained a meritorious student and immediately after passing his Senior Secondary Education (11th & 12th) with colorful marks, he cracked the interview based competitive exam and secured his MMBS seat in Govt. Medical College, Jammu in the year1974 from where he completed his MBBS degree in the year 1979. Immediately after completion of MBBS Degree course he joined as Assistant Surgeon in Jammu and Kashmir Health services and served the people of the state by timely addressing their medical needs for about 08 years. During the year 1987 he qualified the competitive exam of AIIMS New Delhi and got selected for Post graduation in Hospital Administration (MHA). After completion of MHA he again joined the state health services in the year 1989 and served as state incharge of various National Health Programmes in Directorate of Health Services at Jammu for about one year before he got appointed as Deputy Medical Superintendent in Govt. Medical College Jammu and served there for about four years. In the year 1993 he was selected for the post of Faculty in Hospital Administration at the prestigious All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi. From then till now for last more than 27 years Dr. Gupta has served at AIIMS at various faculty and administrative positions. He was the professor and Head Department of Hospital Administration at AIIMS from 2007 to 2014 and he is serving as Medical Superintendent Dr. R. P. Centre, AIIMS from 2005 and is still continuing. He was honored with Times of India “Times Healthcare Achievers award” in 2018, for excellence in Healthcare, conferred the State Award for meritorious public service, on the eve of Republic Day by Government of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K), in the year, 2014. He has been honored for his professional excellence and outstanding contributions in the field of healthcare administration with the prestigious CHIKITSA RATAN – 2010, SHRAM SREE-2010, and PRATIBHASHI SAMMAN-2002. He was bestowed with the International Partner of the Year Award by Institute of Rescue Engineering & Civil Protection, Cologne, University of Applied Science, Germany and he is the first Indian to be awarded with this prestigious award of International significance.
If we focus on his journey as a writer then undoubtedly, he is one among those stalwarts of healthcare administration who have worked with all allegiance for uplifting the specialty of hospital administration and help in inspiring others also to come forward ahead and write in Hospital Administration. He has been a torch bearer in this movement since long and is still enriching the specialty with his outstanding contributions. Like a true genius, he feels that there are so many dimensions to every aspect of life and nature that need to be explored not through words but action. He wishes that the mission to take hospital administration to new heights should be a continuous process and he himself has been at the job at his own and motivates others also to contribute. He is a writer par excellence and has authored more than a dozen books on various aspects of hospital administration that include Disease outbreak Management: A Hospital Administrator Perspective, Hospital Stores Management. An Integrated Approach, Emergency Medical Services & Disaster Management: A Holistic Approach, Emergency Medical Service Systems: A Global perspective, MCQs in Management and Hospital Administration, Modern Trends in Planning and Designing of Hospitals: Principles and Practice, Hospital and Healthcare Administration: Appraisal and Referral Treatise, Hospital Infection Control Guidelines: Principles and Practice, Disinfection and Sterilization Practices in Indian Operation Theatres. Books that are under publication include Panning and Designing of Specialty Healthcare Facilities, Disinfection and Sterilization Practices in Healthcare Institutions and Nursing Administration- Principles and Practices. In addition to it, he has introduced Integrated Learning Modules as a scientific pattern of teaching for aspiring Hospital Administrators, standardized Curriculum for Postgraduate courses in Hospital Administration in association with Medical Council of India (MCI) and World Health Organization (WHO). He is Consultant of Ministry of External Affairs for establishing 2 hospitals in Bhutan and Trauma Centre in Nepal, consultant for UNOPS, Asia Office, to study Procurement & Supply Management System of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Govt. of India and based on his report, financial aid of US$ 129 million was released for HIV and TB programmes from UN Global Funds. WHO consultant to the Govt. of Nepal, Consultant to Government of Goa, Consultant to the Government of Maharashtra and Consultant to Government of Tripura and North-East States for improvement in healthcare provisioning. He has carved a niche for himself in Hospital administration.
There are so many dimensions to towering personality like Dr. Shakti Gupta. It is pertinent to add here that he has guided and supervised more than 50 theses for his postgraduate and doctoral students and has published more than 110 research articles in national and international journals. He has delivered numerous lectures, talks and demonstrations on the subject across the globe and has organized, chaired and attended more than 300 conferences, seminars, CMEs, workshops and symposia both within and outside the country. He proved his worth in the field of healthcare administration and as a creative man; Dr. Shakti Gupta has so much to his credit that one wonders about his achievements. He loves to share his knowledge with younger ones and listening to him is always a treat and blessing. Another much acclaimed quality of this great man is that he is a very good critic and never restricts himself from giving his viewpoint on various aspects of healthcare challenges. With years of yeomen services rendered to patient care and teaching he has been an authority to put forth his criticism. He performs his duty with all honesty whenever he finds an opportunity. He criticizes not merely for criticism unlike others but with a creative angle that helps to deliver in a better way in future. The persons like Dr. Shakti Gupta are an asset for the society who inspires so many from all walks of life. It is tough to excel in a particular field but Dr. Shakti has excelled in all fields that inspired him whether it’s teaching, research or administration.
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