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SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, April 18, 2005: Alka Patel, a 36-year-old assistant clinical professor of pediatrics at the University of California, had dreamed about becoming a doctor since childhood. Her family was thrilled when Patel, who was born in England and lived in her parent’s native India for two years before moving to the Bay Area at the age of 7, returned to San Francisco two years ago for her job at the University of California at San Francisco (UCSF). Then Patel announced she was leaving it all behind–her medical practice, her possessions, everything. Next month she will move to Parmarth Niketan, an ashram on the banks of the Ganges River in the town of Rishikesh. She plans to spend the rest of her life there. The decision came as a shock to family and friends. How could she give up a successful medical career to become a religious disciple? And why so far away? Patel, who grew up in a religious Hindu family, says it comes down to a matter of faith.



In an interview with local journalist David Ian Miller, Patel discussed her decision to leave her life and work behind in the States and move to an ashram in India. “Well, before I started my job at UCSF, I had a month to sort of play around. So I planned this four-week trekking pilgrimage in the Himalayas with my sister. My father wasn’t very happy about it. He said, ‘You’re just wasting money. Two young girls going in the Himalayas by yourself. It’s dangerous.’ But I didn’t feel there was any danger. I knew we were going to be fine,” said Patel. “During my residency, I started to have lots of spiritual experiences, especially with my patients. I became convinced that the more I learned [about Western medicine], the less I knew about life. I kept learning and learning, and it just felt like I knew nothing. And so, having spent this many years in school and having achieved what I’ve achieved, it just doesn’t feel like I’m giving up anything. I feel like my real learning is about to begin,” she added. For the full interview with Alka Patel, click on “source” above.

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