AcknowledgementsA book written in snatches over a period spanning 22 years, needless to say, owes much to family and friends.
To my older son, Rohan, who not only shares my genes but also a passion for the written word, and who was always at hand to lend a critical ear or a quirky phrase while serving as my spell check consultant, amused that both he and the book had been conceived at almost the same time.
To my younger son, Rahul, who diligently keyed in the manuscript out of pity for my inefficient one-finger typing, goaded me to ‘finish it’ when my enthusiasm flagged, and played Beethoven and Chopin on the piano to lift my spirits.
To my medical college, which I attended by a strange twist of fate, (having never imagined that I wanted to be a physician), and which provided the backgr
