Meet Apollo Hospital President Dr. K. Hari Prasad (57) a former Ranji Trophy cricketer turned doctor and pioneer of emergency medicine in India, who is at the helm of the Hospitals-Apollo Group, shares his highs and lows with Sudheer Goutham in the special candid conversation – APAC Dialogue.
How and when were you diagnosed with cancer? How did you take it and what was the emotional turmoil you went through?
I was around 51 years when I was first diagnosed with leukemia. As I am a diabetic patient, I used to give my blood samples regularly for tests. During one such test, our pathologist and hemo-oncologist went through my reports and hesitantly broke the news to me. The initial phase passed by very quickly even before I could actually try and understand what was happening around me. They started the treatment immediately. I didn’t break down or get low emotionally. The only thing that bothered me was that I didn’t want any liabilities to be left over. That was the only biggest emotional rollercoaster that I was going through. Nothing else really bothered me apart from that because I had very supportive people around me and lots of positivity too.
How did you take care of yourself after the treatment?
I kept my diet under control. I used to work out daily at home. I set up a gym for myself. No trainer or any special training but regular exercising on my own. My workout consists of 3 parts, ie, yoga, cardio and weights. Initially I used to burn around 1000-1500 calories per day. Now I burn around 150-100 calories. I take more protein and a limited amount of carbohydrates. I do not believe in intermittent fasting. I have a balanced diet with all good amounts of nutrients. I maintain a proper sleep cycle. I sleep by 9:30 pm and wake up at 5:30am. I am 63 kgs now. I do not have any medication ongoing except for diabetes, that too the basics.
What are some suggestions you would give to maintain a healthy living and to prevent one from being affected by diseases like cancer?
Having a healthy lifestyle is very important. One needs to have a completely controlled diet. After the age of 35, it is mandatory to have regular health checkups. If treating a disease after it has happened is the most expensive way of cure, regular health checkups are the cheapest sources. Keeping yourself occupied and positive is the biggest secret to a happy and healthy life. Even though my treatment was going on, I had my office setup and I was working all through. This kept me occupied and didn’t upswing any sort of negativity.
Can you brief about your post-cricket fitness?
After I stopped playing cricket in my 2nd year of medicine, my habits and lifestyle became very unhealthy. I gained lots of weight due to smoking and untimely diets. Over the next 40 years or so, my weight was 115kgs. I completely became a potential candidate for all major diseases. I had the finest of treatments for diabetes and blood pressure, yet couldn’t control them.
‘Cricket Was My First Love’
How did your passion for cricket start?
Cricket has always been my first love. I started taking the game very seriously when I was in 9th-10th standard or so. My school (The Hyderabad Public School) played a big role in helping me get a better interest in the game. They conducted extra classes and mentoring sessions to have me coping up with the classes I would miss due to the practise sessions and game schedules. They took extra care so that I could balance both my academics and sports. I got a chance to play for the Ranji Trophy while I was still in school. I was the youngest player in the team. That definitely is the biggest achieving point for me in my cricket career. I played for all categories starting from under 16 matches.
Tell us more about your team. What difference do you see yesteryear’s cricket to that of today’s?
As I was the youngest player, I got a chance to be on the same teams as many other renowned and senior players. Mohammed Azharuddeen was the closest of all. We shared a nice bond and were very close to each other. With time, cricket has also been changing. Back in our days. The game was played out of passion and interest. Every player had a zeal for the game and played with lots of passion. But today’s scenario is different. It’s played more for money and is extra hyped by the media.
When did you stop playing cricket and why?
After finishing 12th standard, I got admission into a medical college. There I wasn’t encouraged much to pursue my cricket career nor did I get any sort of educational support from them. This hit hard on my attendance and hence I wasn’t allowed to attend my final exams. I lagged by one semester than my peers due to this. Therefore, I had no choice but to give up on cricket. I never got back to it after that. Out of all these years, I remember playing a friendly match only once that too with grandchildren.
Who is your favourite cricketer and why?
My favourite cricketer is definitely MS Dhoni. Dhoni is a self-made man who established his career and life all by his own. Though he had a very poor and rough start, today he has achieved a lot. Despite being so successful, he is still very down to earth.
