Pune News
Harinder Dhaliwal’s Inspiring Journey: From AFMC Pune to Neurology Leadership in Canada
“When I reflect on my journey—from the lecture halls of AFMC Pune to hospitals across Canada and the US—what stands out most isn’t just academic achievements or clinical milestones, but the people and institutions who believed in me when it would have been easier not to. They went beyond mere accessibility checklists and extended genuine human kindness. They let me grow, lead, make mistakes, and thrive,” shares Harinder Dhaliwal, 48, speaking to The Indian Express from Canada, where he has lived for over 20 years.Harinder’s path has been long and challenging—marked by a sudden life-altering accident and an unwavering spirit of resilience.
In 1994, he entered the prestigious Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) in Pune after topping its entrance exam. But tragedy struck in 1998 during his final year when an Army jeep accident in the Siachen sector left him paralyzed from the waist down.After nearly a year of treatment, Harinder returned to AFMC in a wheelchair to complete his medical degree. However, upon graduating in 2000, he faced a major hurdle: AFMC rules required graduates who did not join the defense forces to refund fees, but his paraplegia made him unfit for service. Without the Rs 3 lakh to pay back—his family already spent twice that on his medical care—he faced uncertainty.
The Ministry of Defence stepped in, waiving his fees and converting his provisional certificate into a full medical degree, enabling him to overcome his first major obstacle.“After my spinal injury, I doubted not only if I’d walk again but whether I’d ever practice medicine as I dreamed,” he recalls. Though he underwent further treatment in the US, it became clear he would remain wheelchair-bound.Life took a hopeful turn when he met Kiran via a matrimonial site. Kiran, a Canadian IT professional and quadriplegic due to a childhood accident, impressed him deeply. They married in 2003, and Harinder moved to Canada in 2004.Despite her paralysis, Kiran runs an IT company called Ray of Light, managing it using voice-activated technology, while Harinder completed his residency at the University of Calgary and later a neurology fellowship at Yale University, specializing in epilepsy.
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