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Bio

*Sixteen miles out on unsplash

“Who in the world am I? Ah, that’s the great puzzle.”― Lewis Carroll , Alice in Wonderland
“You are you. Now, isn’t that pleasant?”― Dr. Seuss
Shalini is a doctor who is also a writer. As a pathologist, who specializes in respiratory pathology, much of her time is spent at her microscope, working on complex biopsy reports or managing her laboratory. As a writer, finds herself waking up in the wee hours of morning typing away before the demands of the day and life make themselves felt.
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Author
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Public Speaker
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Resource Person
“If there’s a book that you want to read,
but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.”― Toni Morrison

“Stars from the Borderless Sea” is a collection of three novella length stories that explore different facets of the most universal human emotion-love. She was selected as Juggernaut Selects She was also one of the winners of the eShe short story contest.

 

She has published 2 short stories each in the anthologies “Sharing Lipstick” and “Women.Mutiny” One of her short stories was selected for publication in the anthology “Everything Changed After That” which was unveiled at the Ananke Women in Literature Festival in 2021.
Better is possible. It does not take genius. It takes diligence. It takes moral clarity. It takes ingenuity. And above all, it takes a willingness to try.”
― Atul Gawande, Better: A Surgeon’s Notes on Performance
Her book Stars from the Borderless Sea (2022) was longlisted for the AutHerAwards 2023 (Debut category). Shalini was awarded a Jury Appreciation Citation at the UNFPA Laadli Media & Advertising Awards for Gender Sensitivity (2022). Her stories on women’s identity have won many short story contests and two Orange Flower awards (Fiction, 2022 and LGBTQ issues, 2021). She is a copyeditor and on the Review Board of the journals like ‘Research and Humanities in Medical Education’ and other scientific journals
“Follow your inner moonlight; don’t hide the madness.”
― Allen Ginsberg
She has been an invited speaker at Literary events like the Delhi Literature Festival, Women in Literature Festival, Midnight at Book Store, Ghaziabad literature festival, House of Harmony Spring Festival and the Golden Door Dialogues. She is a columnist and panellist for platforms like eShe, Ananke, Beyond the Box, Women’s Web and Incredible Women of India. She has been invited to judge events, conduct writing workshops and encourage students in prestigious schools. She has also been a guest on audio and video podcasts.
“When there is no place for the scalpel, words are the surgeon’s only tool.”
― Paul Kalanithi, When Breath Becomes Air
Shalini is the Head, Department of Pathology, at the National Institute of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases, Delhi. She is a graduate of the Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi and has trained and worked at some of the most reputed organizations in India. She has more than 2 decades of experience in Pathology and has authored many scientific papers and textbook chapters. She is also a resource person and expert for matters related to her professional expertise. She finds the intersections between health, tecahnology, gender and education very interesting.

Having trained at the prestigious Lady Hardinge Medical College and worked extensively in domains and organizations with many women in the workforce gave her a unique vantage into the inner lives, situations and challenges that women often find themselves confronted by. She empathises with these unique situations and weaves this understanding into her writing.

She is known for crafting short stories that capture the essence of modern feminism and call out gender stereotyping and misogyny in subtle ways. This  makes them resonate with many and sparks off introspection, which she believes is the first step in the journey of growth and self-discovery.

“People think that stories are shaped by people. In fact, it’s the other way around.”
― Terry Pratchett, Witches Abroad
Her strong conviction that words have the power to change the world we live in comes together with the sensitivity of her writing as she tells stories that uplift, empower and engage.She believes that arts and humanities offer different ways of thinking and have the potential to positively influence healthcare practices and priorities. Shalini empathizes with the challenges and unique situations that women are often confronted with and weaves this understanding in her writing. Medical Humanities is an area in which she has a keen interest, and her poetry has been published in reputed journals. She is copyeditor and on the Review board of the journal ‘Research and Humanities in Medical Education’

A late entrant to the world of writing, she finds it takes her away from noise, and towards silence. It is also a good excuse to avoid hitting the gym. She is happiest in the company of books, chocolate and old hindi movie songs. She loses herself in the melody of ghazals, and finds herself in their lyrics. Poetry touches her soul, and she belives there is a perfect Rumi quote for every situation in life. Shalini loves both the magic of the sunset and the promise of the sunrise. Though she has beautiful memories of her years in Bangalore and has now put down roots in Gurgaon, Shalini remains a Dilliwali at heart. Shalini is learning to pause, appreciate the small things in life, the beauty in the mundane and the patterns that the universe lays out. Her secret sauce for life is gratitude. The one thing that she remains an abject failure is at taking a good selfie.