Blending the roles of soldier and physician, Major Dr Padmini Prabhudesai recounts a career defined by service, sacrifice and healing far beyond the walls of a hospital
John Aguiar
In medicine, many doctors choose the familiarity of city hospitals and private practice. Few choose the uncertainty of conflict zones, remote outposts and the discipline of military life. Major Dr Padmini Prabhudesai (Retd), an alumna of Goa Medical College, chose the latter, combining the calling of a physician with the duty of a soldier.
Prabhudesai, joining the Indian Army was not simply a career decision but a transformation. In uniform, she explains, a doctor is a soldier first and a physician second. The role demands far more than clinical expertise. Training at the Officers’ Training School in Lucknow prepared her in combat drills, leadership, emergency response and administration. It instilled a mindset of discipline and readiness that sets Army doctors apart from their civilian counterparts.
Her service took her to some of India’s most challenging regions. Posted with units such as the Assam Rifles, she worked in the remote corners of Nagaland and Manipur and later in high alert areas like Pathankot. These were places where specialised hospitals were often miles away and resources were limited. In such conditions, the medical officer becomes the first and sometimes only line of care.
The responsibility could be overwhelming. A single decision might determine a life. Yet it was also deeply meaningful. In isolated villages, families would walk long distances with sick children, placing absolute trust in the Army doctor. For them, she was more than an officer. She was reassurance, hope and help rolled into one.
Those experiences, she says, taught her that medicine is as much about empathy as skill. Often, listening and offering comfort mattered just as much as treatment. The bond between the forces and local communities grew through these small, human interactions.
As a woman in uniform, Prabhudesai also witnessed the changing face of the armed forces. In the Army Medical Corps, she believes merit outweighs gender. What counts is competence and composure under pressure. With technology reshaping modern warfare, more doors are opening for women to serve and lead.
Still, the life comes with sacrifice. Long postings away from home, missed family milestones and the constant uncertainty of insurgency areas test both officer and family. The emotional weight is real, but so is the resilience it builds. Over time, she learned to stay calm in crises and to carry responsibility with quiet strength.
Looking back, she sees her journey from Goa Medical College to the country’s frontlines as a privilege. The Army gave her not only a profession but a purpose. It offered adventure, respect and experiences no conventional practice could match.
Her message to young doctors is simple. If you seek comfort, look elsewhere. But if you want to serve, to challenge yourself and to make a difference where it matters most, the uniform offers a life like no other.
For Prabhudesai, being an Army doctor was never just about healing wounds. It was about caring for those who guard the nation, and finding her own strength in the process.
