Briefly, tell us about your background and career up to this point?
I grew up in Amritsar, the vibrant city that is home to the magnificent Golden Temple. I hold a Master’s degree in Medical Anatomy from Government Medical College, India, and a Doctorate in Education from the Institute of Education, UCL. I have held academic positions at St. George’s University of London and King’s College London.
Currently, I serve as a Senior Lecturer in Anatomy, the Faculty Lead for Inclusive Education for Bioscience, and the Head of MBBS Year 1 Assessments. I co-lead the award-winning Synthetic Anatomy module, which received the Anatomical Society Education Innovation Award in 2023, the Common Year 1 Anatomy, and have various other teaching responsibilities. I am a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy UK and lead projects for the International Collaboration and Exchange Programme initiated by Columbia University in 2014, collaborating with King's College and 33 medical schools worldwide on work related to the internationalisation of medical curricula and cultural competence.
My research focuses on developing innovative assessment strategies involving AI, promoting inclusive education, addressing microaggression and designing MRI/CT-compatible interventricular brain phantoms with tumours to enhance neurosurgical training.
I live in Surrey with my husband and our six year old son.
What is a typical day like for you?
My day starts at 5 am with one and a half hours of yoga, followed by the school run and then diving into work. My workday is packed with exciting projects, and I live life to the fullest. I cherish giving and receiving plenty of cuddles, I love cooking, and I love listening to my son’s mind-blowing questions about life and death, which often leave me without answers. I unwind by practicing Shoonya (emptiness) and then get some sleep to recharge for the next day.
What do you think people in the School would find most surprising about you?
I dedicate nearly one and a half hour of each day to various yoga practices, and have tattoos on my back.
What advice would you give to your 18-year-old self?
My advice to my 18-year-old self is that peace comes from accepting the dual and dynamic nature of life, recognising that nothing remains the same—not from a place of hopelessness, but one of hope! Change can be as profound as death, altering us fundamentally (but only altering, not ending), or as cyclical as the transition from day to night. This continuous flow of energy shapes us; what we emit, we also absorb. We are like flames; we dim and rise, influenced by the winds around us, but we choose to keep burning. Life isn't about logic; it's about experiencing the journey. So, be grateful, emit what you wish to receive and let your flame burn beautifully!
Do you have any current projects that you’d like to tell us about?
I am thrilled about the various initiatives we are planning and working on to support inclusive education in the faculty. Having previously worked on a few projects in this area, both within King’s and internationally, I am now excited to co-lead efforts with my faculty counterpart to benefit others. Making education and our environment inclusive for both staff and students is crucial, and I am looking forward to dedicating myself to this vision.
I am also working on various projects with students from various faculties.
We are developing interventricular brain phantoms with tumours for neurosurgical training. We recently tested these at the Endoscopy in Neurosurgery course and presented the work at the recent British NeuroEndoscopy Society meeting, and I am very excited about advancing this initiative further.
We are also working on the AI-Powered Educational Tools Project, funded by CTF (College Teaching Fund) in October 2023. This project focuses on developing qVault.ai, a platform for generating single best answer (SBA) questions and tracking pre-clinical student progress. We have incorporated a new chatbot named Lenny, designed to help students quickly understand complex medical concepts and study more efficiently.
We conducted a cross-faculty project to create animated videos aimed at training staff and students on microaggressions. These videos have been utilised in training sessions at King's and in the 'International Collaboration and Exchange Programme' earlier this year. They will also be included in the College EDI Microaggression Toolkit. I am excited to continue advancing this important project.
It is also humbling to see my colleagues actively involved in the rubrics champion initiative within the faculty. We are facilitating sessions on using AI to generate rubrics, which enhances marking efficiency and provides better feedback for students.
What do you do with your time outside academia/work?
I am blessed with amazing friends and family and I love spending time with them. Also, I volunteer for the Isha Yoga Foundation, a volunteer-run organisation dedicated to promoting physical, mental, and spiritual well-being for all.
What are you most looking forward to this year?
I look forward to living each moment to the fullest.
Who inspires you most and why?
Sadhguru and his vision are my greatest inspirations. As an Indian yogi, mystic, and founder of the Isha Foundation, his comprehensive approach to personal wellbeing, societal transformation, and environmental sustainability motivates me to volunteer and contribute to this vision.
What is something positive that happened to you over the last year?
Almost everything that has happened to me has been positive—the only difference is, sometimes the positivity is evident immediately, while other times it takes a while to reveal itself.
What is your proudest accomplishment?
My proudest accomplishment is learning to accept, without letting my flame dim, and understanding that the only way out is 'IN'.
What is your favourite thing about working at King’s?
My favourite thing about King's is the vibrant location of Guy's Campus, along with my incredibly supportive teams and collaborations, and the energy everyone brings.
What is your favourite part of your role?
My favourite aspect of my role is the opportunity to learn and develop collaborative initiatives. Throughout this journey, I evolve on many levels, both emotionally and intellectually, alongside others, and this makes the journey worthwhile.
QUICK-FIRE:
Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Netflix recommendation: "Everything Everywhere All at Once" on Netflix and "Queen of the South"
One thing you could not go a day without: My yoga practices
Describe yourself in three words: Seeker, grateful, joyful
Most-used emoji: Purple heart
The quality you value most in others: Kindness
The last time you laughed really hard: Today 😊