Eye Surgeon Changes Careers, Pens New Book

SYDNEY, Australia

After a career in medicine spanning more than 50 years, beginning with her education in Vellore, India, and London, England, to a stint at teaching in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and her migration and establishment of a clinic in Sydney, Australia, Dr. Gita Bhandari felt the need to pay a tribute to her mother, to whom she felt indebted to. She finally gave up her busy practice to finish her new book, a family memoir covering the period from 1910 to 2013. It is a true story exploring India and Malaysia during times of great change, from the Second World War, the post-war decolonization and onwards, portraying the experiences of a Hindu family and dedicated "For Lalitha with Love" (published by Xlibris AU).

The narrative follows Bhandari's father, Ram, a recently qualified doctor, who leaves the shores of his birth place, India, for the first time. He leaves together with the author's mother, Lalitha, to look after him and the children-to-be. During this period, both India and Malaysia get their independence from the British Raj. Malaysia suffers the Japanese Occupation and is under the threat of communism. Chin Peng, the leader in guerrilla warfare brings havoc to Malaysia. Besides telling the story of her mother, Bhandari touches on these aspects as well. She also brings out the Hindu traditions and culture of this family and how it affects the running of the family, the welcome of sons, and the role they play in the rituals, especially the funeral rites.

"It shows the determination of my mother, who set about fulfilling the promise she made," Bhandari says. "One does not need a university education to be successful. One's life or success in this world can be judged on how many lives you help to succeed."

There is a poignant adage that says "when your mother dies you lose your best friend," and this was the case with Bhandari, who celebrates the memory of her mother and quotes the words of Rabindranath Tagore, who says: "Death is not extinguishing the light. It is putting out the lamp because a new dawn has come."

"For Lalitha with Love"
By Gita Bhandari
Hardcover | 6 x 9 in | 196 pages | ISBN 9781503500938
Softcover | 6 x 9 in | 196 pages | ISBN 9781503500921
E-Book | 196 pages | ISBN 9781503500914
Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

About the Author
Gita Bhandari lives in Sydney, Australia with her two children and practiced ophthalmology. She has written several short stories for local publication. She has now changed careers to be a writer.

Xlibris Publishing Australia, an Author Solutions, LLC imprint, is a self-publishing services provider dedicated to serving Australian authors. By focusing on the needs of creative writers and artists and adopting the latest print-on-demand publishing technology and strategies, we provide expert publishing services with direct and personal access to quality publication in hardcover, trade paperback, custom leather-bound and full-color formats. To date, Xlibris has helped to publish more than 60,000 titles.For more information, visit xlibrispublishing.com.au or call 1800 455 039 to receive a free publishing guide. Follow us @XlibrisAus on Twitter for the latest news.