In Nagpur, a city in the state of Maharashtra, India, the heart of India, Dr. Nikunj Pawar, a pioneer cardiac surgeon, has discovered a rhythm that resonates deeply with his patients. A visionary healer, he has introduced a groundbreaking approach to medicine that harmonizes the body, mind, and soul. Blending his medical expertise with his passion for music and Bollywood, Dr. Pawar has created the Music Medicine Studio, at his specialty heart hospital, Cardion. 

Dr. Nikunj Pawar, second from left, with colleagues at Cardion Hospital Nagpur, India

On my recent visit to India, I went to my hometown, Nagpur, to spend a few weeks at our childhood home. My sister and I have always been awed by the excellent medical care available in Nagpur. On this visit in July 2025, my sister was particularly excited to take me for a heart check-up at Dr. Pawar’s hospital, Cardion.

As I walked up the steps to the hospital building, I was struck by its compelling signage at the entrance: Dignity First. Waiting in the lobby I was enthralled by a musical rendering of an evergreen Bollywood song: “Pal Pal Dike Ke paas” (You are close to my heart in each second of the day). The song was playing on the TV in the waiting room for patients. Dr. Pawar was the singer. Although not classically trained, Dr Pawar can surely carry a tune. The clip showed the audience clapping, as were the actual patients in the waiting room, including my sister and I.

By the time, I met Dr. Pawar in his office, I was already in an upbeat mood. My consultation session with him was meaningful and comforting. I talked about my busy and stressful life as a working parent and professor teaching humanities and narrative medicine at the University of Cincinnati Clermont in Ohio. His patient manner and his infectious smile put me at ease. Dr. Pawar conveys an immediate sense of fun and enthusiasm upon the first meeting. His salt and pepper tousled hair, add to his magnetic personality. Dr. Pawar suggested some innovative ways to compensate for my Vitamin D deficiency and recent blood pressure spikes.

Along with medical concerns, I discussed the creative way he connects with patients through music. Delighted at my interest, Dr Pawar told me about a monthly show that he hosts where he and other invited health professionals sing popular Bollywood songs which specifically mention matters of the heart. (In my recollection almost seventy-five percent of Bollywood songs are infatuated with the heart and its undoing!)

Interspersed between these songs are discussions about “medical matters” of the heart. The result is a haven where melodies mend and rhythms rejuvenate.

The nurse practitioner who was administering my ECG was all praise and admiration. “I look forward to coming to work every day” - is a rough translation of what she confessed to me in Marathi, the local language. One can sense a boundless response of love from his patients, most who were smiling and joyful, despite their ailments, as they listened to popular songs in that waiting lobby. A quote on Dr. Pawar’s Facebook says it all: “You have given music a new platform, a new way to help mankind. Thanks Nikunj, you are a legend.”

Dr  Nikunj Pawar

What a glorious way to educate people and build community. For Dr. Pawar, music blends with medicine, rhythm with resilience, and the drums with pulse beats.