Roots, Struggles, and Pillars of Support
Though born in the serene beauty of Kashmir, my childhood was shaped by the harsh, gruelingrealities of Delhi. It was a time marked by struggle, uncertainty, and more failures than I care to admit. Yet, standing behind me through every setback was a single, unwavering force—my late mother, Gauri.
My mother did not just give me life; she gave me my purpose. Her quiet strength and faith insisted that failure was never the end, but merely a detour. Combined with an ache—a deep, unyielding longing to stay connected to my homeland of Kashmir—that inner fire propelled me forward.
Through years of relentless work, I eventually found my calling in medicine, growing to become a cardiologist. But as I rose in my career, from the corridors of AIIMS to leading interventional cardiology in major private hospitals, I realised something vital: true medicine is not practiced only in high-tech catheterisation labs. It is learned through human connection.”
The Human Condition & Global Reflections
In “When The Heart Speaks”, I share stories not just of complex cardiac surgeries, but of my travels across the globe—including visits to Pakistan and China. More than the medical conferences or high-level summits, what stayed with me were my interactions with everyday people: cab drivers, street vendors, and beggars.
As a Professor of Cardiology, listening to a patient’s heartbeat is second nature. But listening to a stranger’s life story teaches you empathy. Whether in Islamabad, Beijing, or New Delhi, the human heart beats with the exact same fears, hopes, and desire for dignity.”
Precisely, this second edition of When The Heart Speaks is more than my personal story. It is a testament to resilience, the unbreakable bond with one’s roots, and the belief that healthcare is a right, not a privilege.
Returning Home: The Gauri Kaul Foundation & Outreach
Having reached the pinnacle of my professional career in corporate healthcare, the question remained: What next? The answer was always Kashmir. It was time to give back.
Five years ago, we established the Gauri Kaul Foundation—named in honor of the mother who sacrificed everything for me. We started at the grass-roots level, opening our first cardiac clinic in my native village of Hawal in South Kashmir.
But we quickly realized that waiting for patients to reach us wasn’t enough in remote, mountainous terrains. So, we launched the ‘Heart Clinic on Wheels’—a fully equipped mobile unit bringing advanced cardiac diagnostics right to the doorsteps of underserved communities.
Simultaneously, we turned our focus to the future: our children. Through our school screening programs, we are subjecting young children aged 5 to 15 to paediatric echocardiography. We are catching Rheumatic Heart Disease and congenital defects early—at a stage where we can save lives before it is too late.
What started in Hawal is just the beginning. Our mission is clear: we will not stop until these preventive and diagnostic cardiac programs cover every single district of Jammu & Kashmir.
The Surname Khan Kaul
My surname is not actually Kaul, it’s Khan. My grandfather was a famous personality in his village Hawal and his name was Prasad Joe Khan. Joo was a matter of respect for both Kashmiri Muslims and Pandits.
Love for Kashmir
As I started my childhood in Delhi, my love for Kashmir was natural. My uncles used to visit us in winters and I used to visit Kashmir during my Summer holidays. I lost track of my studies as I was an ardent cinegoer. When Shami Kapoor’s film Jungli was running in a nearby cinema in our vicinity, I watched the film five times just to watch Kashmir and its beauty. During the course, I failed in 9th class and that shocked my parents. They were having the impression that I was good at studies. They tagged my future trips to Kashmir to my studies. I was not allowed to go to Kashmir, till I improved my school results. This forced me to study seriously as my aim was to continue my visits to Kashmir. It was never in my mind to read for becoming a doctor or an engineer.
However, my mother was very keen to see me as a doctor.
