It was a March-end morning in 1993 when I boarded an Aeroflot flight in Delhi that took me to my destination Berlin via Tashkent and Moscow. I was trying to position myself comfortably on my seat when a middle-aged Indian gentleman hurried past me and occupied the seat on my immediate left. I looked at him. I recognized the face instantly. He was the passenger who was deeply engrossed in a book even when we were being transported to the aircraft in the terminal bus. Now, seated inside the plane, he immediately resumed reading.

Being a columnist, writer and a journalist myself I try to keep abreast of human behaviour and general psychology. With my limited knowledge I was trying to assess if my co-passenger had altophobia, aviophobia, agoraphobia, claustrophobia, or a combination of all these fears. People with such fears try to divert their own attention by indulging in some activities, like reading a book, etc.

I glanced over to have a look at what he was reading. It was a copy of Reader’s Digest. A word in the open page caught my eyes. The word was ‘Baruah’, a surname. Hey, I told myself, it is about one of us from Assam. Then, instantly my mind informed me, it could be about Pramathesh Barua, the great filmmaker. I wanted to be sure, so I said a sweet ‘Hello!’ to my co-passenger. After apologizing for having glanced through the page which he was reading, I asked him who that ‘Baruah’ is about. He informed me it is about one Dr Dhaniram Baruah, a cardio-surgeon from UK.

It was a moment of joy and glory for me to rejoice, and to jump in ecstasy. It was a rare moment, because hardly anyone from Assam finds their way into the pages of Reader’s Digest, the most revered, largest circulated, best-selling family magazine in the world; and also, because, a person from Assam, my state, was creating history in the field of healthcare. It was impossible to hide my ecstasy. “You know, he is from my state,” I could not help telling to my co-passenger. He gave me a loving smile. I could see respect in his eyes. “That is great,” he said and shook my hand.

We were already airborne, and I felt as if I was floating in the seventh heaven. That was a priceless moment for me, and for the people of Assam.

And today, on my table rests a book whose price is tagged ‘Priceless’. It is Unfolding the Mysteries of Human Genetic Sciences in Heart Diseases and Cancer penned by none other than Dr Dhaniram Baruah, FRCS (Glasgow), Cardiac Surgeon, Scientist, Bio-Engineer, Pioneer & Chief Cardio-pulmonary Xenotransplant Surgeon, Applied Human Genetic Scientist, Genetic Engineer, or should I say the ‘controversial’ surgeon.

As I read through the first four chapters of this book I find myself experiencing mixed feelings. At one point I remain awestruck at his profundity and his excellence in the field of healthcare, and at another point, I remain confused at his outrageous, scornful, cavalier attitudes. Or, is it my flawed perception of his just utterances oozing out of the multitudes of pains he is compelled to endure?

Whatever could be the reason, it seems the learned doctor must have opted to override what the great Greek philosopher Pythagoras had said more than 2,500 years back — “In anger we should refrain both from speech and action, because anger begins in folly, and ends in repentance.”

If the glaring spelling mistakes, glitches in sentence constructions, and the absence of punctuations, etc, in many a place — may be due to the ineptness of his assistants — are overlooked, the book in itself is a historical document wherein Dr Baruah explains in great detail how his research works, numerous inventions and discoveries are aimed at saving the human race from the dreadful clutches of some of the ailments like cancer, heart diseases, takayasu, which have been otherwise labelled ‘incurable’. He explains all these, providing the particulars of his experimentations in the field of applied human genetic engineering, animal researches, and a number of case studies of his patients. He claims that using his ‘Baruah Genetic Engineering’ these so-called incurable diseases could be cured. Through this book he seems to be daring his detractors, and in doing so as if he is trying to tell them “here I am supplying you with all the facts and figures. I dare you to fault me. If you can’t fault me then don’t try to impede in my works.”

As a ‘MouthShut’ to his detractors, the very adversaries who enjoy terming his genetic engineering experiences as ‘bogey’, Dr Baruah had offered in the book indisputable details of his long-term associations with genetic engineering in some of the reputed institutions worldwide. He has highlighted in the book his numerous achievements. He is the first person in the world to develop mechanical heart valves using zirconium which eliminates various complications that comes with the other types of usually used heart valves. This revolutionary invention established him as a bio-engineer and in the cardio-vascular field earned him the nickname of ‘Heart Valve Man’.

He is also the first person in the world to develop stentless mitral and aortic valve mimicking the native heart valve. He is also the first person to demonstrate that pig’s heart can be used for transplantation in human. He is also the first person to demonstrate that hyperacute rejection can be overcome by using antigen suppression agent (ASA) which was designed and developed by him more than a decade ago.

In the book Dr Baruah claims that the artificial heart valves designed by him, which are known as Baruah Heart Valves, are constructed anatomically to achieve physiological performance with durability of 92 years, and he used these valves in seven countries. Dr Baruah is also the first person to set up an artificial heart valve manufacturing unit in India in Mumbai way back in 1988. Since then he had designed and developed a number of artificial heart valves of different types. In 1994 he designed and implanted a totally permanent implantable biological heart — ‘Baruah Heart21’.

Who is the first person on the planet to have conducted a xenotransplantation using pig’s heart, lung and kidney? It is none other than Dr Baruah. The recipient patient survived for seven long days before finally succumbing to some infections, according to Dr Baruah as mentioned in the book. On cancer he has stated in the book and I quote “cancer was first in the list of incurable diseases which is superceded by coronary artery disease (CAD). CAD is becoming epidemic. However, cancer is also reaching nearer to its position. Our research on cancer is an ongoing process and we have been successful treating in comparison to conventional treatments like chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery. It has been established that permanent mutations are at DNA level causing irreversible changes at cellular level. This is what scientists have observed in laboratories which have been truly correlated with clinical situation. Till today, no effective treatments have been found out. From our research work in cancer, we found the permanent mutation at DNA level observed by genetic scientist can be rectified. Our experience in this field suggests that these mutations can be reversible which ascertains permanent cure. Degree of cure with Baruah Biological Molecules depends on the degree of DNA integrity.” In a nutshell it means, cancer can be cured to a large extent, and that, human lives could be prolonged.

Dr Baruah had the special distinction of having been invited by the Abu Dhabi government to set up an open heart surgery hospital, which he did. He went there on October 5, 1985, and on November 11 of the same year he conducted the first open heart surgery in that country.

He holds the firm belief that if at a ripe young age the genomic sequencing of a child or an adolescent is studied then it can be ascertained what diseases the child or that adolescent is going to suffer from in the future. He also claims in the book that those probable diseases could be prevented (even eradicated) by ‘Baruah Applied Genetic Engineering” using ‘Baruah Biological Molecules’.

When I think now of Dr Dhaniram Baruah, and all the wrong unenviable reasons for which he has been occupying the front pages of the newspapers, the saying of Soren Kierkegaard comes to my mind. Kierkegaard had said, “A genius may perhaps be a century ahead of his age and hence stands there as a paradox, but in the end, the race will assimilate what was once a paradox, so it is no longer paradoxical.”

Whether Dr Baruah is a genius or not, is not for me to say. But, his life has witnessed both highs and lows; brickbats and bouquets; accolades and behind-the-bars experience. His life is a rollercoaster of smiles and tears. He himself has likened his life to that of Galileo Galilee, the great Italian scientist, philosopher who was subjected to numerous humiliations by the authority of his time.

Dr Baruah was arrested for conducting xenotransplantation in his lab; for alleged violation of the Human Organ Transplant Act, 1994 (which was not applicable in the state of Assam at the time of his arrest); was thrown behind the bars; was put into house arrest for 18 long months; structures of his hospital and research centre at Sonapur were burnt down on June 15, 1997; he was investigated for harbouring outlawed militants; broken glasses, and half-dead snakes were thrown at him by angry people; research related laboratory tools and equipment worth $15 million were burnt and destroyed by angry people; he was and still remains ostracized. His woes don’t seem to end there. Nightmares continue to haunt him relentlessly. Only recently a few structures of his hospital and research centre were again burnt down by angry people when severed human heads of two minors were recovered from near his Heart City. A police investigation is on. Dr Baruah has claimed that the two heads were planted by a gang of land mafia who wants to usurp his acreage.

It is as if the prophesies of former Prime Minister of India, late Indira Gandhi has come true. Bustling with fresh innovative ideas and an indomitable urge to carry forward the researches on applied human genetic engineering, in 1984, a much younger Dhaniram Baruah had met the then Prime Minister to seek her patronage to set up a laboratory for manufacturing artificial heart valves in Assam. She had prophesied that starting such a unit in Assam will land the doctor into troubles. But, his fate brought him to Assam to suffer. And, his woes still continue to haunt him.

There is a section of the society that feels Dr Dhaniram Baruah should have been born in the western world to get his due recognition. I can’t say how far this thought could be true. But, that opinion got me thinking. Is that the reason why many non-resident Indians bagged Nobel Prizes? Would they have had the same mental motivations to carry forward their researches had they been in India?

Eccentricity is the essence of great men and geniuses. Eccentricity is not a legal offence so long kept to oneself. But these eccentricities need not be the excuses, licences and tools to override the laid down laws. The detractors of Dr Dhaniram Baruah, and even some of his fans are of the opinion that the research scientist had taken his eccentricities to such a degree that it has started to irritate people. “He (Dr Dhaniram Baruah) should abide by the law. He should show respect for the law of the land,” they say.

“I have never flaunted any law,” he has screamed at the top of his voice many a time in the past. Defending his xenotransplantation he states in his book that he had done it within the frameworks of the existing laws of the land.

The book contains a combination of his anguishes and sorrows. At one time he seems to regret having stayed back in Assam to conduct his research works when he had ample opportunities to live and practice elsewhere in India or abroad. He lavishes no kind words when he has lashed out at a few politicians and bureaucrats for their continued conspiracy to sabotage his research works.

When I think of Dr Dhaniram Baruah a few wise words of a couple of wise people come to my mind. Arthur Schopenhauer, the German writer and philosopher, had said, “All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.” The twentieth century American poet Robert Frost had said, “A civilized society is one which tolerates eccentricity to the point of doubtful sanity.” And, Pythagoras had said, “Happy is that city that hath a wise man to govern it.”

Is Dr Baruah waiting for a wise and sane man to hold the reins of the governance so that he can conduct his research works peacefully? He seems to have earned the wrath of and has cursed many a present day politician, which renders the task of finding his ideal ‘sane and wise man’ herculean.

Simanta Bhagawati