DR. J.L. BASSI is a name very familiar to this city, he is a renowned orthopedic who has earned laurels not only in this region but also across the seven seas. Thousands have been healed and hundreds have been trained professionally by this immensely gifted person. About a year back, he had the honour of being the sole Indian doctor to impart training to fellow orthopedists from different parts of the globe in Switzerland and Finland.
Rising from humble ashes, he is still very attached to his roots and embodies the die hard Punjabi spirit in every sense. His father ran a flour mill but dreamed big for his two sons. Hard-work and determination being inculcated in his psyche, the young Bassi developed a keen interest in mechanics and machinery during his growing up years. All led him first to medical and then, to orthopedic studies at Ahmedabad under the Gujarat University. He is a man who lives, breathes and talks orthopedics A thoroughly sincere man, absolutely dedicated to his profession. His innovative techniques have caused many a ripple in the orthopedic world. His pioneering works, particularly, in the making of JIGs and nails have improved these techniques and made them more affordable. His innovations to Biglows method in posterior dislocated hip and hemi-arthroplasty of the shoulder earned him accolades among the orthopedic fraternity. In fact, he conducted North India\'s very first shoulder replacement surgery. Dr. Bassi is a Man of technology. He is always on a look out for newer horizons being discovered in his field and spends most of his spare time on the internet. His department was one of the first in the DMC to be computerized. For him it was like his creativity taking up the technicality path to make JIGs and Nails. In 1992, he declared his very method for reduction of posterior dislocated hip which fetched him a lot of appreciation from the world all over earning space in the \'Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery\' in England and that was a turning point in this healer\'s life. Prior to this Biglows\' method was in use where the patient was made to lie down on the floor and the dislocation was managed by much manual effort but Bassi\'s method was where the patient is made to lie on the table and is, for obvious reasons, easier and more comfortable to both the patient and the surgeon. 1993 saw him go to Germany for the \'Interlocking nailing\' system for the management of fracture of long bones but he realized that the system was too costly to be afforded by the Indian Patient. The system needed an image intensifier to do distal. Here his “nothing is impossible” motto saw him invent his own system, now commonly referred to as Bassi\'s JIG, with the help of which the jig distal locking was made possible.
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His stamina and zeal can leave people much younger wonderstruck....and breathless.
His colleagues can narrate many a tales where he overtook and outdid teenaged residents while executing a physically demanding step during a surgery. He might have had an exhausting day at the hospital and thereafter, might have spent the night attending to emergencies but you can safely bet to find him in his chair attending to new patients in the OPD the next morning. And does he plan to hang his boots and take it easy after retirement? No way…. is the straight answer. He is determined to continue his hectic routine thereafter as well. |
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His communication skills are, to say the least, impressive and allow him to effectively interact with all kinds of people. This gift from God (or perhaps a self acquired attribute) comes in very handy while bending down to a local dialect to reassure a scared patient or while rising up to interact with world class surgeons. He is a master at making people comfortable… The first step to effective communication. He lives the famous proverb “do unto others as you want them to do unto you”. His ability to impart knowledge in easy to comprehend language and ever \'switched-on\' descriptions of orthopedics have earned him the adjective of a "Walking University" because he takes his teaching much beyond his classrooms, wards and operation theatres. His initiative is to involve even the junior most workers at the hospital and gives regular tips to improve their knowledge. His \'running commentary\' followed by question sessions keep the OT staff and students on their toes. Another skill up his sleeve is his razor sharp memory, An OT attendant told us that Dr. Bassi remembers things and often, to the discomfort of his juniors, he can recount similar mistakes a person might have made ages ago. Ask his colleagues and students and one common compliment reserved for Dr. bassi is a superlative confidant\' and a \'rock of strength\'. The strong shoulders of this \'Bone doctor\' have provided solace to many. Any problem whether personal and professional is taken to him for counsel and his sound advise is highly appreciated. Dr. Pankaj Mahindra, a Sr. Resident lauds the positive approach towards life he has picked up from Dr. Bassi. Senior colleagues such as Dr. Mohd. Yamin, his immediate junior, value Dr. Bassi\'s easy solutions to all kinds of problems. His sense of perception and sixth sense have helped many a patients (or rather the attending doctors) who were at verge of giving up out of disappointment and sheer hopelessness. An interesting incident happened a few years ago. A bundle of expensive equipment went missing from the OT. Dr. Bassi handled the situation with acumen, spoke to all related people in private and the result was that the person (read culprit) returned the equipment by courier within seven days. Such is the aura of his personality that people around him have never heard him raise his voice but still the running of the entire department is smooth under his watchful gaze.
And does this infallible man have any failings? Not many, it seems! Dr. Adish Avasthi, a UK based
| Dr. Bassi student says, “The only failing I would think he has is that he works too hard.”He has made his hobby his profession (and he considers himself to be extremely fortunate to have been able to achieve this) but he does some other interests. Good, wholesome, true Punjabi food is a weakness. The way to this man\'s heart definitely does pass through his stomach. Though many may frown upon our makhan and ghee, Dr. Bassi credits his stamina and zeal to Indian food. Music, too, has a special place in his life and he often hums Mukesh\'s evergreen Jeena Yahan Marna Yahan. A song which, undoubtedly, sums up Dr. Bassi\'s philosophy and the mantra to his success.
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"Prof J L Bassi\'s presence in my orthopedic life has been the greatest stimulus for me. His philanthropic nature and attitude of selfless service to the community has been a bless for the fellow Indians and of course for us.... He will always stay among the remaining well respected honourable orthopedic surgeons of the present era... I am proud to be trained by this magnanimous and ever most generous man... He has carved a path for us to follow and we hope we can continue to spread his teachings and surgical skills that we have imbibed from him to the next generation!!" Mr Ajay Gupta ,MBBS, MS(Orth), MRCS, Specialist Registrar, Trauma and Orthopedics
St Mary\'s Hospital, London.
“This miraculous feat is the collaborative effort outcome of dedication, commitment and magnanimity of the team (headed by Dr. J.L. Bassi)……..to give Jugraj a second birth” Harjinder Singh and Gurmeet Kaur, parents of ace hockey player, Jugraj Singh, in a note of appreciation after his recovery from critical injuries The Bassi Family : Dr. Bassi is ably supported in his endeavors by his better half, Sudesh (MD, Gyne). Their children are already on the road to be successful doctors. Eldest son Dheeren is doing MS in orthopedics (like father like son), daughter Mamata is pursuing MD in Gynecology (in her mother\'s footsteps) and the youngest, Anupreet has preparing for his MD entrance. |
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