"Dr. Bhairavi Joshi: A Life in the Saddle, Office, and Literary Landscape"

Dr. Bhairavi Joshi

In a society that often presents individuals with a binary choice between personal passions and professional responsibilities, Dr. Bhairavi Joshi shines as a beacon, exemplifying a life where personal joy and professional duty meet in harmonious unity. A dentist, a cycling enthusiast, a mayor of a Netherlands-based foundation, and a literary patron, Dr. Joshi's story is one of determination, resilience, and a commitment to serve her community.

Born in Vadodara, Dr. Bhairavi was brought up in Valsad, a place that she calls home. Her father, Arunbhai Nayak, a mechanical engineer, and her mother, Ushaben, a general physician at the Government Hospital, played pivotal roles in shaping her future. It was in the halls of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Vadodara, where she began to stand out, demonstrating her talent in a myriad of activities such as Kabaddi, Basketball, Skating, and Drama.

Following her parents' footsteps, she entered the medical field and earned a BDS degree from Jamnagar's dental college, even scoring the highest mark in India in the subject of Pediatrics dentistry. In 1998, she married Valsad's renowned physician, Dr. Kalpesh Joshi, and till 2004, she worked at the Kasturba Hospital as a dentist. Following this, she established her own dental clinic, Dhruvi Dental Clinic, in 2019 which continues to operate today.

Dr. Joshi's life took an unexpected turn when, following the birth of her younger daughter Vaishvi in 2010, her weight increased dramatically. It was during this period that she discovered her passion for cycling. What began as a form of exercise, slowly morphed into a love for the sport and eventually a larger mission to promote a cycling culture in Valsad.

Her dedication bore fruit when, despite having no formal training, she finished 5th in the 50 km cyclothon at Ahmedabad in 2015. A year later, she completed a 200 km night cycling event, proving to herself and her community the strength of her resolve. By 2019, she was recognized as the bicycle mayor of BYCS Global Foundation for the Valsad district, the fourth person in the country to be bestowed this honor.

Recognizing the significant differences in the culture, climate, and traffic between Netherlands and India, she led the creation of the BYCS India Foundation three years ago. In 2021, her role expanded further when she became a member of the Indian government's health ministry's 'Cycle for Health' committee. Dr. Joshi's efforts in promoting a cycling culture in Valsad and India's cooperation with the Urban Development Ministry and BYCS have seen significant results, with initiatives such as the Indian Peddling League and 'Cycle for Change Challenge' gaining national attention.

Aside from her medical practice and cycling advocacy, Dr. Joshi is also known for her contribution to the field of literature. It started when her elder daughter Dhruvi penned down a book titled ‘My Dad- My Super Hero.' Inspired by her daughter's creativity, she established the Rising Writer Club, fostering the literary talents of children. This initiative has grown to include state-level story writing competitions and has seen the publication of books like "Little Hearts Coaching", and the highly regarded "Corona Warriors", a book capturing the thoughts of 350 children during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2016, the club's achievements were recognized when Bollywood Actor Boman Irani inaugurated 34 books written by the children of her club. A year later, she also organized the Children Literature Fest and co-ventured with Mahadev Desai of Vache Gujarat for a creative writing workshop.

In the end, Dr. Bhairavi Joshi is not just a dentist, cyclist, or a literary patron. She is an individual who embodies the spirit of Swami Vivekanand's slogan, "Arise, awake and stop not till the goal is reached." Through her journey, she has shown us that the key to success is knowing your goals, and understanding when to reach them is even more critical. As she continues her journey in these three directions - medical practice, cycling, and literature - we can only watch in admiration, inspired by her relentless pursuit of her passions and dedication to her community.