Surgery, sport and fishing forays among the topics in retired Wick consultant surgeon's biography
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
A retired Wick consultant general surgeon has written a new book telling the story of the 50 years to the day since he left India and arrived in the UK.
Pradip K Datta MBE MS FRCS, who celebrated his 80th birthday this year, spent 38 years working with the NHS, 25 of which were spent at Caithness General Hospital, where he started in August 1980. He retired in 2005.
During lockdown Mr Datta, who suffered a stroke a couple of years ago, stayed with his friend Loretta Davis-Reynolds, a paediatrician, who lives in Perthshire, only returning to his home in Newton Avenue, Wick, recently.
When the consultant suddenly found himself on the kitchen floor one night after doing the washing up he was luckily found by friends after being alerted by a concerned neighbour who had got into the habit of calling him each evening after his wife died.
The stroke affected his left side and he spent six months in hospital where he received physiotherapy. Mr Datta is now using a wheelchair and requires help but is very upbeat and says he is recovering well.
“It was quite a blow,” he said. “I have written about that in my book.”
Explaining a little about his latest publication – The Naked Mountain Lands – Mr Datta said: “It is quite cryptic, including the name of the book. It was my first ever flight and I noticed on the fuselage of the aeroplane in Calcutta that the aircraft was called Nanga Parbat, the naked mountain.
“In those days all Air Indian aircraft were named after the Everest ranges, this was one of the highest ranges."
Mr Datta landed at Heathrow on July 13, 1967, and he outlines his experiences since that day in his memoir which took him five years to write. It has 41 chapters and all the titles are cryptic.
The book outlines the trials, tribulations and attainments of an Indian doctor in the UK. With many humours anecdotes it encompasses surgery, sport, particularly squash which Mr Datta played locally, and family life, especially fishing forays with his son Sandip in Caithness.
Published by the Doctors Academy, the biography should have been ready to release on May 14, to coincide with the consultant's 80th birthday, but like many things this year it was delayed until recently. Mr Datta was delighted to finally have a number of copies of the book arrive at his home before Christmas.
All the proceeds will go towards charities the retired consultant supports, including Hearing and Sight Care in Wick, who will have copies of the book.
An audio version of the book has been recorded by Scottish actor Finlay McLean and it is also planned to have an online copy available for download.
