It all started in 2014 during my third year of MBBS at Vardhman Mahavir Medical College. I had gone to attend a discourse on the Bhagvad Gita by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar at the Yamuna Sports Complex. I was sitting in the audience, immersed in the spiritual music, when I felt a sudden urge to go on stage. I got up and told the woman in charge, Chitra Roy, that I wanted to sing. A few moments later, I was singing a bhajan, which evoked a huge applause,” recalls Dr Prakhar Dagar, MD, Sports Injury Doctor at the Safdarjung Hospital.
Dr Dagar, 28, had never learnt singing or performed at any event prior to that day in 2014, which changed his life forever. “I feel it was God’s will that I entered this space.” Soon, he started getting invited to perform at devotional events and his popularity grew. From that day on, he earned the title ‘The Singing Doctor’. “I began learning classical singing from Pt Arvind Kumar, who lived near my Janakpuri home.”
Simultaneously, he learnt the harmonium and guitar on his own. For two years, he trained under his guru, taking a pause from the classes only for his medical exams. However, his father, a doctor himself, was worried his son’s passion would lead him away from his professional goal. “He would often pull me up, fearing I would neglect my studies. But I was very clear. I wanted to become a doctor and a singer,” he says. At times, he did 25 shows a month, but never let it hamper his studies.
At present, Dr Dagar does shows all over India. “Last year, which was unfortunate for many, was excellent for me. My days were packed with online shows, and I earned millions of viewers. I never advertised, never went on social media. Just word of mouth publicity,” he says.
Until recently, Dr Dagar used to sing bhajans written by others, but now has started penning lyrics as well. “I have a team of writers, and we brainstorm over the lyrics. I have released four original bhajans on my YouTube channel, apart from a mantra jaap and an aarti. The latest one, Prabhu Ke Darshan Ko (released on August 15), has been composed and written in collaboration with Saaz Malhotra,” says Dr Dagar, currently on his way to Jammu from Jalandhar (Punjab) for a performance.
His hectic schedule is manageable with the support of his colleagues and seniors at the hospital, who let him go his heart’s way. “I will work at the hospital for some more years, after which I plan to open an NGO for children and a charitable hospital for the poor. Medicine and singing are my two passions and I will never leave one for the other,” he says.
The beginnings
Dr Dagar, 28, had never learnt singing or performed at any event prior to that day in 2014, which changed his life forever. Soon, he started getting invited to perform at devotional events and his popularity grew. From that day on, he earned the title ‘The Singing Doctor’.