Above: Doctor, trucker ... and hero - Balvinder Singh.
Sikh Doctor Delivers Sikh Lawyer's Baby in Emergency In-Flight Delivery En Route to Canada
by RAVEENA AULAKH
For 25 years in his native India, Balvinder Singh Ahuja worked as a pediatrician, treating thousands of children, saving many lives.
For the past six months in Toronto, however, Ahuja has been learning to drive a truck, convinced it was too difficult a process to practice as a foreign-trained doctor in Canada.
But his experience as a veteran physician kicked into high gear Saturday (October 22, 2011) when he performed an emergency delivery on an Air India flight from New Delhi to Toronto, turning a passenger cabin into a birthing room within minutes and improvising with makeshift instruments.
The baby, a girl, was born 45 minutes later.
“It was very exciting ... I’m glad I was able to help,” Balvinder said in a phone interview en route to Collingwood in a tractor-trailer. “But I doubt I’ll use my skills again.”
At least, he doesn’t expect to use them here. Like most foreign-trained doctors, Balvinder Singh must be re-certified before he can practice.
But with thousands of foreign-trained doctors in the country and few opportunities for residency, Balvinder Singh says he knows it will be almost impossible.
“I don’t want to get frustrated,” he says.
“I’m not closing that door completely but as of now I’m focusing on trucking because I have a family and I need money.”
Balvinder Singh said he immigrated to give his three children a better future.
There are at least 7,500 internationally trained doctors in Ontario but fewer than 200 can get residency spots because they have to compete with young Canadians who are more familiar with the language and the system.
On board the plane, Balvinder had settled into his seat and was almost asleep when a call went out on the loudspeaker asking if there was a doctor or nurse aboard.
He went to the back and saw Kuljit Kaur, about 37 weeks pregnant, on the floor obviously in labour and in pain. Her husband, Ranjodh Singh Gill, was sitting next to her.
The couple and their 7-year-old daughter were flying to Canada as landed immigrants.
There was also an oncologist on board. “She had never attended a delivery,” Balvinder said, quickly realizing it was all up to him.
Balvinder, though, had seen hundreds of births and though he hadn’t assisted with any he knew exactly what needed to be done.
He quickly gathered what he thought he would need. And then improvised.
Empty food cartons were used to lift Kuljit's legs. Scissors were sterilized in Scotch. Pieces of thread tied the umbilical cord. The microwave warmed a blanket for the baby.
The baby was born after 45 minutes of intense labour but no one freaked out, said Balvinder.
“I’ve attended all sorts of emergencies in the past years but this was such a different experience,” he said.
“I was anxious but not scared. There was no alternative, too.”
Aakash Leen ("Lover of The Skies") Kaur was born about 11,000 metres over Kazakhstan. Aakash means “sky” in Punjabi.
Balvinder became an instant hero.
Passengers gave him a standing ovation.
Later, the new father visited him at his home and gave him a box of sweets.
“I was so grateful there was a doctor there,” said Ranjodh Singhl, 37, a lawyer who immigrated to Alberta, Canada, under the provincial nominee program.
But the family wanted to spend some days in Brampton, Ontario, with his wife’s sister before flying to Calgary this weekend.
“My wife was due on Nov. 7,” said Ranjodh. “We don’t know what happened, why the baby came early.”
He said her labour pains started an hour after the plane took off.
“We first thought it was gas but soon realized ... it wasn’t,” said Ranjodh, admitting he panicked a bit until Balvinder, calm and composed, showed up.
His wife, he said, is still tired but she and the baby are doing well.
Balvinder Singh, meanwhile, is reliving his days as a physician through the mid-air delivery. “It was the most exciting thing that’s happened to me in Canada,” said Balvinder, who lives in Brampton with his wife and children.
What’s next?
“Getting my own truck.”
Is the baby girl born in Kazakhstan airspace Canadian or Indian? Or Kazakhstani?
Her father, Ranjodh Singh, says he doesn’t know and doesn’t care.
Citizenship and Immigration Canada will not comment on the baby’s status due to privacy reasons. “The status of the child will depend on the status of the parents,” said spokesman Bill Brown.
But he did present some hypothetical scenarios:
Generally, a child who is not born in Canada and does not have a parent who is a Canadian citizen is not a Canadian citizen either.
If one or both parents are Canadian citizens, they can apply to have a citizenship certificate issued for the child.
If one or both of the parents are permanent residents, they can apply to have the child become a permanent resident.
If the parents are here temporarily, they can apply to have the child gain temporary status as well.
[Courtesy: Toronto Star. Edited for sikhchic.com]
October 27, 2011
Conversation about this article
1: Amandeep Singh (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), October 27, 2011, 10:56 AM.
Wow ... that's an amazing story/work. All the best, Balvinder Singh. Don't lose hope .. you will find something in your field.
2: Baldev Singh (Bradford, United Kingdom), October 27, 2011, 12:26 PM.
A 'Singh' bringing into the world a 'Kaur' - and both starting new lives in breathtakingly beautiful Canada! What a fantastic story of hope!
3: Sangat Singh (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia), October 27, 2011, 7:37 PM.
It is a pity that highly qualified doctors are not recognized in the U.S.A., Canada and Australia. They have to re-sit for examinations that takes years to start all over again. I have at least half a dozen doctors as relatives in the U.S. and Canada who had to be 'born-again'. Today they occupy senior positions. I remember when my 'saali' (sister-in-law) had reached the final viva-voce examination and was asked by the examining professor to see the patient and diagnose what ailed him. She took less than a minute and wrote 'Typhoid'. The professor was amazed but commented that she had not followed the prescribed procedure and had given a snap verdict. "Sir, please tell me, am I right or not?" "Yes, you are right, but tell us how you reached this conclusion in less than a minute." "Sir, I studied in Lady Harding Medical College, New Delhi and we had routinely thousands of typhoid patients at any given time. I just had to look at him and palpitate his spleen (I think) and that was it." Another interesting case happened in Australia some years ago. Among the world's 10 most highly acclaimed cardiac surgeons was this Sardar. He had been invited by Australia to teach and work on contract. He spent some 10 years and in the meantime his family and children had struck roots there and wanted to stay on in Australia. He duly applied for a permanent residency but was rejected on the grounds that his Indian qualification was not recognized and that he would have to re-sit for the local examinations. See how the "Yes, Prime Minister" syndrome works! In most countries, if you apply for a civil service job, the first question normally would be asked, "Can you think?" If the answer is "No!" then you are eminently qualified.
4: Gurpreet Singh (Brampton, Ontario, Canada), October 28, 2011, 10:09 AM.
Kudos to Dr. Balvinder Singh. And yes, the system needs to be cleaned up a bit more. A lot, actually. And for the parents: the child was due on Nov 07? You're kidding or are trying to play innocent? Up to 3 weeks before the due date is normal.
5: Gurmeet Kaur (Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A.), October 28, 2011, 10:41 AM.
Yes, I am suprised too that the parents chose to risk the life of the mother and the baby by flying in the 37th/38th week. I know for sure that doctors and airlines here do not recommend expectant mothers to fly after the 35th week. God forbid if a doctor was not on board or complications arose.
6: Baldev Singh (Bradford, United Kingdom), October 28, 2011, 1:31 PM.
Happy ending is what matters. I am told that my mother carried me in her womb as far afield as Bengal, Delhi, Amritsar, Bombay and Amsterdam ... and I was born in Leeds (West Yorkshire/ United Kingdom) and almost amazingly I have been visiting these same places since I was a young lad. So it is great that these souls met six miles above the earth and have many more extraordinary journeys ahead.
7: Gurpreet Singh (Brampton, Ontario, Canada), October 28, 2011, 2:30 PM.
So the question remains: how did they get on board? same Air India/Indian corruption? And the parents played their part too.
8: Ajit Singh Batra (Pennsville, New Jersey, U.S.A..), October 28, 2011, 10:20 PM.
Jupji Sahib (1st Paurri): "sahas si-aanpaa(n) lukh ho-ey ta ik na chalai naal". Again, in paurri 37: "jiv jiv hukam tivai tiv kaar". Despite our knowledge at all levels - in this case, of parents and the airlines - at times things do happen. All of creation functions in accordance with Waheguru's hukam. Anywhere and at any place which involves people, we cannot forecast anything. His wonderful and mysterious designs remain inscrutable.
9: Manbir Singh (Delano, California, U.S.A.), November 01, 2011, 2:51 AM.
It happened to me one time in an Air India flight from Amsterdam to New Delhi when one staff member on the flight began to suffer from a severe nose bleeding 4 hours before landing. After I had helped the young man, the airline wanted to give me a gift of wine that I do not drink. The supervisor told me to take it for the wedding. I replied that the main reason I was attending this wedding was that they had promised not to serve alcohol! The supervisor nevertheless urged me to take it to my ultimate destination - Amritsar! When I explained why it would be inappropriate, he expressed surprise that being a Sikh, I did not drink alcohol!
10: Monty Batra (Washington, D.C., U.S.A.), November 01, 2011, 8:35 AM.
Great story. A doctor will always be a doctor no matter what. That's what they are trained to do - helping people.
11: Gurbir Kaur (U.K.), November 16, 2011, 1:19 AM.
Be positive. There is no place for negativity in Sikhism. In India, there are women giving birth to children without any aid, while working in the fields. Let us congratulate the couple and the doctor.