Sometimes in life, experiences happen that change one’s trajectory. For Sandip Mathur, growing up in India and studying medicine in large cities like Bahrain, London, and Houston, his move to tiny Coleman, Texas made this indelible mark. Sandip was hired as a doctor for the struggling hospital in Coleman. He treated ranchers, cowboys, oilmen, and their families and friends with the hospital’s limited resources. He and his wife raised their two girls there for six formative years.
Sandip experienced the slow-paced, small-town Texas life in an immersive way in Coleman. Neighbors like Doris and Tommy Allen opened their hearts to this Indian doctor and his family, making the Mathurs part of their own kin. Tommy spun stories for hours over filling dinners and a mandatory quarter of a pie for each person as dessert. This hospitality, so similar to Sandip’s Indian culture, stuck with Sandip. “West Texas has its own culture that’s worth writing about,” Sandip said. His clever title for his book series captures these two cultures: Cowboys and Indian.
His books honor the people, experiences, and relationships during that time while telling medical stories in a tangible way. “Reading some medical books is like trying to drink honey,” Sandip explains. His goal in his writing is to educate about the medical world, keeping the stories lighthearted. Sandip narrates his books on Audible, hoping his grandchildren will listen to his stories one day. Proceeds from his books all go to charity. “The first book was dedicated to one of my patients’ daughters who has cystic fibrosis, so the money for the first book goes to cystic fibrosis.” For the second and third books, proceeds go to the United Way. Sandip explains, “Unless you share, what’s the point of it all?”
You can find Dr. Sandip Mathur’s books at United and Market Street, Texas Star Trading, or on Amazon.
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By Laura Daulton
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