UNBROKEN: My battle with cancer and the will to lead by Dr Akhilesh Gupta is not only a memoir of survival but also a profound tale of resilience, leadership, and the role of science in public life. It transforms a debilitating personal medical crisis into a roadmap for psychological strength, showing how the same discipline that guides national policy can be applied to personal healing. The book, written by Gupta, one of the country’s foremost scientists and policymakers, departs from conventional survivor stories by balancing the harsh medical reality of cancer with the strategic clarity of a policymaker.
In the book, Gupta recounts his 18‑month ordeal at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, with precision, detailing the diagnosis of third-stage oral cancer, long treatment protocols, repeated reconstructive failures, and even undergoing a surgical procedure while fully awake. Throughout the book, there is no sign of despair and hopelessness. Gupta has framed his cancer journey and recovery as a mission, demonstrating how psychological agency and a ‘Never Say Die’ attitude can alter outcomes. This is something that his doctors too recognised and appreciated. The members of the medical team attended the book launch event held at Prithvi Bhawan in the national capital, and shared their experience.
A storm hit Gupta’s life on March 6, 2015, when he fell ill immediately after delivering a keynote address at a scientific gathering on climate change at IIT Bombay. Within a month, he was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of buccal mucosa. What followed was a gruelling medical battle marked by failed tissue reconstructions and a two‑inch gap in his face. Yet his transition from shock to ‘active acceptance’ was rather rapid. He approached recovery with the rigour of a scientific mission, breaking down overwhelming challenges into manageable objectives. His reflections in the book emphasise that the process of recovery is a team effort, rather than only that of the patient. He repeatedly acknowledges the strength of his family and caregivers. He also championed public healthcare, choosing to undergo his treatment entirely at AIIMS, thereby reinforcing faith in India’s medical system and advocating for early cancer screening.
While dealing with his changed look after a series of facial surgeries, Gupta says it is wrong to assume that appearance and identity are the same and inseparable. ‘Appearance can change, be altered, damaged and reconstructed. Identity, however, lies deeper. If identity is tied to appearance, then any change becomes loss. If identity is anchored within, then change becomes transformation,’ he writes. Gupta did not let his changed look get in the way of his identity. He walked back into his office at the Department of Science and Technology (DST) on December 14, 2015, resuming his duties as a policymaker.
According to his primary surgeon at AIIMS, Dr Alok Thakar, who attended the book launch, Gupta faced an uphill medical battle with severe physical setbacks, including failed tissue reconstructions and a two-inch gap in his face. However, his medical team noted that his transition from initial shock to acceptance was exceptionally fast.
Gupta’s return from a hospital bed to steering national science and climate policies exemplifies adaptability and duty. His career trajectory – from early days at the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to senior leadership at DST and the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) – underscores his lifelong commitment to science and public service. He was instrumental in drafting India’s National Action Plan on Climate Change and the Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) Policy, while his research spanned cyclone prediction, monsoon meteorology, and the Himalayan ecosystem. By situating his personal ordeal within this larger professional canvas, the book becomes more than a survival story. His reflections remind readers that resilience is not innate but cultivated, and that mindset can be as critical as medicine in survival.
In terms of style, the book avoids melodrama, relying instead on facts and introspection to convey impact. It has short chapters, and even shorter sentences, almost reading like poetry. The book moves systematically through diagnosis, treatment, and recovery, intertwined with the author’s coping strategy. The language is accessible and inclusive, ensuring that patients, caregivers, and general readers can connect with his journey. Dialogues with family and doctors enrich the narrative.
Compared to other Indian cancer memoirs such as Yuvraj Singh’s The Test of My Life or the book by actor Lisa Ray, Gupta’s book stands apart. He examines illness through the lens of institutional leadership and public service, and how he managed national policy drafts from his hospital bed. He replaces emotional melodrama with analytical precision. All this makes the book a document on resilience, determination, public health, and duty to the state. Gupta’s memoir also offers a universal lesson – survival and duty are not separate journeys but intertwined paths that demand clarity, humility, and relentless perseverance. The book is an essential read for patients, caregivers, and anyone facing seemingly insurmountable professional or personal setbacks.
-Dinesh C Sharma
UNBROKEN: My battle with cancer and the will to lead
Dr Akhilesh Gupta
Notion Press
Pages 212, Price Rs 499
[The reviewer, Dr Dinesh C Sharma, is a columnist and author based in New Delhi]
