Black Country junior doctor Kishan entertains thousands with DJ sets
A junior doctor in the Black Country has reached thousands of people online with his DJ sets – in a bid to raise spirits during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Everyone from Matt Hancock to Tinie Tempah have got behind Russells Hall Hospital's Kishan Bodalia, whose Instagram posts have kept people dancing and boosted morale through music.
Kishan, who is in the second and final year of his general postgraduate medical training programme with The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, combines his NHS work with life as an in-demand DJ who champions new artists.
The 26-year-old has always loved music, playing several instruments as a child. At medical school he helped set up a record label to sign student artists which led to an award from then Prime Minister David Cameron. That same year – 2016 – he won a global DJ contest.
“That changed everything for me overnight," he said.
“I was playing all over the world and my music was released on labels including Sony and Ministry of Sound.”
However music remained a semi-professional hobby on the side as he focused on his medical career.
Kishan said: “When the pandemic broke out I was working on a respiratory ward. It was a very demanding time both physically and emotionally and I decided to launch something to make people feel good and also to give me something to take my mind off things.”
Kishan launched NHSessions which saw him DJing in his scrubs in his kitchen. It soon grabbed the attention of celebrities and social media influencers and he went on to do collaborations with influencers, live streaming alongside exercise gurus and chefs to promote the importance of exercise, good diet and the beneficial effects of music. The streams attracted some half a million viewers.
“It’s really special that doing something to make people feel good has also been able to support a powerful message," he said.
He also received celebrity shout-outs from the likes of Jonas Blue, Example and Wayne Lineker, and a thank you from the Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Even Health Secretary Matt Hancock got in touch to send a personal message of thanks – and suggested a song for his NHSessions Track of the Day – Non-Stop from the musical Hamilton.
Kishan joined the renal department at Russells Hall Hospital in August, moving to the trauma and orthopaedics unit in December and was recently redeployed to ITU to help care for the large number of Covid patients being treated. He says his colleagues enjoy his music and have been very supportive.
While he has exciting plans for later in the year – restrictions permitting – he has no plans to quit his medical career:
Kishan added: "Music and medicine are my two passions in life. Even if I dedicate more time to my music career, medicine will always be an important part of it. There is no greater feeling than being there for my patients."
You can follow Kishan on Instagram at @bodaliadj
