‘Pind California’: US doctor camps with India’s agitating farmers

Cardiologist puts lucrative practice on hold to aid thousands of farmers protesting against farm laws outside New Delhi.

New Delhi, India – When Dr Swaiman Singh, a cardiologist based in the United States, flew to India for a five-day visit last December, little did he know that his short sojourn would turn into a prolonged mission to save hundreds of lives. The 34-year-old doctor, who has been living in New Jersey for the past 24 years, put his lucrative practice on hold to visit his homeland after getting distress calls from relatives in his native village, Pakhoke, in the western state of Punjab. The villagers told him that a close family friend had died after a massive heart attack at Tikri outside New Delhi, one of three main sites where thousands of Indian farmers have been protesting since November.