(MENAFN- Kashmir Observer)
Dr. Akhtar Purvez

By Fiza Masoodi

On a bitter winter morning in the early 1960s, in Tangmarg, just 23 miles from the capital city, a young Akhtar Purvez watched a neighbour mount a horse and ride ten miles to summon a doctor.

Hours later, the physician returned the same way.

By then, the patient had died.

“That memory stayed with me,” Purvez recalls.“It wasn't just the loss of life. It was the intense feeling of unmitigated suffering, helplessness, and the relief that was out of our reach.”

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He grew up in a place where hospitals were distant, doctors rare, and families often relied on prayer, herbal remedies, or hope.

Those early experiences left a lasting impression on the boy who would go on to practice pain medicine in the United States, still a new field of medicine, and lead medical research to discover new therapies that would benefit the humanity beyond one country.

Today, Purvez is a leading physician in America, shaping how chronic pain, and its related field of addiction medicine, is understood and treated around the world.

His upbringing was modest but rich in culture. His father, the renowned Kashmiri-American intellectual and poet, Muzaffar Aazim, instilled in him the virtues of service to the humankind without discrimination and a love of language and culture.

“Our home was full of books and conversations,” he says.“We didn't have much wealth, but we had values: honesty, hard work, and respect for others.”

Healthcare in the valley remained a struggle. The nearest hospital was more than fifty miles away, and traditional remedies often failed.

“I saw pain treated as destiny,” Purvez continues.“That was difficult for me to accept. I wanted to understand pain and confront it.”

Medicine carried great respect in Kashmir. Doctors were guardians of life, and humility was expected.

That cultural gap hit him hard during his first residency interview in the United States.

“They asked why they should hire me,” he laughs.“I thought my résumé spoke for itself. In Kashmir, speaking of your achievements feels like boasting. In America, it's a way of life to highlight who you are, and what you have done.”

After earning a Master of Surgery in India, Purvez moved to the United States. His first year as a surgical resident in New York was relentless: twenty-hour shifts, sleepless nights, and long stretches without food.

“I asked about another young Kashmiri who had started before me. They said, 'He lasted only two months.' That scared me,” he recalls.“But I decided I would not give up.”

Perseverance carried him to Boston University Medical Center, where he trained in anesthesiology, opening a path to pain medicine, a field that demands both precision and empathy.

Later, at the University of Virginia, he studied under Dr. John Rowlingson, a pioneer, a thought leader in the specialty, and a mentor that would shape his professional career for years to come.

During his Kashmir days.

Today, Purvez is President of Momentum Medical Research in Virginia. Over four decades, he has served as a head and neck surgeon, anesthesiologist, interventional pain specialist, and principal investigator in major clinical trials. His studies range from osteoarthritis treatments to metabolic disorders, vaccine safety and beyond.

Certified by both the American Board of Pain Medicine and the American Board of Anesthesiology, he has helped shape standards that ripple through the medical systems worldwide.

“I've always believed medicine is not only about science,” he says.“It is also about listening to people, understanding their suffering, and helping them reclaim their lives.”

He also teaches as an Adjunct Clinical Professor at Lincoln Memorial University. He has mentored students from Boston University, the University of Virginia, and elsewhere.“Technical skill matters,” he tells them.“But it should be the caring and compassion that should guide you.”

Purvez has written extensively. His books,“Managing Chronic Pain in an Age of Addiction,” and“The Brain Behind Pain,” have influenced public debate during the opioid crisis. These are available in most libraries in the United States.

He emphasizes addressing pain responsibly without dismissing patients' suffering.

“Pain doesn't care about your income or passport,” he says.“It is democratic. The challenge is how we respond, with compassion and science, or with indifference.”

At local, national, and international conferences, he frames pain care as a matter of human rights.

His research on atrial fibrillation, dietary additives, and chronic pain syndromes appears in leading journals. He also serves on editorial boards shaping the work of future physicians.

Yet for all his medical accomplishments, Purvez is also a poet.

Fluent in Kashmiri, Urdu, Hindi, Farsi, and English, his verses echo his father's traditions, often weaving medicine with humanity, and science with spirit.

“I see poetry as a form of healing,” he says.“Where medicine reaches the body, poetry reaches the soul. Both are necessary.”

His poetry carries Kashmir with it: rivers, mountains, resilience. Abroad, he recites his father's verses, introducing audiences to the cultural fabric of his homeland.

“In many ways,” he reflects,“I am an ambassador of Kashmir through both medicine and poetry.”

The valley, often associated with turmoil in headlines, remains central to his identity.

“The inspiration for what I do, my drive to relieve suffering, was born there,” he says.

But even today, Kashmir's healthcare system struggles. A 2023 survey by the Ministry of Health found that nearly 40 percent of patients needing advanced care travel outside the region, often facing crippling financial burdens. Specialists remain scarce, particularly in rural areas.

Reflecting on these challenges, Purvez adds,“Every child in Kashmir who dreams of becoming a doctor should have the chance to learn, serve, and lead. That is the hope I carry for our future.”

In Virginia, that very much resembles like, and reminds him of Kashmir, he continues to treat patients, guide research, and write. His vision blends the wisdom of tradition with modern science.

“Every patient I see reminds me of where I came from, physically and emotionally,” he concludes.“That boy in Kashmir who watched a doctor ride on horseback to save a life is still with me. He pushes me forward.”

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