The Healthcare Heroes 2025 event brought tears, applause, and motivation as cancer survivors Alaknanda Dasgupta (renowned Kathak dancer) and Rajneesh Singh (CEO of Simpli Group) shared their deeply personal battles with the disease. Moderated by Urvashi Prasad, former NITI Aayog director and a stage-four lung cancer patient herself, the panel highlighted how three individuals from vastly different worlds faced cancer with grit, creativity, and unflinching honesty.
From Alaknanda dancing through chemotherapy to Rajneesh turning his diagnosis into a public journal of hope, their stories shattered stereotypes about cancer victims. Urvashi’s candid admission about battling depression added a critical layer to the discussion: cancer isn’t just physical. The trio’s journeys, filled with setbacks, surgeries, and moments of despair offered a masterclass in resilience.
Alaknanda Dasgupta: “I Chose Dance Over Cancer”
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In April 2022, doctors found a tumour in Alaknanda’s body. But the Kathak artist postponed surgery for a month to perform in Maharaj, a dance show. “I chose dance over illness. How I live today matters most,” she said. After her May 2022 surgery, she learned she had cancer on her birthday. Despite needing another surgery and six chemotherapies, she performed 15 shows during treatment.
In the ICU, she practised Kathak rhythms (ta, te, te, ta) on her hospital bed. “Dance gave me mental strength. Chemo weakened my legs, but I asked doctors to reduce medication so I could move again,” she shared. When the cancer returned later, she opted for alternative therapies alongside scans and diet changes. “Live today fully. When cancer strikes again, I’ll fight again,” she said.
Alaknanda also stressed honesty: “I announced my cancer on social media. Hiding it helps no one. Accept yourself boldly.” When the cancer returned months later, she underwent more surgeries and chemo but eventually switched to alternative therapies. “Doctors advised scans; I advised myself to live. I dance, drink a little, eat sweets—no regrets,” she laughed.
Rajneesh Singh: “Cancer Was a Blip and I Made It My Mission”
Rajneesh Singh, CEO, Simpli Group, diagnosed with stage-four colorectal cancer in July 2021, faced tumours in his liver. “I treated it as a ‘blip’ and focused on recovery,” he said. After an 11-hour surgery, he woke up at 8 pm, stunned but determined. “I Googled ‘best cancer doctors near me’ and trusted strangers with my life,” he shared.
His first surgery lasted 11 hours. “I went in at 8 am, and woke up at 8 pm. When I asked for the time, I knew I’d won Round 1,” he said. That night, he began writing ‘The Good Patient’, a public journal on his phone. “I wanted others to see this fight is possible,” he said. The posts went viral, turning him into a “cancer mentor.” Despite multiple recurrences, Rajneesh now guides five cancer patients. “My HR skills help me motivate others. Trust your doctors as they’re superheroes,” he urged.
Urvashi Prasad: “Depression Almost Killed Me Before Cancer Did”
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Urvashi Prasad, Former Director, Office of Vice Chairman, Niti Aayog, Government of India, was diagnosed with ALK-positive lung cancer at 35. It was a ‘non-smoker’s cancer’ she’d never heard of. “I froze. How could this happen?” she recalled. For her, depression hit harder than the disease. “I told my oncologist, ‘Treat my mind first.’ Antidepressants became my lifeline,” she admitted. With incurable stage-four cancer, Urvashi rejects toxic positivity. “It’s okay to not be brave every day. Let patients feel what they feel,” she stressed. Urvashi highlighted the uncertainty of stage-four cancer: “Living with a ‘sword overhead’ is hard. We need space to not be positive always.”
Key Lessons from the Panel
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- No Right Way to Fight: Urvashi needed antidepressants; Alaknanda leaned on dance; Rajneesh turned to writing.
- Trust Your Doctors: Rajneesh’s ‘Google-searched’ doctors became his lifeline.
- Share Your Truth: Hiding cancer helps no one—openness heals.
- Live Boldly: Alaknanda dances; Rajneesh mentors; Urvashi advocates for mental health.
Why Their Stories Matter
These cancer survivors proved that cancer survival isn’t about winning as it’s about living on your terms. The stories of Alaknanda, Rajneesh, and Urvashi remind us that there is no single ‘right’ way to battle cancer and only the way that keeps you moving forward. Alaknanda's dancing through treatment, Rajneesh's transformation into a beacon of hope, and Urvashi's honest struggle with mental health show that resilience wears many faces.
Their journeys teach us that victory isn't about eradicating the disease, but about refusing to let it erase our humanity, passions, and connections. As these Healthcare Heroes proved, the most powerful treatment protocols often include equal parts medicine, art, advocacy, and raw honesty.