Early Life
Born in Poona, India, two years after India’s independence from British rule, Chopra was inspired from a young age to follow his father, Krishan Chopra (1919–2001) a renowned Indian cardiologist. Krishan Chopra was a Fellow of the Royal Hospital of Physicians and served as head of the Department of Medicine and Cardiology at Mool Chand Khairati Ram Hospital, New Delhi, for over 25 years. He retired as a lieutenant colonel from the Indian army. Sanjiv Chopra’s paternal grandfather was a sergeant in the British Army. Chopra’s older brother, Dr. Deepak Chopra, is also a physician, as well as a holistic health expert and spiritual guru and perhaps the most famous of America’s complimentary medicine practitioners.
At the young age of 12, Chopra woke up one evening after an afternoon nap, unable to see. His father was traveling at the time, so he was sent to a local physician and was diagnosed with Hysterical Blindness. Chopra’s father was contacted and he made an entirely different diagnosis – one exceedingly rare – and recommended the right treatment. Had his ailment gone untreated, he would have very likely permanently lost his sight. The treatment suggested by his father cured the boy within 6 hours. That memorable but frightening experience inspired Chopra’s fascination to go into Medicine and aspire to be a great doctor like his father.
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