Dr Nafeesa Kothawala – A Mother, Doctor and Conservationist

Dr Nafeesa Kothawala

Dr Nafeesa Kothawala also known as Dr Frugal, is an anesthesiologist by profession and a passionate environmentalist. With more than 33 years of experience in her field, she is an inspiration to the Bahrain community, even more so for advocating important issues such as higher education, organic living and environmental conservation. 

Having grown up in a cosmopolitan environment alongside four siblings, Dr Nafeesa is grateful to her father who moved to Mumbai from a small town in Central India  to ensure that his children received a quality education. Her father’s zeal inspired her to continue pursuing her Post-graduate degree even after the birth of her first child.  

Another quality that her father instilled in her was dedication towards family. In an age when the demands of a professional career can overwhelm and deprive one of quality time with family; Dr Nafeesa blends the roles of a mother, homemaker and professional with great skill. She strikes an effective balance in caring for her patients as well as her two boys and is admired by her colleagues for her punctuality.

Dr Nafeesa is also an advocate of organic living. Even though she has a medical background, she strongly recommends natural therapy, local nutrition and a traditional lifestyle as better alternatives that have the potential to effectively tackle many lifestyle diseases. 

Complimenting her affinity for natural therapy, is her love for the outdoors and especially putting on her gardening boots. She loves spending time in the garden in her off hours and tries to follow a green lifestyle. ‘I recycle a lot as I don’t like plastic. I have been reading about ozone issues since 2000, which has made me more vigilant about my interaction with the environment on a day-to-day basis. Even at home, I compost organic waste. In our home, we follow the motto of Reuse & Recycle which has drastically decreased our usage of single-use plastic, she states.  

Dr Nafeesa attributes this quality to her mother. ‘I remember my mother made us reuse the smallest things so we didn’t develop that wasteful attitude. For example, if she would have small pieces of leftover cloth, she would ask us to stitch something out of it, rather than conveniently throwing it in the bin. All that has come to make me who I am today and with the alarming environmental hazards in mind, I wish to instil the same or even more dedicated environmental responsibility in my children,’ observes Dr Nafeesa.

5 thoughts on “Dr Nafeesa Kothawala – A Mother, Doctor and Conservationist

  1. razia hamzabhai says:

    Amazing achievement accomplished through hardwork sincerely and passion We are indeed proud to be your siblings

  2. Jamila Hakimuddin says:

    U are indeed a great achiever Aunty. More power to you; keep spreading positivity and awareness through your kind and thoughtful actions.

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