Breastfeeding, Kajal, and Baby Oil Massage – Helpful or Harmful? Insights From Dr. Kabita Keyal

A Father’s Dream, A Nation’s Future: Essential Newborn Care Tips from Dr. Kabita Keyal’s Inspiring Journey

Every daughter’s success is fueled by her father’s unwavering support. Dr. Kabita Keyal’s inspiring journey from the small town of Birgunj, Nepal, to a life marked by perseverance and achievement shows how a father’s belief and family support can shape a daughter’s future and turn dreams into reality.

In a society where female education was often dismissed and daughters were expected to be married off at a young age, Dr. Kabita’s story breaks the mold. As the eldest of six siblings, five daughters and a son, she could have quickly followed the same path many girls in her community were pushed into. But she didn’t because one man dared to believe differently; her father stood against societal norms. Others said, “Why educate a daughter when she will eventually go to her in-laws’ home?” Her father said, “Let her dream.” Let her fly.”

Her father (Pawan Kumar Keyal), a gemologist by profession, and mother (Kiran Devi Keyal), encouraged her education and instilled a deep value for learning in the entire family. Thanks to her parent’s vision, the family boasts three doctors today: Kabita herself, her dermatologist sister Dr. Uma Keyal, and ophthalmologist Dr. Khusbu Keyal. Another sister, Hema Keyal, pursued the arts, and another sister, Chhama Keyal, became a fashion designer. Her brother (Kanhaiya Keyal) and sister-in-law excel in business and journalism. It began with a father’s simple, powerful belief: “My daughters can achieve anything.”

Dr. Kabita started her academic career at Gautam English Secondary School, the first English boarding school in Birgunj, before moving to Kathmandu for her higher secondary education at Holy Vision Secondary School, Tahachal, Kathmandu, Nepal. The shifts were never easy for her, from adjusting to city life and different learning patterns to changing her outlook and habits. But she never allowed her essence to grow dim. She mostly remembers her dignity when walking into her former school, not as a student but as a visiting school doctor, to say,

“It’s a proud moment to serve in the very place that shaped me.”

Eventually, she pursued her Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery from the Manipal College of Medical Sciences, Pokhara, completing her adept further studies in MD at Bangalore Manipal. She had to go through a vast struggle being a vegetarian in a hostel many miles away from home, adjusting to the drastic changes in Bangalore’s climate and the impact of technology on her life. But as she remembers it, being an ever-supportive teacher who was like a parent.

Now living in Kathmandu with her husband, Dr. Nikhil Aggarwal, an Army pediatrician, their 8-year-old child, and her in-laws, Dr. Kabita Keyal continues to dedicate herself to the well-being of children. Since their marriage, Dr. Nikhil has been a constant source of inspiration and unwavering support, playing a significant role in her professional growth and accomplishments. Professional and personal experiences have fueled her passion for bringing compassion into practicing care. In addition to that, she shares newborn care tips with families in Nepal, backing that with science and compassion, traditional knowledge, and a commitment to raising the next generation.

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Academic Background

A successful academic journey has brought Dr. Kabita Keyal to the doorstep of maternal and newborn care tips. Such rigorous training is expected to certify her with the most valuable newborn care tips that she could use by parents on how to manage the early infancy period of a child’s life.

• Schooling: Gautam English Secondary School, Birgunj, Nepal
• Higher Education (+2): Holy Vision Secondary School, Tahachal Kathmandu, Nepal.
• MBBS: Manipal College of Medicine Science, Pokhara, Nepal (1999-2003)
• Internship: Manipal College of Medical Science, Pokhara, Nepal (2003 – 2004)
• Senior House Officer (Pediatrics and Emergency Medicine): Manipal College of Medical Science, Pokhara, Nepal (2004 – 2006)
• MD. Pediatrics (Doctor of Medicine in the Field of Pediatrics): Manipal Hospital, Bangalore, India (2006 – 2009)
• PGPN (Post Graduate Programme in Pediatric Nutrition) Boston University School of Medicine (2014 – 2015)

 Awards and Recognitions

• University Topper at Manipal Hospital, Bangalore
• Sardar Vishnumani Acharya Gold Medal (2009) Awarded by NEPAS for securing the highest rank in Nepal
• Author of “PRIME,” a widely used MCQ guidebook for medical graduates and postgraduates

 Professional Memberships

Dr. Kabita Keyal is a very active member of various national and international associations, where she gives parents counseling regarding newborn care tips and stays updated on all developments in neonatal health to provide them with the best advice.

• Honorary Member of
  • Nepal Medical Association
  • Nepal Pediatric Society (NEPS)
  • European Academy of Pediatrics (EAP)
  • American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
• Executive member of the Nepal Pediatric Society and the Subcommittee focused on vaccination and nutrition/breastfeeding

Dr. Kabita Keyal’s journey exemplifies how hard work, education, and a father’s belief can change a profoundly ingrained norm of society. Encouraged by her father, she broke from the conservative shackles of her community, worked as a pediatrician, and gave newborn care tips. The piece establishes that when a girl is empowered, she succeeds and becomes an agent of change.

Though being a parent can feel overwhelming, it can be an empowering experience with the right guiding light. Some vital newborn care tips offered by the most reputable doctor in Nepal, Dr. Kabita Keyal, are accessible live in a highly educational video on the RST YouTube channel. The video discusses significant topics like breastfeeding benefits a newborn, newborn skincare tips, and postnatal care for mother and baby.

Dr. Keyal also discusses standard traditional practices for newborn care tips, such as the pros and cons of baby oil massage, and clarifies whether applying kajal to babies is safe. She also offers valuable pediatrician advice in Nepal, helping parents distinguish between newborn health myths and facts.

This video provides caring, expert-backed advice to help families make safer, informed decisions about their children’s health. Watch it now – because every child deserves the best start in life.