At Brilliant Read Media, it is our constant endeavour to identify and share some of the unique and compelling stories from the startup ecosystem. As part of this, we invited Shreya Garg for an interview with Brilliant Read Media. To say further, Shreya is a Facial Plastics & ENT Surgeon and an Influencer. Let’s learn more about her background, inspiring journey so far and her advice for our growing community!
Excerpts from our exclusive interview with Shreya:
Could you please talk us through your background and your journey?
I began my medical career at Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi, and went on to pursue postgraduate training in ENT and Head & Neck Surgery at AIIMS Delhi. During this time, I was exposed to a breadth of surgical work, but it was facial plastic surgery that truly captured my focus.
My practice has since centred on rhinoplasty—both functional and aesthetic—and on anti-ageing surgeries, including facelifts, blepharoplasty, and brow lifts. These procedures demand precision, restraint, and a deep respect for facial harmony, values that have shaped my surgical approach.
International fellowships in Brazil and the Commonwealth Scholarship in the United Kingdom as a fellow in Facial Plastic Surgery expanded my perspective and allowed me to refine advanced techniques in aesthetic and reconstructive surgery.
How did you discover your passion?
I discovered my passion for facial plastic surgery through the patients I met along the way. During training, I treated young women and men with scars who saw their lives shift after reconstructive surgery, people who regained confidence after rhinoplasty, and older patients who looked as vibrant on the outside as they felt within after rejuvenation procedures.
These experiences showed me that surgery could be more than repairing anatomy—it could restore dignity, joy, and a sense of self. After all, disfigurement can limit opportunity or where ageing can feel at odds with one’s energy, the ability to give patients back confidence and quality of life felt profoundly meaningful.
Despite the challenges, what keeps you going when things get tough?
What keeps me going is my patients. Many people believe facial plastic surgery isn’t “life-saving” the way other branches of medicine are—but I’ve seen how it can be profoundly life-changing.
I’ve watched patients cry with relief after a long-awaited rhinoplasty, or after a scar revision that finally allowed them to look in the mirror without pain. And I’ve seen men and women in their fifties and sixties feel as though they’ve been given a second wind—because their faces once again matched the energy and vitality they carried inside.
Those moments remind me that my work goes beyond appearances. It’s about helping people feel whole, confident, and aligned with themselves.
Guided by the principle that surgery should enhance rather than alter, my work aims to restore balance, elevate confidence, and deliver results that feel natural and timeless. I see it as an extension of healthcare’s highest goal: not only preserving life, but elevating its quality.
What are the three most important lessons you have learned in your life?
The three most important lessons I’ve learned are:
Dedication and perseverance. Excellence doesn’t come overnight—it comes from showing up every day, working through challenges, and holding yourself to the highest standard. Surgery has taught me that consistency and persistence matter more than any single moment of brilliance.
Focus. True progress demands a laser-like focus. Whether in the operating room or in life, tuning out the noise and committing fully to the task at hand transforms skill into mastery and vision into results.
Integrity with empathy. Beyond technical skill, success rests on how you treat people. Patients and colleagues trust you not only because of what you can do, but because you act with honesty, compassion, and respect. Integrity ensures the right choices are made, and empathy ensures they are made with humanity. People always remember how you made them feel.
In your opinion, what are the keys to success?
In my opinion, the keys to success lie in a few core principles.
First is the pursuit of mastery—holding yourself to a higher standard than anyone else does. It’s about constantly refining your skills and never being satisfied with “good enough.”
Second is leading from the front. Whether in surgery or in training, you set the tone by example. If you show discipline, accountability, and drive, others will rise with you.
Third is being able to honestly identify your strengths and weaknesses. Success isn’t about appearing flawless—it’s about knowing yourself well enough to build on your strengths and work on your gaps.
It’s also important to stand up for yourself. Especially in a demanding field, you have to claim your space, assert your voice, and not shy away from challenges.
Equally, success comes from collaboration. Surgery is a team effort, and so is leadership. Being able to listen, value others’ expertise, and grow together is what makes outcomes stronger.
And through it all, I believe in kindness, empathy, and integrity. Patients and colleagues trust you not only for your skill, but for your values. Staying true to what is right—doing what’s best for the patient, even if it isn’t the easiest choice—is, to me, the most enduring marker of success.
What advice would you give students and young professionals who want to have a successful career?
Don’t chase shortcuts—build a strong foundation, learn your craft thoroughly, and hold yourself to a higher standard than anyone else does.
Never lose sight of empathy and integrity. Whether in medicine or any other field, success isn’t just about what you achieve, but how you achieve it. If you treat people with kindness, act with honesty, and stay true to your values, your work will always have meaning.
Last but not least, what about your journey makes it satisfying/exciting?
What makes my journey most satisfying is watching lives transform—seeing someone cry with joy after a rhinoplasty, or watching a patient light up when their face finally reflects how young and vibrant they feel inside.
Those moments are pure, and they remind me every time that this work isn’t just about surgery—it’s about giving people back confidence, dignity, and joy.
It’s also exciting because facial plastic surgery is still growing in India. To be part of shaping that field—bringing global techniques home, training the next generation, and raising the standards of care—feels like building something larger than myself.
BrilliantRead is committed to bringing stories from the startup ecosystem, stories that reshape our perspective, add value to our community and be a constant source of motivation not just for our community but also for the whole ecosystem of entrepreneurs and aspiring individuals.
Note: If you have a similar story to share with our audience and would like to be featured on our online magazine, then please write to us at [email protected], we will review your story and extend an invitation to feature if it is worth publishing.
