In conversation with, DP is the Head of the Phoenix Lifestyle Project and Emeritus Professor of Cardiology at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), based at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Hospital in Durban. A non-interventional cardiologist, he has decades of experience in cardiovascular research, teaching, and patient care, with a special focus on risk stratification, genetics, and chronic lifestyle diseases in the South African Indian community. He has held leadership roles, including Head of Cardiology at UKZN and Wentworth Hospital, and has contributed to national and international cardiovascular guidelines, research journals, and advanced cardiology training programs. His research spans hypertension, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and the effects of HIV on heart disease. Beyond medicine, he enjoys gardening with indigenous plants and restoring antique furniture.