Sonal Bhatia

About Sonal Bhatia

I grew up in Mexico as the “different” child — a different culture, a different language, and a different way of seeing the world. That experience, while painful at times, became my greatest teacher. It made me deeply attuned to those who felt unseen or excluded.My first mentor was my grandfather, a healer who practiced Ayurveda. Long before medical school, he showed me that healing is not only biochemical — it is human, relational, and rooted in compassion.That wisdom stayed with me through my medical training and throughout my 20 years in the pharmaceutical industry. As a physician and later as Chief Medical Officer of Pfizer’s Rare Disease division, I witnessed both the transformative power of science and its limitations.I learned that:Prescriptions alone don’t create lasting change.Patients heal when they’re empowered, not just informed.Teams thrive when their vitality, purpose, and energy are supported.This shaped how I led: with autonomy, mastery, purpose, and a deep commitment to bringing hope to patients. Nothing compares to watching a life change when the right solution is finally within reach.Over time, I also saw something else emerging — what I now call Normative Misery:High-performing leaders and teams running on empty.Disconnected from their bodies.Stable on the outside, depleted on the inside.Closing that gap is now my purpose.Today, as a physician trained in both modern medicine and Ayurveda, a TEDx speaker, and the founder of Ojas Vida, I help individuals and organizations restore vitality, alignment, and resilience — in ways that honor both science and ancient wisdom.My work lives at the intersection of:Eastern healing and Western lifestylesLeadership performance and energetic wellbeingMind–body medicine and practical daily ritualsThrough speaking, coaching, workshops, and advisory, I help people reconnect with their inner healing intelligence — the innate capacity we all have to regulate, repair, and rise.Because when you heal the individual, you elevate the leader.When you elevate the leader, you transform the team.And when you transform the team, you change the system.If you’re seeking a more vital, aligned, and sustainable way to live or lead — I’d love to connect.

Experience

1. Member Board of Directors

   American Heart Association

   Jun 2019 — Present · New York, NY, US

Education

• Ross University School of Medicine

  Doctor of Medicine (M.D.), Medicine

  1998 — 2002

• Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

  MD, Internal Medicine Residency Program

  2003 — 2005

• Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine

  Master of Science, Integrative Health & Ayurveda

  2023 — 2025

• University of Maryland School of Medicine

  Doctor of Medicine (MD), Internal Medicine Residency Program

  2002 — 2003

• University of Toronto

  Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.), Cellular and Molecular Biology

  1992 — 1997