Dr Rajiv Parti, a former chief of anaesthesiology at a prestigious hospital in California, claims to have undergone a profound transformation following a near-death experience (NDE) during surgery in 2008. At 51, while undergoing a procedure related to prostate cancer, Parti suffered a severe cardiac arrest. What followed, he says, changed his life forever.
According to Parti, he found himself in a terrifying landscape filled with screams, the stench of burning flesh, and a fiery abyss. He interpreted this as a vision of hell. During this experience, he was chastised by an unidentified voice for leading a materialistic life. The scene then shifted dramatically, as two angelic beings—whom he later identified as the biblical archangels Michael and Raphael—guided him through a tunnel.
Though Parti was raised Hindu, he was surprised to encounter Christian imagery during his NDE. His journey culminated in a meeting with a radiant being he believed to be God. There, he witnessed a panoramic review of his life, feeling the impact of his actions on others. When he asked the luminous figure, “Who are you, Lord?”, a man in a robe with a golden sash appeared and responded, “I am Jesus, your saviour.”
Miraculously, Parti recovered from his cardiac arrest and surgical complications. However, the man who awoke in the hospital was no longer the same. Previously sceptical and driven by material success, he renounced his lucrative and respected position in medicine—reportedly worth hundreds of thousands of dollars annually (potentially over £150,000)—to pursue a new path.
He described this new direction as fulfilling his “soul contract” or dharma. Parti now dedicates his life to spiritual healing, aiming to help others find peace, love, and joy—not through medicine, but by addressing what he calls the “diseases of the soul.” He has since spoken extensively and authored books about his experience, sharing his message of transformation and spiritual awakening.
