Illness, Narrative, and the Ethics of Care: Medical Humanities in Indian Writing in English

Abstract

Medical humanities examine the intersection of medicine, literature, philosophy, and culture in order to understand the human experience of illness. Indian Writing in English provides rich literary narratives that portray disease, healing, and the ethical responsibilities of care within complex social contexts. This paper explores how modern Indian writers represent illness not merely as a biological condition but as a cultural and philosophical experience. Through an analysis of works by Amitav Ghosh, Kavery Nambisan, and Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar, the study argues that Indian literary narratives expand the scope of medical humanities by foregrounding empathy, social inequality, and ethical responsibility. These narratives reveal how literature humanizes medicine and invites readers to reflect on suffering, dignity, and the moral dimensions of healing.