Ravinder Malik’s Retirement Is Full of Art and Adventure

In her retirement, new Anderson Artists Guild member Ravinder Malik is checking things off her bucket list. One of those items was learning to make pottery. She’s taken classes and learned with the help of friend and fellow AAG member Matt Brophy. “He has been a great influence,” she said. “He’s a wonderful artist.”

She finds great satisfaction in transforming a piece of clay into something useful or decorative. Lately, she’s been experimenting with hand building and has made totem poles after being inspired by some she’d seen on Pinterest.

Another item checked off her bucket list was to learn to decorate cakes.

Malik was born in India, where she completed medical school. In 1977, she and her husband, also a doctor, moved from New Delhi to Houston to complete their residencies. But they didn’t like the congestion and long hours in the car commuting to hospitals spread over 90 miles. “We wanted four seasons, one hospital, not too much driving, and to be on the water,” she said. Anderson proved to be the perfect place, especially since at the time they moved—in 1983—the city did not have a full-time oncologist. Her husband, Rajeev, is a medical oncologist and Ravinder is a radiation oncologist.

A radiation oncologist works with surgeons and medical oncologists to plan patients’ radiation treatment. “It was very gratifying when somebody was hurting and in so much pain from cancer, and after radiation, the pain went away,” she said. But it was difficult when patients died. “I’ve seen so many friends pass away from cancer,” she said.

Recognizing that life is short and that there was more to do besides work, she retired nine years ago. In that time, she and her husband have enjoyed several adventures together. One was climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. They trained for several months in Colorado, then spent about 10 days on the mountain. “It was fun,” she said. “It wasn’t that hard. The training was harder.” They used to do a big trip each year before COVID, including a cruise to Antarctica.

She looks forward to future travel and more chances to cross items off that bucket list.