Neuro pioneer, Krishnamoorthy Srinivas passes away
Chennai: Dr Krishnamoorthy Srinivas, the first person to achieve the qualification of DM (Doctor of Medicine) in neurology, in the country, passed away due to age-realted illness today.
Having been inactive in the field for a while, due to his ailment, he was admitted to a private hospital in Mylapore two days ago, where he passed away this morning at the age of 85.
He is survived by his wife Padma Srinivas and his children Dr Ennapadam S Krishnamoorthy, Aparna and Saikrishna Rajagopal and grandchildren.
His last rites were performed at the Mylapore crematorium later in the day.
Doctor Krishnamoorthy was a true pioneer in the field of neurology and to him goes the credit of improving treatment and diagnosis in stroke, epilepsy and related stuff in the country.
A disciple of the founder of the Voluntary Health Services Medical Centre, the legendary K S Sanjivi, prof. Srinivas set up the department of neurology there, which later became the much-acclaimed of Institute of Neurological Sciences.
Ata a time when he was flooded with offers from abraod, Dr Srinivas chose to cast his lot here in Chennai itself. In his own words, he said, “I needed to be at a place where I could treat anybody, including poor patients and have the freedom to do what I chose to do.”
More than five decades ago (1965, to be precise), he set up an outpatient clinic at the VHS, that functioned out of a corridor in the building, with minimum furniture.
Srinivas dedicated his life to the development of neurology community. The two full-fledged departments of community neurology that he set up in Chennai, at the Voluntary Health Services and at the Public Health Centre, are models in community neurology that many find as inspirations even today.
Fully focused on serving the community at large, he willing waived off patients’ fees if they were poor. Prof Srinivas has rubbed shoulders with the high and mighty of the country (he had treated, among others, Jawharlal Nehru, Indra Gandhi, long before he settled down in Chennai), but he always remained close to his roots and treated every patient the same.
Professor Krishnamoorthy Srinivas was also inducted into the American Academy of Neurology, the largest body of professional neurologists worldwide, in July.
He was the first Indian to become an honorary member of the two top neurology associations in the world, having got a membership at the the American Neurological Association in 2003. He is also the first Indian neurologist to be elected to the Royal Colleges of London, Glasgow and Edinburgh.
His famous quote suggesting doctors to take the news slowly to the families of the patients, reads, “We cannot break the news of the disease immediately to the patient’s family. We have to do it slowly. Otherwise, the family will go away and may even go for multiple consultations, aggravating the condition of the patient.”
Srinivas was Emeritus Professor of Neurology at the Sri Ramachandra Medical College and Research Institute, Chennai, and an Honorary Visiting Professor of Neurology at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Madras, and at the Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences in Tirupati. He was honorary consultant in Neurology for the armed forces between 1979 and 1995. He had published over 50 research articles in neurosciences in several national and international journals.
Over several years, through his Institute, Srinivas brought thought leaders and practitioners of neurology to the city and helped further research and treatment facilities in this part of the world.
Prof. Srinivas had established eight endowment orations, which have over the past 25 years brought to India more than 70
No comments:
Post a Comment