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Renowned cardiac surgeon Dr MS Valiathan passes away
Renowned cardiac surgeon, Dr MS Valiathan passes away at the age of 90
Renowned cardiac surgeon and the founder of Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST), Dr MS Valiathan, passed away on Wednesday. Dr Valiathan was 90 years old.
Born in 1934 in Kerala, Dr Marthanda Varma Sankaran Valiathan brought revolutionary changes in the medical field in the country since his return to Kerala under the direction of former Kerala chief minister C Achuthamenon in 1972.
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Dr Valiathan was an alumnus of the first batch of Government Medical College Thiruvananthapuram, after which he attended the University of Liverpool. In 1960, he was awarded a fellowship at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and England. He has also worked at multiple hospitals in the US and India.
Dr. Valiathan was also the first Vice-Chancellor of Manipal Academy of Higher Education and was awarded Padma Shri in 2002 and Padma Vibhushan in 2005 for his contributions to healthcare.
This former president of the Indian National Science Academy and National Research Professor is survived by his wife, a son and a daughter.
TTK-Chitra valve
Dr MS Valiathan is credited with the development of the first-ever indigenous mechanical heart valve prosthesis in the country. Under his guidance, SCTIMST developed the TTK-Chitra valve after a labour of almost 12 years. Along with his associates, Dr Valiathan himself implanted this valve at SCTIMST in 1990.
Saving the lives of millions of Indians, this valve was a godsend to people who suffered from heart valve damage at a young age. Advanced versions of this low-cost, fully Indigenous mechanical valve have been developed at SCTIMST
Under Valliathan's leadership blood bags were manufactured and widely distributed, further illustrating his emphasis on the development of cost-effective medical solutions for the general.
Dr Valliathan was also responsible for developing SCTIMST into one of the best institutes in the field of therapeutic research within two decades.
Constant learner, prolific writer
Dr Valiathan has authored multiple books, few of them surprisingly about Ayurvedic science. His works, 'Legacy of Charaka,' 'Legacy of Sushruta,' and ‘Legacy of Vagbhata’ blended Ayurvedic insights with modern medical perspectives. He aimed to make Ayurveda accessible to the general public.
A senior fellow from the Homi Bhabha Council, his studies on Ayurvedic research are some of the finest in the field.
