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OBITUARY |
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| Year : 2007 | Volume
: 12
| Issue : 3 | Page : 165 |
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Obituary
T Joseph
India
Correspondence Address:
T Joseph
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
How to cite this article:
Joseph T. Obituary. J Indian Assoc Pediatr Surg 2007;12:165 |
Prof. R Raaman Nair was born on 2.7.1925. He graduated from Madras in 1950 and also completed his M.S. in general surgery from Madras University. He first joined the Kerala State Government service in 1952 (later, he joined the Travancore-Cochin State Government service), and then, he moved to Trivandrum Medical College as a tutor. In 1953, he was deputed by the Government for training in US, and he was fortunate to work under Dr. Kieswetter, who eventually became the Surgeon General of US. On his return from US in 1955, he rejoined the service in Medical College. At this stage, he decided to leave general surgery and take up Paediatric Surgery as a full-time career. His friends in the Department of Surgery were shocked to hear this news. This move was unbelievable at this time. He moved his department to the Women and Children Wing of Medical College Hospital, where he single-handedly developed the Paedatric Surgery Department for a long time. For several years, he was all alone with a tutor/lecturer from general surgery who assisted him till late Prof. George Taliat joined him on a permanent basis in 1969.
UNICEF, recognizing the pioneering work in the department, approved an aid programme to develop this department. In 1971, M.Ch. course was started in Paediatric surgery; for the first time, this course was approved in Kerala. He trained so many paediatric surgeons in Kerala, and by 1983, all the Medical Colleges in Kerala had full-fledged paediatric surgery departments. He retired in 1980 from government service; however, he continued to be very much involved in paediatric surgery activities. During the last few years of his life, he was suffering from cardiac problems and also faced knee problems. He passed away on 3.6.2007 in Trivandrum. He is survived by his wife and three daughters, one of whom is a doctor. By his death, we have lost a very noble person and great paediatric surgeon with a vision for future.
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