My special older sister: (Nagammal) She taught me what love for a younger sibling is and how to show it.
My
children (Bama, Hari and Sheela)
My children
taught me to loosen up, although I probably did not come to their expectations.
I was somewhat rigid and orthodox in my thinking about many things. They
changed me with Ramaa’s help and through her.
Teachers in School, College etc
There were
many teachers in my school (Rajah”s High School) who were simple gentlemen from
my hometown. They showed me what dedicated teaching means and why one takes
this profession for such meager salary.
My time at
Loyola College was essential for my further development and entry to medical
school. Other than quality broad education, what I learnt during those two
years were about life in general and growing up into an adult. I learnt about
taking care of my own needs. I learnt to play sports. The most important
experience was that of making some life-long friends (Peter Fernandez, “Rangs”,
Chandra and Meenakshisundaram). They are still friends after 60 years.
Medical
School (Madras Medical College)
Who were
some of the most influential people in medicine and how?
Top on the
list is Dr.K.V. Thiruvengadam (affectionately known as KVT by all his students)
with whom I was in contact until his death, sadly one of the victims of the
COVID pandemic. I learnt from him what it is to be a clinician, how to be
compassionate, and how to be soft and gentle with people. For bedside manners,
he was my role model.
For social
justice, Dr.K.S.Sanjivi set the standard for me.
Dr.S.T.Achar
was responsible for creating in me an interest in pediatrics. He was another
role model for my clinical skills.
While at Wadia
Hospital for Children at Mumbai known at that time as Bombay, Dr. S.M. Merchant
showed me how to make observations, interpret them and use clinical logic.
Above all, these
role-models of mine treated everyone with compassion and kindness. They treated
the rich and the poor with equal respect.
One other
great experience while at the medical school was probably responsible for
sowing the seeds for my interest in scientific inquiry. This was a visit by a
WHO team who taught at my medical school for several weeks. I was fortunate
enough to attend talks by Sir Alexander Fleming and Dr. Heymans (Both Nobel Laureates), Dr. Samuel Levine (Bellevue Hospital, Neonatology), Dr.Charles Aub
(cardiologist, Harvard) and Dr.Leo Rigler (radiologist, University of
Minnesota).
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