Prof. Marthanda Varma Sankaran Valiathan (24 May 1934 – 17 July 2024)

Sir, today you may have left the physical world , but you will live in countless human lives through your teachings and noble acts. A surgeon par excellence, teacher, innovator, researcher, adminstrator, founder of many institutes, author and a gentle loving human being, he excelled in whatever he dreamed and executed. He has mentored and seen three generations of cardiac surgeons serving all over world.

Thanks so much Sir for shaping my life in many ways , sadly i was never your cardiac surgery student, but I admired you since my early medical college days and got a chance to meet you during my Internship days when you came for a dinner at our home and then I took you to Chaukhamba Prakashan in Chowk, Varanasi as you wanted to buy certain Sanskrit texts and Ayurveda books.

I feel so blessed that you wrote forward for two of my books. Whenever i read about you or interacted with you, i feel so much inspired by your life journey.

You have touched and shaped millions of lives through your surgeries, teachings, research, discoveries and adminstration. Your life journey is a great inspiration for all of us. Your humility and love for everyone is a lesson for all of us and for many future generations to come.

A brief write up about Sir :

Marthanda Varma Sankaran Valiathan (24 May 1934 – 17 July 2024) was an Indian cardiac surgeon. He was a former President of the ” Indian National Science Academy “ and National Research Professor of the Government of India. Founder Director of Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute of Medical Sciences and Technology , Trivandrum and first vice chancellor of Manipal university. Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India.

He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1990 and Padma Vibushan in 2005 for his contributions to health technology in India. He was made a Chevalier in the Ordre des Palmes Académiques, an honour bestowed by the French Government, in 1999. He received the Dr. Samuel P. Asper International Award from the Johns Hopkins University Medical School in 2009 for his contributions to international medical education. He also developed TTK Chitra Heart Valve , which has now seen more than one lakh implantations. The multidisciplinary team at the Sree Chitra Institute led by Dr. Valiathan also developed a vascular graft and a series of disposable devices such as blood bags, oxygenators and cardiotomy reservoirs. Dr. Valiathan was engaged in promoting research in basic sciences, based on cues from Ayurvedic concepts and procedures. Later on, as a National Research Professor, he carried out a study of Sushruta and Vagbhata and completed the series of Legacy volumes on the 'Great Three' of Ayurveda'.

Fellowships of the IAS, INSA New Delhi, NAS India, NAMS, INAE, The World Academy of Sciences, American College of Cardiology, the Royal College of Physicians of London and the International Union of Societies of Biomaterials and Engineering. He was a “Hunterian Professor” of the Royal College of Surgeons of England and a Senior Member of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons of the United States and the Society of Cardiothoracic Surgeons of Great Britain. The French Government has honoured him by making him a Chevalier in the order of Palmes Académiques. He is a recipient of many Awards for Science, Technology and Education, which include the R.D. Birla Award, O.P. Bhasin Award, Jawaharlal Nehru Award, Dhanwantari Prize, Aryabhata medal, Basanti Devi Amirchand Prize, J.C. Bose medal, Kerala State Science and Technology Award, B.C. Guha Award, Pinnamaneni Foundation Award, Sat Pal Mittal Award, G.M. Modi Award, M. V. Pylee Award, H.K. Firodia Award and the Sastra Puraskaram of the Kerala Government.

We all will be forever grateful to your teachings through your life journey, Sir.

Sharing a beautiful nostalgic memoir from Dr S K Deshpande Sir, Cardiac Anaesthesiologist and SCTIMST alumnus

Yesterday, the news of passing away of Prof M S Valathan saddened me and many of us. SCTIMST arranged condolence meet which was attended online by many. People paid rich tributes to late Prof Valiathan sir and I am also expressing my condolences while recollecting few memories about this great man. Dear friends, as you can see the meaning of 'Valia' in malayalam is big, great. Prof Valiathan, whose first few letters of spelling contained 'valia' was not only just big but a great thinker and visionary Cardiothoracic Surgeon. We used to then call him out of respect as 'director'. As a cardiac anaesthesia resident at the prestigious Sree Chitra Institute of Medical Sciences, Trivandrum (SCTIMST), I was first impressed by sir, who asked few questions at the grand interview (where all dept's heads used to ask Q) during selection process for the said course in Cardiothoracic & Neuro Anaesthesia in 1986.. As the time went on I had seen many facets of this great man and although my stay at Chitra was just one year and I didn't have a long association withthe late director but I'll mention a few of the observed facets of this great man. Great visionary He was a great visionary and established SCTIMST as a nationally and internationally recognised institute. He brought this institute then on the map of India as the topmost educational and research institute. Simple living Prof Valiathan used to put on very simple clothes, always walk fast, think fast, use apt yet non-hurting words but all were important and meaningful.. He was pained then to buy expensive disposables as required for cardiac surgery and wanted to develop Indian make devices matching international standards. He made that in reality and we are all aware of noteworthy research products (Chitra mechanical heart valve, oxygenators, blood bags to name a few). They were developed at the biomedical technology (BMT) wing at Poojapura in Trivandrum. Fit and punctual In 1985-86 the biometric method of attendance compulsory for all working at the institute used to be one's allocated 'punching card' which marks your entry time in the institute when punched in. Dr Valiathan being director used to be our role model of punctuality as he himself would punch in between 07:20-07:30 am daily (when time of punch in was 08:00 am), he will directly go to his director's office office and assign some work to his secretariat. Then he used to climb the stairs swiftly to reach 7th floor cardiac surgical OR. We usually used to induce anaesthesia by 07:30-07:45 am. He used to be scrubbed and ready by 8- 8:15 am. He loved to operate on the cyanotic cong HD kids and after operation getting over by 12 or so, he would again reach his director's office by staircase. SCTIMST cardiac ORs used to be very busy, yet quiet operation rooms with no shouting at all (as against in many cardiac surgery units then in other parts of India). Director himself used to speak very less and during surgery his right palm without saying a word used to go to first scrub OR nurse and he would get the right instrument. The Chitra teaching was all present in OR used to operate : surgeons physically while others mentally watching progress of surgery and act proactively and this practice with everyone's involvement naturally used to give good results. Director's voice (barritone) was clear, educative yet respecting all members of the OR. We always respected as students his discipline. Speciality dept He developed the CVTS dept in different specialities like cardiac : Adult and paediatric, thoracic and vascular. The results in the following years were great and many Chitra's cardiac surgeons were recognised and respected in the academic sectors. I, then as a student enjoyed the aura of Chitra in conferences. Research wing The BMT wing (Satelmond palace of late King of Travancore who donated the palace for the research work) where many dedicated biomedical scientists put their herculeean efforts to fructify the dreams of the director. I as student in 1986 watched animal (sheep) implantation of the developing Chitra (now TTK Chitra) valve. The surgery used to take place in the best conditions and with the same disciplined atmosphere in the OR and ICU. The director and his team would operate, and follow-up the progress meticulously with data recording and analysis. This used to be a daunting task as the overseas manufacturing companies of mechanical valves were the "keen observers" to this ' new Indian competitor'. My seniors Dr Rathod, Waikar gave me chance to anaesthetise the sheep under their strict supervision as life of each sheep mattered !! I was amazed at the energy level and dedication of BMT scientists, staff, director, veterinary doctors, dept of Cardiac anaesthesia, cardiac surgery, pathology dept. Our anaesthesia HoD, Prof K. Mohandas, (who followed Prof Valiathan as the next director) was a very sweet, skilled, humble and knowledgeable guiding force in our dept.and Prof Valiathan and his dept used to respect dept of anaesthesia to the core. Therefore I was nurtured in this congenial atmosphere which had made a very positive impact on my personality. Such was an atmosphere which used to encourage me and my colleague Dr S. Bhanumurthy to work harder. Parents of students and director : whenever the parents from different parts of India used to come to Chitra, to meet their son/daughter were usually anxious as how the students are doing since Trivandrum was far from their respective place of residence. The parents narrated their experience of interacting with Prof Valiathan, that he was very warm, gave them time immediately for meeting and were surprised about his all round knowledge in all fields and he could discuss any topic at the highest possible level. Naturally the parents used to feel assured and return back with satisfaction. During my one year short stay I discovered many facets, as he himself never ever spoke about himself. Dream Cardiac surgical team's requirement and getting it done by Indian (make in India concept) make was his dream and he worked very hard, interacted with many knowledgeable people from engineering, medical, biomedical, manufacturing and marketing sectors to fulfill this dream. Student and staff friendly director Any reply to our application, conference attendance or certificate used to be signed on the same day and he never kept the students waiting. Man's true nature is exhibited when he is at the helm, and Prof Valiathan truly was a great (Valia) personality and I feel privileged to get an opportunity, although for a very short period, to watch a few of his facets. I express my sadness on his passing away and truly we lost a great visionary, perfect leader, one who thought of our dear countrymen and developed Indian make devices and products, knowledgeable yet humble, simple yet high thinker gem and a guiding star for many of his students, associates and followers. I offer my heartfelt condolences to his family 🙏🙏भावपुर्ण श्रद्धांजली 🙏🙏 From : Dr S K Deshpande, Cardiac Anaesthesiologist and SCTIMST alumnus, Nagpur Friday, 19th July 2024.