|
 |
| OBITUARY |
|
| Year : 2022 | Volume
: 12
| Issue : 2 | Page : 133-134 |
|
|
Obituary: Dr. Ramesh Chander Mahajan
S Khurana
Department of Medical Parasitology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| Date of Submission | 28-Jan-2022 |
| Date of Acceptance | 28-Feb-2022 |
| Date of Web Publication | 24-Nov-2022 |
Correspondence Address:
S Khurana
epartment of Medical Parasitology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/tp.tp_10_22
How to cite this article:
Khurana S. Obituary: Dr. Ramesh Chander Mahajan. Trop Parasitol 2022;12:133-4 |
Dr. Ramesh Chander Mahajan was an eminent medical parasitologist, educationist, researcher, orator par excellence, and a visionary. He left for his heavenly abode on November 23, 2021.
He was born on April 17, 1938, at Sialkot in undivided India to Mr. BL Mahajan and Mrs. Lilawanti. He was the third born among six siblings. He is survived by his wife Dr. Indu Gupta, who superannuated as head of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at PGIMER, Chandigarh, two daughters, and four grandchildren.
He completed his MBBS from Government Medical College, Amritsar, in 1961. He did his MD (Microbiology) from Panjab University in 1967. After that, he was trained in advanced parasitology at the London School of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene and the National Institute of Medical Research, London. He joined the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research Chandigarh as a Tutor in Microbiology in 1968 and took the charge of the Department of Parasitology as its founder Head and Professor. He was the spirit behind the establishment of the first Department of Parasitology, one of its kind in India. Under his illustrious headship, the department rose to the status of an important national laboratory recognized by WHO as its participating laboratory from India several times. The department was the Center for Serology of Malaria in 1979, Center for Quality Control for detection of Malaria Antigen and Antisera in 1980 by ICMR, New Delhi, Center for External Quality Control in Clinical Parasitology by WHO in January 1984, just to name a few. He made major contributions in the areas related to parasitic serology and immunology, and control of parasitic diseases of human and zoonotic importance in India, namely amebiasis, giardiasis, toxoplasmosis, malaria, cysticercosis, echinococcosis, and leishmaniasis. After his retirement in 1998, he received the status of Emeritus Professor, PGI, and continued to guide us till his last breath.
During his brilliant career, he received several national awards such as Prof. Shambu Nath Dey Memorial Award of INSA, SN Bose Award of ISCA, Basanti Devi Amir Chand Prize, Dr. Y. S. Narayanan Rao Award, Dr. M. O. T. Iyangar Awar, and Dr. BK Aikat Memorial Award, all from the ICMR, Dr. P. N. Chhuttani Oration Award and Dr. M. L. Kasliwal Award from NAMS, Prof. P. C. Sengupta Oration Award, Dr. B. N. Singh Memorial Award and Dr. B. P. Pandey Memorial Oration award of ISP and Dr. S. C. Agarwal Award, Dr. H. I. Jhala Award and the Endowment Oration Award of IAMM, and several others.
He published more than 450 research papers and trained several MD/PhD students. He was the President of the Asian Society of Parasitologists, President of the Indian Society of Parasitologists and President Indian Association of Medical Microbiologists. He has also received the Lifetime Achievement Award in Parasitology from the Indian Society of Parasitology and Lifetime Achievement Award Indian Association of Medical Microbiologists, and many others.
He was conferred the fellowship of various academic bodies such as the Indian National Science Academy, National Academy of Sciences, International Medical Science Academy, Indian Society of Parasitology, Indian Society of Malaria and Communicable Diseases, and many other prestigious organizations. He has been a WHO advisor in parasitic diseases from the Indian and South Asian regions.
He served as SN Bose-INSA Research Professor and Emeritus Professor at PGI, Chandigarh, and Adviser in parasitology and communicable diseases, ICMR, New Delhi.
Apart from parasitology as a subject, we also remember him for the values of discipline and hard work which he has inculcated as a culture. It was an honor for us that we were taught and guided by a great teacher, administrator, and academician, and we will miss him forever.
Financial support and sponsorship
Nil.
Conflicts of interest
There are no conflicts of interest.
|
Search Pubmed for