A dynamic healthcare professional, an eminent surgeon, a thought-provoking leader and an electrifying speaker, the Late Prof. MS Ramakrishnan’s (MSR) was a visionary who dreamt of providing affordable healthcare to every child irrespective of economic status and social background. Prof. MSR was one of the two most influential Pediatric Surgeons of early 1960s, and the first to start the M. Ch. Training Program in India, in 1966. He was also one of the founders of the Indian Association of Pediatric Surgeons (lAPS) in 1965.‘MS Ramakrishnan’s Essentials of Pediatric Surgery’- the updated version of Prof. MS Ramakrishnan’s book on Pediatric Surgery was released by Prof. Abraham Cherian, Consultant Pediatric Urologist, Great Ormond Hospital for Children, NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK. Renowned names from the medical field and dignitaries like Dr. Rajasekar, Ganga Hospitals, Coimbatore, Prof. Mohamed Rela, CMD, Rela Institute and Medical Center, Chennai, Dr. Ravikumar, Prof. K MathangiRamakrishnan, Dr. PriyaRamakrishnan and other distinguished doctors from the healthcare industry and the literary world attended and celebrated this book launch, organized by Prof. MS Ramakrishnan Memorial Endowment Committee.
The original version of the book on Pediatric Surgery by Prof. MSR was released after his demise in 1991. The book has now been updated, realizing his vision and furthering his impact in the specialty of medical field. In this updated version, few chapters have been authored by his students and prominent pediatric surgeons who have been trained or have worked in the institutions that he established. ‘MS Ramakrishnan’s Essentials of Pediatric Surgery’, published by Paras Medical Publisher, will be available at all leading bookstores across India as well as online shopping websites, in about 3 months.The 29th Annual Dr. MS Ramakrishnan Memorial Endowment Oration on ‘Cloacal Malformation - Untold Stories’ was also delivered at the occasion by Prof. Abraham Cherian. In his speech, he deeply admired the selfless and invaluable works of Prof. MSR.Prof. MSR was an institution builder and played a significant role in establishing the first free-standing children’s hospital in Tamil Nadu - The Institute of Child Health and Hospital for Children (ICH) in Egmore, Chennai. To acknowledge his services to this institution, the bust of Prof. MS Ramakrishnan was presented to ICH at the event.
About Prof. MS Ramakrishnan:
Prof. MS Ramakrishnan, fondly called as Prof. MSR by his colleagues and students, was born in Palayamkottai, Tirunelveli, in Tamil Nadu, India. He started his career as a Lecturer in Pediatric Surgery at Institute of Child Health, Chennai, and subsequently rose to the Prestigious Chair of Professor and Head of Pediatric Surgery at Madras Medical College, and Chief of Pediatric Surgery at the Institute of Child Health and Hospital for Children (ICH). He held the position until his superannuation in the year 1981. He also served as the Superintendent of ICH at Egmore, Chennai. He was one of the founders of Indian Association of Pediatric Surgeons (lAPS) in 1965. He held coveted positions in the academic circle, such as the President of the Association of Surgeons of India (1979), President of IAPS (1973-74) and Vice-President of the Pan Pacific Association of Pediatric Surgeons. He authored several national and international publications and edited the first Indian textbook of Pediatric Surgery. After superannuation in 1981 he was instrumental in starting the CHILDS Trust Hospital at Chennai which is a pediatric super specialty facility. He nurtured this institution, growing it from a rented building to a 50-bed facility, and further to what it is now, a 200-bed comprehensive pediatric super specialty hospital. Prof. MSR was a unique personality, being an excellent academician, astute clinician, vivid researcher, acclaimed teacher, surgeon par excellence and a selfless humanitarian with immense service towards the less privileged and children of the nation.