OBITUARY

Professor N. Rangabashyam (1933–2013)

Published online: 11 October 2013# Indian Society of Gastroenterology 2013

The end of an era! That is how I can describe the passing awayof Prof. N. Rangabashyam, a passionate teacher, exceptionalhuman being, and a versatile surgeon of international repute.This legendary surgeon, who headed the Department of Sur-gical Gastroenterology at Madras Medical College, broughtlaurels to the department and to the country by his sheer hardwork and dedication to the profession.

Prof. Natesan Rangabashyam was born on 5 November1933 to Dr. Natesan and Mrs. Vittobaiammal. He graduatedfrom Madras Medical College and then obtained his fellow-ship from the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.

Prof. N. R., as he was fondly referred to by his colleaguesand students, joined Madras Medical College as Professor ofSurgery after short stints at Thanjavur Medical College,Thanjavur, and Stanley Medical College, Chennai. Being apioneer, he had the vision and wisdom to carve out theDepartment of Surgical Gastroenterology in 1974. He wasinstrumental in starting in 1985 the MCh super-specialtycourse in surgical gastroenterology, the first of its kind in thecountry.

Many talented and experienced surgeons from all over thecountry trained with him and stepped out to become great GIsurgeons across India. Each of us was humbled by his prowessof surgical skills, clinical acumen, and academic excellence.The charisma and intelligence of one man was instrumental inchanging the life of everyone who was blessed to know him.The legacy of this man continues to blossom in the hands ofhis trainees. That is indeed the greatest tribute to this noblesurgeon. And, I am sure he would be happy to be rememberedas such.

It was in ward no. 10 of the Government General Hospital,Chennai, that I had the opportunity to admire and adore thisgreat man who, by his majestic, captivating, and indomitablestyle of work, stole the hearts of one and all. He was aphenomenon by himself. A strict disciplinarian and dedicatedsurgeon himself, he inculcated the same qualities in everyone.He devoted his time and effort in providing the best to hispatients, day in and day out. It was this devotion to hisprofession which took him to greater heights.

He, along with the doyen in gastroenterology, Prof. N.Madanagopalan, took the department to model departmentsof excellence. Together, they showed how the departmentscould cooperate and grow. The concept of “Medico-SurgicalSynthesis” had its meaning in their work that immenselybenefited his fellow members. No one can forget theinterdepartmental meetings, especially the GI radiology week-ly meets. Several distinguished surgical friends of him fromall over the globe visited and performed surgery in the unit andhis students had the singular opportunity to be trained andlearn from them.

Prof. Rangabashyam’s passion for surgery and interest inproviding the latest treatment to his patients enabled his stu-dents to have access to endoscopy, stapler and laparoscopicprocedures, etc. much earlier than many others. Newer surgi-cal techniques and innovations were part of his day-to-dayactivities that enthralled everyone. A committed and passion-ate surgeon, Prof. N. R. had the ability to make split-seconddecisions. His focused, distraction-free processing mind; hiswillingness to adopt new ideas and techniques; his diligenceand dexterity in execution; and his consistency, clarity, andattention to even the minutest details even at adverse timeshelped him to achieve the impossible.

In recognition of his abilities, Prof. N. R. was awarded thefellowship of the Royal College of Physicians, Royal Collegeof Surgeons of England, Association of Surgeons of GreatBritain and Ireland, Distinguished Surgeons Society of JamesIV Association, Academy of Medical Sciences of India andSingapore, and many more.

Coveted recognitions adorned Prof. N. R. for his tirelessand selfless service to mankind as well as in recognition of histrue leadership qualities: the Padma Bhushan awarded by thePresident of India, the Dr. B. C. Roy Award twice, (EminentMedical Person and Oration award) D.Sc. (Hon. causa) andthe Lifetime Achiever’s award by the Tamil Nadu Dr. MGRMedical University, Wall of Honour by the Royal Society ofMedicine (Edinburgh), Living Legend Award from the Gov-ernor of Tamil Nadu and from the Chief Minister of TamilNadu, to name a few.

Indian J Gastroenterol (November–December 2013) 32(6):353–354DOI 10.1007/s12664-013-0414-2

Prof. N. R. had innumerable feathers in his cap, which weare all proud of and consider worthy of emulation. He wasPresident of the Indian Society of Gastroenterology in 1983.He also presided over the Association of Surgeons of India(ASI), the Indian chapter of the International Hepatobiliaryand Pancreatic Association, and the Ostomy Association ofIndia. He was a Fellow and member of several national andinternational societies. His association with the ASI, of whichhe was initially Honorary Secretary and later President, isnoteworthy, and the colossal auditorium built in the headquar-ters of the ASI stands tall as an edifice to this great soul. Manyprofessional societies honored him by awarding guest lec-tures, gold medals, and orations in his name. His achieve-ments will not only inspire and edify the younger generationbut also guide and nurture every Indian surgeon.

It was probably the love, affection, and reverence that hispatients and students showered on him more than theseawards that enthralled him immensely.

Prof. N. R. not only loved his patients and fellow beings butalso had immense love for animals. His pets include differentbreeds of dogs, cats, birds, a pony, a donkey, etc. They took pridein going for awalkwith this sports lover and sharing his triumph.

His love for sculptures and other fine arts can be cherishedif only one visited his house and garden, and one wonderswhether this only gave him the strength and wisdom to beginhis day’s work in a serene, peaceful atmosphere.

He loved to travel and has put his stamp in national andinternational scientific meets. Not only that, he encouraged hisstudents to exhibit their work in academic forums. Evenamidst his travels, he would be thinking about his work andwould go straight to the operation theater from the airport.

Greatness comes in respecting the teachers and colleagues,and he, being an embodiment of this virtue, was respected andadored by all.

Prof. Rangabashyamwas happilymarried toMrs. Chitra whohas been his great source of inspiration and who stood solidlybehind his every success. His love for her knows no bounds, andthey were made for each other indeed. His loving children, OmPrakash and Mahalakshmi, chose to become doctors and areexcelling in their respective fields.

He kept things in the right perspective, enjoying everythingthat he did. He had a sense of attention to basics. He finelybalanced his personal and professional life. He remained pos-itive throughout his life. Success only humbled him more and

more. He molded himself mentally and physically to acceptchallenges and to succeed. To emulate such a great soul is animpossible task indeed.

As I drove along the Marina beach after a last glimpse of hissmiling face still facing the flame, and as the statues of greatMahatma and Chevalier Sivaji Ganesan stood in the eveningdrizzle, I could visualize those great sons of our soil welcominghim to their fold, proudly. His devotion to his patients and workwill no doubt be inscribed in the history of medicine.

His achievements stand unsurpassed and are likely to bethat way for ages to come. Although the passing away of Prof.Rangabashyam marks the end of an era, the RangabashyamPhenomenon will continue and will be cherished by all hisstudents and his close associates. No doubt, his achievementswill inspire generations to come. History will fondly speak ofthis great man, and the younger generation will continue toadore him. I have been fortunate to have been born in the erawhere he lived as a giant amongst surgeons.

A. Rathnaswami (*)Department of Surgical Gastroenterology, SRM Medical CollegeHospital and Research Centre, Kattankulathur, Chennai, Indiae-mail: arunarathna@gmail.com

354 Indian J Gastroenterol (November–December 2013) 32(6):353–354