Prem Nath Wahi (1908–1991) was an Indian pathologist, writer, medical academic and the director general of the Indian Council of Medical Research. He was a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of London, a founder fellow of the

National Academy of Medical Sciences National Academy of Medical Sciences (India), better known by its acronym, NAMS, is a nodal agency under the Government of India, which acts as an advisory body to the Government in matters related to National Health Policy and Planning and as a ...

and a recipient of

Dr. B. C. Roy Award The Bidhan Chandra Roy Award was instituted in 1962 in memory of Dr. B. C. Roy by the Medical Council of India. It is presented by the President of India in New Delhi every year on July 1, National Doctors' Day. It is also the highest honour tha ...

and the Padma Bhushan.

Biography

Born on 10 April 1908 at

Moradabad Moradabad () is a city, commissionary and municipal corporation in Moradabad district of Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Moradabad is situated on the banks of the Ramganga river, at a distance of from the national capital, New Delhi and 344 ...

Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh (; , 'Northern Province') is a state in northern India. With over 200 million inhabitants, it is the most populated state in India as well as the most populous country subdivision in the world. It was established in 1950 ...

, Wahi did his schooling at the local schools and secured his graduate degree in medicine from

King George Medical College King George's Medical University is a medical school, hospital, and medical university located in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India. The medical school was raised to a medical university by an act passed by the government of Uttar Pradesh on 16 S ...

in 1932. His advanced studies in pathology was at

Sarojini Naidu Medical College Sarojini Naidu Medical College (SNMC), is one of the oldest medical schools of India. It is located in Agra, Uttar Pradesh state. It is named after the first lady Governess of Uttar Pradesh, poet and freedom fighter, Bharat Kokila Smt. Sarojini N ...

where he started his career as a member of faculty in 1935 and rose to position of the professor and the head of the department of pathology in 1941. In 1960, he became the principal of the college and worked there till his superannuation in 1968, to be appointed as the vice chancellor of Agra University. A year later, he took up the position of the director general of the Indian Council of Medical Research. After retiring from ICMR in 1974, he worked at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital as a consultant pathologist till 1984. He wrote over 300 medical articles and books, including ''Histological Typing of Oral and Oropharyngeal Tumours'', a book written for the

World Health Organization The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. The WHO Constitution states its main objective as "the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of h ...

, and has mentored several research scholars in their doctoral studies. The Government of India awarded him the third highest civilian honour of the Padma Bhushan, in 1970, for his contributions to medicine. He received the Platinum Jubilee Award of the Indian Medical Association in 1974 and a decade later, the

Medical Council of India The Medical Council of India (MCI) was a statutory body for establishing uniform and high standards of medical education in India until its dissolution on 25 September 2020 when it was replaced by National Medical Commission. The Council grante ...

honoured him with

, the highest Indian medical award, in 1984. He was a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of London and a founder fellow of the

. Wahi, who was married to Krishan Kumari, died on 8 July 1991, survived by their son and three daughters. The Indian Council of Medical Research has since instituted an annual award, ''Dr. Prem Nath Wahi Award'', to recognize excellence in the fields of cytology and preventive oncology, in honour of its former director general. The Indian Academy of Cytologists conducts an annual oration under the name, ''Dr P. N. Wahi Academy Oration''.

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* {{DEFAULTSORT:Wahi, Prem Nath Recipients of the Padma Bhushan in civil service 1908 births 1991 deaths People from Moradabad district Medical doctors from Uttar Pradesh Indian Council of Medical Research Fellows of the Royal College of Physicians Dr. B. C. Roy Award winners Indian pathologists Indian medical academics Indian medical writers Heads of universities and colleges in India World Health Organization Fellows of the National Academy of Medical Sciences 20th-century Indian medical doctors People from Moradabad King George's Medical University alumni University of Lucknow alumni

Biography

See also

References

External links