Sivaramakrishna Iyer Padmavati (20 June 191729 August 2020) was an Indian
cardiologist
Cardiology () is a branch of medicine that deals with disorders of the heart and the cardiovascular system. The field includes medical diagnosis and treatment of congenital heart defects, coronary artery disease, heart failure, valvular hear ...
. She was director of the National Heart Institute, Delhi, and the founder president of the All India Heart Foundation. The institute collaborates with 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 ...
(WHO) in training students in preventive cardiology. Padmavati was awarded India's second highest civilian honour, the
Padma Vibhushan
The Padma Vibhushan ("Lotus Decoration") is the second-highest Indian honours system, civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is given for "exceptional and distinguished service" ...
in 1992.
Padmavati, an elected 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 ...
,
was the first woman cardiologist in India and established the first cardiac clinic and cardiac catheter lab in India.
Early life and education
Padmavati was born to a barrister in Burma (Myanmar) on 20 June 1917. She had three brothers and two sisters.
She received a
MBBS
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery ( la, Medicinae Baccalaureus, Baccalaureus Chirurgiae; abbreviated most commonly MBBS), is the primary medical degree awarded by medical schools in countries that follow the tradition of the United King ...
degree from Rangoon Medical College,
Rangoon
Yangon ( my, ရန်ကုန်; ; ), formerly spelled as Rangoon, is the capital of the Yangon Region and the largest city of Myanmar (also known as Burma). Yangon served as the capital of Myanmar until 2006, when the military government ...
and later moved to London in 1949, where she received a
FRCP from
Royal College of Physicians
The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) is a British professional membership body dedicated to improving the practice of medicine, chiefly through the accreditation of physicians by examination. Founded by royal charter from King Henry VIII in 1 ...
, followed by
FRCPE
The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (RCPE) is a medical royal college in Scotland. It is one of three organisations that sets the specialty training standards for physicians in the United Kingdom. It was established by Royal charter ...
from
Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (RCPE) is a medical royal college in Scotland. It is one of three organisations that sets the specialty training standards for physicians in the United Kingdom. It was established by Royal charter ...
. In her time in the United Kingdom, she worked at the National Heart Hospital, National Chest Hospital, and the
National Hospital,
Queen Square, London
Queen Square is a garden square in the Bloomsbury district of central London. Many of its buildings are associated with medicine, particularly neurology.
Construction
Queen Square was originally constructed between 1716 and 1725. It was forme ...
.
Subsequently, after finishing her FRCP, she moved to
Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
for three months, where she took cardiology courses at the Southern Hospital. Meanwhile, she applied for fellowship at the
Johns Hopkins Hospital
The Johns Hopkins Hospital (JHH) is the teaching hospital and biomedical research facility of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, located in Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. It was founded in 1889 using money from a bequest of over $7 million (1873 mo ...
, Baltimore, part of
Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University (Johns Hopkins, Hopkins, or JHU) is a private university, private research university in Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1876, Johns Hopkins is the oldest research university in the United States and in the western hem ...
, and was selected, and went on to study with noted cardiologist
Helen Taussig
Helen Brooke Taussig (May 24, 1898 – May 20, 1986) was an American cardiologist, working in Baltimore and Boston, who founded the field of pediatric cardiology. She is credited with developing the concept for a procedure that would extend the l ...
. In 1952, she joined
Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School (HMS) is the graduate medical school of Harvard University and is located in the Longwood Medical Area of Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1782, HMS is one of the oldest medical schools in the United States and is consi ...
(Harvard University), where she studied under
Paul Dudley White
Paul Dudley White (June 6, 1886 – October 31, 1973), was an American physician and cardiologist. He was considered one of the leading cardiologists of his day, and a prominent advocate of preventive medicine.
Early life and education
White wa ...
, a pioneer in modern cardiology.
Career
Back in India, she started her career in 1953, as a lecturer at
Lady Hardinge Medical College
, mottoeng = Through Adversity to Stars
, established = 1916
, founder = Charles Hardinge, 1st Baron Hardinge of Penshurst
, director =
, faculty =
, students =
, undergrad = 240
, postgrad ...
, Delhi, where she opened a cardiology clinic. In 1954, she was among the first few women cardiologists in India, later as an examiner with
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 ...
she started the first
DM in cardiology in India.
She founded the All India Heart Foundation (AIHF) in 1962, with group of physicians and industrialist Ashok Jain of Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd.
She joined
Maulana Azad Medical College
Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC) is a medical college in New Delhi, India affiliated to University of Delhi and run by the Delhi government. It is named after Indian freedom fighter and first education minister of independent India Maulana ...
, Delhi in 1967, and was awarded the
Padma Bhushan
The Padma Bhushan is the third-highest civilian award in the Republic of India, preceded by the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan and followed by the Padma Shri. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is given for "distinguished service ...
, by
Government of India
The Government of India (ISO: ; often abbreviated as GoI), known as the Union Government or Central Government but often simply as the Centre, is the national government of the Republic of India, a federal democracy located in South Asia, c ...
in the same year. She established one of the first departments of
cardiology
Cardiology () is a branch of medicine that deals with disorders of the heart and the cardiovascular system. The field includes medical diagnosis and treatment of congenital heart defects, coronary artery disease, heart failure, valvular heart d ...
, at the G. B. Pant Hospital, which is within the college campus. She was the Secretary General of the 5th
World Congress of Cardiology
The World Heart Federation (WHF) is a non-governmental organization based in Geneva, Switzerland, formed in 1972. The current President for World Heart Federation is Fausto Pinto.
In 1978 the International Society of Cardiology merged with the Int ...
, New Delhi in 1966.
During the 1970s, she was the chief administrator of 3 major institutions at the same time -
Maulana Azad Medical College
Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC) is a medical college in New Delhi, India affiliated to University of Delhi and run by the Delhi government. It is named after Indian freedom fighter and first education minister of independent India Maulana ...
, Lok Nayak Hospital and G.B.Pant hospital. She retired as the Director (Principal) of the Maulana Azad Medical college, in 1978.
Post retirement, she set up the National Heart Institute (NHI) under AIHF, in
South Delhi
South Delhi is an administrative district of the National Capital Territory of Delhi in India with its headquarters in Saket. Administratively, the district is divided into three subdivisions, Saket, Hauz Khas, and Mehrauli. It is bounded by t ...
, in 1981, which expanded in following years to include tertiary patient care, research and population outreach, and where she continued to work.
She was also an
Emeritus Professor
''Emeritus'' (; female: ''emerita'') is an adjective used to designate a retired chair, professor, pastor, bishop, pope, director, president, prime minister, rabbi, emperor, or other person who has been "permitted to retain as an honorary title ...
of Medicine and Cardiology of the
University of Delhi
Delhi University (DU), formally the University of Delhi, is a collegiate central university located in New Delhi, India. It was founded in 1922 by an Act of the Central Legislative Assembly and is recognized as an Institute of Eminence (IoE) ...
.
Padmavati became a fellow of the
European Society of Cardiology
The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) is an independent non-profit, non-governmental professional association that works to advance the prevention, diagnosis and management of diseases of the heart and blood vessels, and improve scientific un ...
, in 2007, at the age of 90, making her the most senior fellow of the ESC.
Awards and honors
State honors:
*
Padma Bhushan
The Padma Bhushan is the third-highest civilian award in the Republic of India, preceded by the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan and followed by the Padma Shri. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is given for "distinguished service ...
, India's third highest civilian honor (1967)
*
Padma Vibhushan
The Padma Vibhushan ("Lotus Decoration") is the second-highest Indian honours system, civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is given for "exceptional and distinguished service" ...
, India's second highest civilian honor (1992)
Death
On 29 August 2020, Padmavati died from complications due to
COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei, identified in Wuhan, China, in December ...
during the
COVID-19 pandemic in India
The COVID-19 pandemic in India is a part of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 () caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (). As of , according to Indian government figures, India has the second-highest n ...
at the National Heart Institute in New Delhi.
She was aged 103 at the time of her death, and was the oldest living doctor in India. Her body was cremated at a special COVID-19 crematorium at Punjabi Bagh in New Delhi.
References
External links
National Heart Institute, website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Padmavati, S. I.
1917 births
2020 deaths
20th-century Indian educational theorists
20th-century Indian medical doctors
20th-century Indian women scientists
Fellows of the National Academy of Medical Sciences
Harvard Medical School alumni
Indian cardiologists
Indian medical academics
Indian medical administrators
Indian women educational theorists
Indian women medical doctors
Johns Hopkins University alumni
Recipients of the Padma Bhushan in medicine
Recipients of the Padma Vibhushan in medicine
Scientists from Delhi
Women scientists from Delhi
Women academic administrators
Medical doctors from Delhi
Women educators from Delhi
20th-century American women physicians
20th-century American physicians
Women centenarians
Indian centenarians
Deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in India
20th-century women educators