Popular cardiologist Dr M S Valiathan passes away

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: World famous cardiologist Dr M S Valiathan passed away at Manipal Hospital Wednesday night. He was 90. He was the first director of Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute of Medical Sciences. He was awarded the Padma Vibushan in 2005 for his contributions to health technology in India.

Marthanda Varma Sankaran Valiathan (M S Valiathan) was born to Marthanda Varma of Mavelikkara royal family and Janaki Amma on May 24 in 1934. He was the first vice chancellor of Manipal University. After studying in University College in Trivandrum, he took his MBBS degree from Thiruvananthapuram Medical College. He took his Masters (MS) from University of Liverpool in Liverpool, England.

Along with allopathy, he studied ayurveda also. He had worked in Post Graduate Institute in Chandigarh. He started working a part of Sree Chitra Thirunal Institute in 1974. It was under his leadership, the country's first artificial heart valve, blood bag, oxygenator, etc. were manufactured in the biomedical department of Sree Chitra.

While allopathic doctors and Ayurvedic doctors are often at odds, efforts have been made to find merit in both. A combination of Ayurveda and Allopathy has put forward many suggestions that can be carried forward. Efforts were made to start the Kozhikode Kerala School of Mathematics and unify various institutions under the State Science and Technology Council. He was the Chairman of the Indian Academy of Sciences.