Scientist Parvathi K Basrur, 82, passed away in Canada the other day. The body will be cremated next Saturday with full official honours in Toronto.
Parvathi is the daughter of litterateur and music lover Ukkaran Nambiar of Cheruvathur. She is the elder sister of Nalini Sreedharan, wife of writer C P Sreedharan.
The Canadian government had honoured Parvathi by conferring the country’s highest title, the Order of Canada, on her. She was also the Professor Emeritus of the Gulf University. Parvathi, who landed in Canada in 1955, obtained her PhD from Ontario University. She was the first woman professor in Canada and the first woman member of the Canadian Executive Council.
Parvathi was a recipient of the Nordon Award for Excellence in Teaching and Eminent Teacher Award instituted by the Veterinary Medical Students Association of Canada . Parvathi has to her credit over 200 theses and one textbook. She has also edited five bio-medical books.Parvathi’s husband Vasanth Basrur belongs to Bangalore. He is a cancer specialist in Canada.