BHAWANIPATNA: Former chief district medical officer (CDMO) Dr Sushil Chandra Rath, who passed away on Saturday, was given a tearful farewell by the people of Kalahandi. The 72-year-old surgeon and health administrator hailed from Karlapada village of Kalahandi district and was residing in Irrigation Colony in Bhawanipatna. At around 3 pm on Saturday, he complained of uneasiness and was admitted to Bhawanipatna government hospital where he breathed his last.
A popular man of the district, Dr Rath completed his matriculation from Bhawanipatna’s BM High School and MBBS from VSS Medical College, Burla after which he secured a Master’s degree in Surgery. He was Kalahandi CDMO from August 2009 to July 3, 2011. After his retirement, Dr Rath was involved with Rashtriya Bal Surakhya, Regional Diagnosis Centre and worked as an epidemiologist. He is survived by his wife and two sons. Thousands of people from different walks of life mourned his demise and joined the funeral procession on Sunday.