Dr V Shanta: The doctor who spent a lifetime fighting the Emperor of all maladies

On Monday, she complained of discomfort and was rushed to Apollo Hospital, where she breathed her last, a staff said.
A crowd surrounds her mortal remains | P Jawahar, Expressss
A crowd surrounds her mortal remains | P Jawahar, Expressss

CHENNAI: Renowned oncologist Dr V Shanta, who helped thousands survive cancer, breathed her last at 3 am, Tuesday. She was 94 years old. Dr Shanta, who was the chairperson of the Cancer Institute, Adyar, was one of the senior-most cancer specialists in India. On Monday, she complained of discomfort and was rushed to Apollo Hospital, where she breathed her last, a staff said.

Dr Shanta, who never married, is survived by her sister Susheela. The siblings lived in rooms built on the terrace of the Cancer Institute’s old building in Gandhi Nagar. It had been her home since 1955. A workaholic, she remained accessible to patients till her last days. Several survivors, who paid respects on Tuesday, recalled with awe her compassion and simplicity.

No patient was ever turned away for the want of money, recalled the staff. She was of the view that even those who could not be treated ought to have relief from pain. Born in Mylapore in 1927 into a distinguished family that includes two Nobel Laureates — CV Raman and C Chandrasekar — she completed her MBBS at the prestigious Madras Medical College in 1949, Diploma in Gynaecology & Obstetrics in 1952 and M.D in Gynaecology and Obstetrics in 1955.

After completing her education, she chose to join the Cancer Institute in 1955 instead of taking up the post of Associate Surgeon at the Women & Children’s Hospital to which she was selected through the Madras Public Service Commission. The rest of her career was dedicated to the cancer treatment. She was awarded the Padma Shri in 1986, Padma Bhushan in 2006, Padma Vibhushan in 2016. She received the Magsaysay Award for Public Service in 2005.

Her healing touch even reached the hearts of doctors

The Cancer Institute, Adyar was established in 1954 by the Women’s Indian Association Cancer Relief Fund, just a year before Dr Shanta joined it. Its founder Dr Muthulakshmi Reddy, the first woman in India to obtain a medical degree, and her son Dr Krishnamurthi became mentors to the young doctor, who joined the institute as a resident medical officer. Dr Shanta would be instrumental in developing the 12-bed ‘cottage hospital’ into a 400-bed comprehensive cancer centre of international repute.

After years of advocacy, she succeeded in persuading the Medical Council of India (MCI) to recognise medical oncology as a specialty. The first super-specialty course in surgical and medical oncology in India was introduced at the Institute in 1984. A world-renowned expert, Dr Shanta was part of the World Health Organization Advisory Committee on Cancer till 2005. She was a member of many ICMR committees and published over 95 papers in national and international journals.

former CM Jayalalithaa felicitating Dr Shanta
former CM Jayalalithaa felicitating Dr Shanta

Oncologist Dr Venkatraman Radhakrishnan, paying tribute to her on Twitter, noted that her achievements included duty exemption for cancer drugs, free travel for cancer patients in trains and buses, making cancer a notifiable disease in Tamil Nadu, and starting the first paediatric oncology unit in the country. Yet, for all her accomplishments she remained humble and accessible, answering calls on her landline herself. While journalists recalled her patience to educate them on the disease, staffers at the Cancer Institute speak with admiration of her dedication to patients.

Before the Covid-19 pandemic hit India, Dr Shanta, who rose at 7.30 am, would attend to patients at the Institute’s outpatient clinic from 8.30 am to 1 pm each day. Her afternoons were dedicated to research and administrative affairs and she would end her day at 10.30 pm. During the pandemic, she was advised to avoid seeing patients but continued working.

In December, she was part of the launch of India’s first Cancer Registry, another of the Institute’s achievements. Ever pragmatic, she had charted out the future growth and administration of the Institute, having spent years training a second-line of doctors and administrators. Determined to ensure high-quality cancer care to the poorest of the poor, Dr Shanta continued raising funds for the Institute till the very end. It was this compassion and commitment, staffers said, that inspired many of them to continue working at the Institute decades after joining.

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com