SHIVAMOGGA: Chairman of Karnataka State Mental Health Task force and recipient of prestigious Dr BC Roy awardee, noted psychiatrist Dr K A Ashok Pai passed away in Dublin, on Sept 29 night.
He was 69 and is survived by his wife Dr Rajani Pai, daughter Dr Preethi Pai and son in-law Dr Vaman Shanbhag.
Dr Ashok Pai is a well-known name in the field of mental health. With an obsession to serve the community, he started his profession in Shivamogga city.
He was a versatile personality who was always looking for novelty and made significant contributions to society. He was a writer and also a film maker. His first movie ‘Kadina Benki’ produced under the banner of Manasa Arts won the national award in 1988-89.
Dr Pai, son of late Kateel Appu Pai and Vinodini Pai, was born on December 30, 1946. He had his earlier education in Shivamogga before doingMBBS at Jawaharlal Nehru Medical college, Belagavi.
Later, he did his post-graduation in psychiatry from NIMHANS, Bengaluru and fellowship and diploma in Behavioural Medicine, Counselling and Psychotherapy from International Academy of Behavioural Medicine, Dallas, USA.
He joined government service at McGann Hospital in Shivamogga before establishing a hospital ‘Manasa’ for the mentally ill, in 1979. He was a pioneer in taking mental health through various programmes from Manasa in Malnad region.
He became the chairman of the task force and ensured mental health programmes reached people across the state, besides medical treatment. “There is a dearth of psychiatrists in the state as well as in the entire country. So, there is a dire need for the mentally ill to get proper and timely medical help along with counselling. Aim of the task force is to ensure such medical help for the needy,” was the opinion of Dr Ashok Pai.