Former PGI director I C Pathak dies at 97

Times News NetworkChandigarh: Dr Iqbal Chand Pathak, former director, PGI, Prof Emeritus and chairman of department of paediatric surgery, passed away at 97 on Tuesday. Dr Pathak was born in a small village of Punjab on April 7, 1925. After his graduation from Government Medical College, Amritsar, he received specialised training in paediatric surgery from the Hospital for Sick Children, Great Ormond Street, London. He joined PGI as assistant professor in surgery in 1962. Subsequently, he established an independent paediatric surgery department in June 1968, one of the earliest in Northwest India.Dr Pathak was appointed PGI director in 1981, a post he held till his retirement in 1985. He was honorary surgeon to the President of India from 1983 to 1985. He received Senior Commonwealth Fellowship, England and Fellowship of National Academy of Medical Sciences in 1975. He was the recipient of many awards, honours, orations as well as fellowships. He continued to receive accolades well after his retirement, including the R K Gandhi gold medal in 2006.He was president of the Association of Pediatric Surgeons of India from 1977 to 1978 and was elected chairman and managing trustee of the TTV Chuttani Charitable trust in 1996. Even at the age of 97, he continued to work happily from nine to two, six days a week looking after the trust and its hospital and providing consultation to patients. He was a music lover and an avid collector of vocal and instrumental albums. He is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, who are also successful medical professionals. A condolence meeting was held in PGI in his memory on Tuesday.