A Tamil Brahmin Indian girl the world and the people of India forgot. Every English-speaking Jesuit-educated Indian knows Florence Nightingale's story, but history has no record of Padmavathi Iyer.
When women were traditionally confined to the kitchen/illiterate: In 1917, a Tamil Indian girl was born into a middle-class family in Rangoon, Burma, where her father had gone for a living. He named her Sivaramakrishna Iyer Padmavathi. At a time when women were traditionally confined to the kitchen/illiterate, this middle-class girl did MBBS from Rangoon Medical College.
Then unimaginable for a Female Indian doctor: When the Japanese invaded Burma, they briefly returned to their traditional home in Coimbatore. In 1949, she went to London to do an FRCP, then unimaginable for a Female Indian doctor. She was selected to study further at Johns Hopkins University, US, where she trained under the legendary cardiologist Helen Taussig.
Firm in returning to India and serving Indians: Thereafter, she moved to Harvard University, where she trained under the Father of Cardiology- Paul Dudley White. When a glorious cardiology career awaited her in the US, she was firm in returning to India and serving Indians.
Started India's first Cathlab & exclusive Cardiac Clinic: She joined Lady Hardinge Medical College in 1953, to become India's First Lady Cardiologist. S.I.Padmavathi started India's first Cathlab & exclusive Cardiac Clinic. Started India's first DM Cardiology course.
A cardiologist & administrator of 3 great colleges at the same time: She founded the All India Heart Foundation (AIHF) in 1962, to serve the poor and needy. She joined Maulana Azad Medical College in 1967, by which time her fame had spread. The Indian Govt under Indira Gandhi honoured her with the Padma Bhushan, that year. She was the cardiologist & administrator of 3 great colleges at the same time- MAMC, G.B.Pant Hospital & Lok Nayak Hospital. She retired as Director, of MAMC in 1978.
Till age 95, (the year 2015), Padmavathi worked 12 hours a day: She set up the National Heart Institute (NIH) in 1981, in Delhi. At age 90, Padmavathi became a fellow of The European Society of Cardiology in 2007. Till age 95, (the year 2015), Padmavathi worked 12 hours a day, five days a week, to serve poor and needy Indians, with state-of-the-art Cardiac Care.
Finally giving away all her wealth to her fellow citizens: Imagine the steely resolve, vision, brilliance and sheer determination of this iron- lady to shatter the glass ceiling in achieving all these, serving poor Indians with quality cardiac care, and finally giving away all her wealth to her fellow citizens. Here is an inspiring story of the first female cardiologist of India
Inputs Courtesy: Anonymous
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