A trailblazer heart surgeon who performed India’s first coronary artery bypass, Dr KM Cherian died, aged 82, on Saturday in Bengaluru.
His daughter told The New Indian Express that he collapsed at a wedding in Bengaluru. He was immediately rushed to a hospital but could not survive and died on the way. For cremation purposes, his mortal remains were brought to Chennai on Sunday.
His funeral will take place on February 1 at Kilpauk cemetery. Prior to that, the body will be kept at Frontier Lifeline Hospital on January 31 for the public to pay their respects.
Who was Dr KM Cherian?
Dr. Cherian, founder of Frontier Lifeline Hospital and Dr. Cherian Heart Foundation, was a renowned cardiologist who received the Padma Shri award in 1991. He made history by performing India’s first successful coronary artery bypass surgery in 1975 at Chennai’s Southern Railway Headquarters Hospital.
Notably, Dr. Cherian’s pioneering coronary artery bypass surgery in 1975 was accomplished without modern equipment like specialized needle holders, forceps, headlights, or backup generators. He also achieved other milestones, including India’s first heart-lung transplant and first pediatric heart transplant.
In their messages of condolence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Dr. Cherian one of the country’s most distinguished doctors, while Chief Minister M K Stalin highlighted his “groundbreaking work” that saved countless lives.
Born in 1942 in Alappuzha, Kerala, Dr. Cherian completed his MBBS in 1964 and his MS in 1970 at Kasturba Medical College in Mangalore. He began his career as a surgery lecturer at the Christian Medical College in Vellore.
Dr. Sunil Shroff, Managing Trustee of the MOHAN Foundation, remembered his collaboration with the esteemed surgeon, noting that Cherian played a key role in making Tamil Nadu a leader in heart transplants in India. “I first met him in 1999 when we launched the organ sharing network in Tamil Nadu,” he said.
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Dr KM Cherian, pioneer in artery bypass and heart-lung transplant, dies at 82
