Few senior medical staff retired during the current year after many years of meritorious services to CMC.
Dr. Dilip Mathai.
After over 35 years of distinguished service to the institution, Dr. Mathai. Professor of Medicine retired on April 17, 2012. He is an alumnus of the MBBS batch of 1969 and MD (General Medicine) batch of 1978. Dr. Mathai joined the Department of Medicine in 1981, and went on to head various departments of medicine.
Dr. Mathai trained in infectious diseases (ID) and medical microbiology at the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Sciences, Los Angeles, California (1987-88) and at the College of Medicine, University of Iowa (1998 to 2000). He has been awarded several fellowships, including the prestigious Fellow of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (FIDSA) in 2003 and Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (FRCP) in 2010. He was awarded PhD in 2009.
It was under his astute leadership that the growth and development of the Infectious Diseases division took place within Medicine Unit I. The Infectious Diseases Training and Research Centre (IDTRC) and the Benjamin M. Pulimood Laboratory for Infection, Immunity and Inflammation (BMPLIII) were established.
Dr. P.N. Viswanathan
Dr. P.N. Viswanathan, Professor of Radiotherapy retired on April 23, 2012 after 20 years of service to the institution. He is an alumnus of the MBBS batch of 1970 and MD (Radiotherapy) batch of 1976.
Dr. Viswanathan joined the Department of Radiotherapy in 1981. From 1984 to 1993, he worked in various institutions in India and abroad. He rejoined the Departmentof Radiotherapy in 1993, superannuating as Professor and Head of the Radiotherapy Unit-I. Between 2002 and 2004, Dr. Viswanathan was on sabbatical to various radiation oncology centres in the United Kingdom.
Recognizing the need to help patients from CMC’s community hospitals, it was Dr. Viswanathan’s initiative to start a peripheral cancer clinic in RUHSA. Doctors from the Department of Radiotherapy Unit -I conduct a monthly cancer clinic there.
Dr. Viswanathan also recognized the need to have a peripheral clinic in North Eastern India, from where a substantial number of patients seek cancer treatment in CMC. A cancer clinic is conducted in the Gordon Roberts Hospital, Shillong.
In the field of Brachytherapy, his attention to detail and technique, along with his great skill in the various procedures, made him a leading teacher of the speciality and most of the post graduates owe him a great debt for learning the skills.
Dr. Inbam Indrasingh
Dr. Inbam Indrasingh, Professor of Anatomy retired on May 1, 2012 after 30 years of dedicated service to the institution. Dr. Inbam completed her M.Sc. in Anatomy from CMC in 1977. She rejoined CMC in 1982 and ever since has been on the faculty of the institution.
In 1998, Dr. Inbam obtained her doctorate after extensive research on Langerhans cells in the human tonsil. During her tenure, she went on sabbatical leave to the Asian Institute of Medicine, Science and Technology (AIMST), Malaysia from 2002 to 2004 and later to the Oman Medical College, Sultanate of Oman from 2007 to 2009.
She was an excellent teacher and her areas of expertise were Head and Neck and Histology. Many of her dissections, which showcase her meticulous skill, find a permanent place in the Museum in the Department of Anatomy as well as in AIMST, Malaysia.
Dr. Inbam also contributed to the development of the Department. Her persistent efforts helped in acquiring several equipment, including an Olympus BX43 microscope.
Dr. Mary Somini Mathews
Dr. Mary Somini Mathews, Professor and Head, Department of Microbiology retired on May 7, 2012 after 37 years of dedicated service to the institution.
Dr. Mathews completed her undergraduate medical studies from the Armed Forces Medical College, Pune in 1975 and joined Christian Medical College, Vellore for her internship. She completed her M.D. at vellore.
She was also trained at the National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases, Kolkata and honed her skills at Electron Microscopy and Immune electron Microscopy at the Virus Unit, Queen Mary’s Hospital, Hong Kong. Her study leave period, between 1986 and 1989, was spent in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Adelaide, Australia.
Although her knowledge of all aspects of Microbiology was immense, she found her niche in the study of fungi causing infection, and Mycology became her field of speciality and expertise. She has been President of the Society for Indian Human and Animal Mycology from 2006 -2008 and a member of the International Society of Human and Animal Mycology.
The teaching and training of nurses was something Dr. Mathews was very passionate about. In 2010, she edited a text book of Microbiology for Nurses in India and this is now the standard of reference for teaching nurses.
Dr. Prabhakar D. Moses
Dr. Prabhakar D. Moses, Professor of Paediatrics retired on May 9, 2012 after over 30 years of committed service to the institution. Dr. Moses is an alumnus of the MBBS batch of 1969 and MD (Paediatrics) batch of 1978. He joined the Department of Child Health as faculty in 1981. After a short stint in the UK, he rejoined the Department in 1990. He was Head of the Department of Child Health from 2001 to 2005.
As Head of the Department of Child Health, Dr. Moses initiated several new ventures within the Department, most notably the establishment of the Paediatric Casualty Dr. Moses has held several administrative positions in the institution. He was Additional Deputy Medical Superintendent and Associate Medical Superintendent.
Dr. Prasanna Jebaraj
Dr. Prasanna Jebaraj, Professor of Psychiatry retired on June 09, 2012 after 14 years of service to the institution. She joined CMC to do her Diploma in Psychological Medicine in 1982 and DNB (Psychiatry) in 1995.
Dr. Prasanna joined the Department of Psychiatry (Unit-II) as faculty in 1997. She had the opportunity to work in Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Adelaide, Australia as a Senior Resident in 2000.
Friends in Australia would remember Prasanna and her husband Dr. Isaac Jebaraj who visited us two years ago as the Vellore visitors for the AGM of the Board in Melbourne and went around meeting the Friends of Vellore in various states.
Dr. Prasanna is a firm supporter of outreach to mission hospitals, as evident from the many years of service she has given to these hospitals. In 2008, she and her husband, Dr. Isaac Jebaraj, took their sabbatical leave, offering their services to the EHA Christian Hospital at Uttar Pradesh.
As a Psychiatrist, Dr. Prasanna took a special interest in treating the economically disadvantaged, and was responsible for the ward offering concessional care to the needy.
She was also involved in weekly consultation services in the Low Cost Effective Care Unit, and later provided services to the Vellore Life Centre, a Christian NGO offering subsidized closed facility services to people with alcohol dependence.
A devout Christian, Dr. Prasanna went on a six week Senior Training Fellowship to Duke University, and trained under Professor Wilson, head of the ‘Life Way Mental Health Associates Clinic’ and an expert in the field of Christian Psychotherapy. On her return to CMC, she used these techniques in her clinical work and encouraged students to address issues of spiritual needs in patients.
Her husband, Dr. Isaac Jebaraj, is a CMC alumnus of the batch of 1969, and retired as Professor, Department of Orthopaedics. Currently, he heads the Department of Accident and Emergency Medicine.