Renowned Orthopaedic Surgeon and Doyen in our Country. Uncrowned Emperor in Orthopaedics for two decades from 1960 to 1980.
Prof. TKS (as he was more popularly known amidst his orthopedic peers worldwide) was born on 8th August 1929 to an illustrious family as one of seven children.
He obtained his MBBS degree from Stanley Medical College in 1953 and subsequently got an MS in 1957, FRCS (Edinburgh and England) both in 1962, and the MCh (Orth) in Liverpool in 1963.
After his training in the UK, he played a considerable and significant role in the development of the orthopedic specialty in South India, first heading the department in Stanley Medical College, and then later, as Professor and Head of the Department in Madras Medical College from 1976 to 1981.
He was also the Director of the Government Institute of Rehabilitation and Artificial Limb Centre (1979–1983), the principal investigator and project director of the famous Madras study of tuberculosis of the spine (a collaborative project of ICMR, India and MRC, Great Britain) (1976–1987), and the principal investigator and Project Director of PL.480 Paraplegia project and ICMR Paraplegia Project (1979–1987).
He was the postgraduate examiner for over 20 universities, for the National Board of Examinations in India and abroad. His authority in the field made him a popular guest speaker and orator who was invited for many prestigious orations, both nationally and internationally.
He also had the distinction of being the President of the Tamil Nadu Orthopedic Association for three years (1973–1976); President of the Indian Orthopedic Association (1982); President-World Orthopedic Concern (1996–99), Chairman-Coordinator, International Bone and Joint Tuberculosis Club, and Chairman and Vice-President, Indian Red Cross Society, Tamil Nadu.
In 1998, he was honoured with a ‘Honorary’ Doctor of Science degree by The Tamil Nadu Dr. M. G. R. Medical University.
Prof. TKS was most respected for being an excellent teacher and a beacon of ethical practice. In his long tenure as an orthopedic teacher for over 30 years, he taught over 4000 undergraduate medical students and 150 postgraduate students.
Prof. TKS was a torch bearer of academics and research. His clinical research on bone and joint tuberculosis, spinal injury care, bone tumors, and post-injection fibrosis of skeletal muscles were presented in over 80 national and international conferences and published in nearly 80 papers in national and international journals.