Bhubaneswar/Puri:
Renowned neurosurgeon Sanatan Rath died at his residence in Cuttack on Tuesday, family sources said. He was 86.
A former president of the Neurological Society of India in 1994, Rath was suffering from old-age related complications for quite some time.
Rath is survived by his wife and three children.
His body was taken from the state capital to Swargadwara in Puri where his son lit the funeral pyre.
Born at Narasinghpur block of Cuttack district in 1934, Rath did his MBBS from SCB Medical College in Cuttack in 1957 and MS (Neurosurgery) from Vellore in 1965.
After completing his Master of Surgery from CMC, Vellore, he joined as an assistant professor of Neurosurgery in SCB Medical College and Hospital and was appointed head of the department in 1970.
Following his retirement as State Director of Medical Education and Training (DMET) in 1994, Rath was director of a private hospital in Bhubaneswar till last year, when he was taken ill.
Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Governor Ganeshi Lal and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik were among those who condoled the demise of the neurosurgeon.
Expressing grief over the neurosurgeon’s death, Pradhan said, Rath was sensitive towards the miseries of the poor and downtrodden.
Conveying his sympathy to the bereaved family, the governor said in his condolence message, “Rath will always be remembered as a pioneer in neurosurgery in the state.”
The chief minister described Rath as a very popular surgeon known for his superb dexterity in treatment of critical neuro patients.
He was an accomplished professor and his immense contribution to health education in Odisha, especially in neurology studies, will always be remembered, Patnaik said.
