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Indian Journal of Plastic Surgery
Medknow Publications on behalf of Indian Journal of Plastic Surgery
ISSN: 0970-0358 EISSN: 1998-376x
Vol. 39, Num. 1, 2006, pp. 113-113
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Indian Journal of Plastic Surgery, Vol. 39, No. 1, January-June, 2006, pp. 113
Obituary
Obituary
Goleria KuldipSingh
201, Doctor House, Dr. Gopalrao Deshmukh Marg, Mumbai - 400 026
Correspondence Address:201, Doctor House, Dr. Gopalrao Deshmukh Marg,
Mumbai - 400 026, drksg@bom4.vsnl.net.in
Code Number: pl06030
In the death of Dr. Anant Puranik we have lost a dedicated Plastic Surgeon and a noble human being who was humble to a fault. His character, dedication and humility are vividly brought out by his welcome words, when Prof. Dr. Udyan H. Vyas joined him as a first year resident in 1968. Welcoming him he said, "Put your degree and medal in your pocket and start working with rolled up sleeves".
His plastic surgery career spanned what in those days was the Bombay
Presidency. He was born in the Haveri district, now in the state of Karnataka
and had a distinguished pre-medical career. He graduated in medicine
in 1955 from the Bombay University with distinction in forensic and preventive
medicine. He had his Masters degree in surgery in 1961. With the opening
of the Department of Plastic Surgery at the K.E.M. Hospital he became
its first senior resident and was inducted into the art and science of
plastic surgery - it was the pre-M.Ch. era. We were a wonderful team
and he played an important role, in building up the academic and the
organizational set-up of the department.
After Mumbai it was the turn of Ahmedabad. He joined as an assistant
professor of plastic surgery in the B. J. Medical College, Ahmedabad
in 1964, and the dept. then headed by Prof. Dr. J. R. Jaju. He again
contributed handsomely and unassumingly to the establishment and growth
of that department. In 1970 he became the head of that department and
his contributions are still remembered by all who worked with him.
Dr. Udyan Vyas, the then assistant professor fondly recalls the qualities
of head and heart that Anant possessed in abundant measure. His relationship
with the patients was characterized by empathy, which as Dr. Vyas recalls,
was enriched by his fluency in Gujarati, Hindi, Marathi and Kannada.
After his stint at Ahmedabad, his center of activity shifted to Miraj
and its surrounding areas. Apart from private practice, he continued
to be associated in academic activity and service of the deprived
sections of the community. He was a professor at the Sanjeevani Medical
Foundation
ENT, Post-graduate Institute, Miraj and Prof. of surgery at D. Y.
Patil Medical College, Kolhapur. He served the Shri Siddhi Vinayak Ganpati
Cancer Hospital, Miraj both as a plastic surgeon and member of its
managing committee and governing council. He donated all his income
from this
institute to help the poor. One Sunday every month, he would visit
the Chaitanya Upasana Trust Hospital, Gundavale, to treat the poor
from the
surrounding areas free of charge and would pay back to the trust
even
the transport allowance. Dr. J. J. Kashalikar, a close associate
during this phase of his life was deeply touched by his concern for the
poor.
He served as a member of the executive committee of the Association
of Plastic Surgeons of India. It was in recognition of his contribution
to plastic surgery, that he was persuaded to accept the President-ship
of the Maharashtra chapter of the Association of Plastic Surgeons
of India in 2001.
He is survived by his wife Usha, three lovely daughters Suman,
Rama and Swati. His fond memories will continue to linger in
the minds
of those,
whose lives were touched by his gentle hand.
Copyright 2006 - Indian Journal of Plastic Surgery
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