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Recognition for Cancer Institute, says Shanta

Ramya Kannan

``Entire team at the hospital is excited''

CHENNAI: : For this year's Ramon Magsaysay award winner from India, V. Shanta, it is not so much a personal honour as it is a recognition for the Institute she has long been a part of — the Cancer Institute, Adyar, Chennai.

" I'm honoured and privileged and we are proud that the work of the Institute has been recognised. To us, there is no difference between the individual and the institution," she told The Hindu , a few hours after she heard the news."The entire team at the hospital is very excited because this is a recognition of the work done by them and Dr. Krishnamurthi," she added, paying tribute to the man who has been a great source of inspiration throughout her career.

Dr. Shanta was born on March 11, 1927 of a family of scientists in Mylapore, most eminent among them were her maternal uncles, Nobel Laureates C.V. Raman and S. Chandrasekar. She graduated from Madras University in 1949, and followed it up with a Diploma in Obstetrics and Gynaecology in 1952 and an M.D. in 1955. Immediately after, she joined the Cancer Institute as its first Resident Medical Officer. Between 1957 and 1958, she pursued a fellowship with the Ontario Cancer Foundation for specialised training in super-voltage in cancer therapy.

Returning to India, she set up the Radiation Oncology Ddepartment in the Institute, making it the only such centre in the country where high-energy radiation therapy was available at that time. She also holds the distinction of organising the first-ever hospital tumour registry in India. In 1960, she established the first paediatric oncology unit. Several fellowships and honours followed and she also served on several specialised committees of the Government.

After over half a century in the service of those affected by cancer, Dr. Shanta is only looking ahead to "... try and keep up what we have been doing so far. She says they will continue to follow the motto of their founder, Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy, `Service to all,' treating all patients alike, as they have been doing all these years. She also hopes that this award will awaken more people to the work of the Institute.

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