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A doctor with a humane touch

V. Hanumantha Rao is a unique combination of an inspiring teacher and a compassionate doctor

Photo: K.R. Deepak

V. Hanumantha Rao

"Blessed is the teacher who moulds the character and behaviour of students to serve societal needs. Blessed is the doctor who relieves the sick of their suffering and cares for their health. Twice blessed is Velidendla Hanumantha Rao who is a unique combination of the two - an inspiring teacher and a compassionate doctor." This was the common opinion of the student-collective of Prof. Hanumantha Rao who assembled from different corners of the globe to felicitate him recently on the completion of 50 years of professional service in the branch of medicine.

What makes him stand apart?

"A teacher, apart from teaching, should be able to radiate certain things that cannot be taught but only imbibed. Being a medical professor on one hand I could teach the art and science of medicine to my students but how to handle a patient with a human touch could only be radiated," says the 78-year-old medical expert.

Hailing from Krishna District Prof. Hamunatha Rao completed his MBBS degree from Guntur and Andhra Medical College (AMC). After getting his masters in medicine from AMC, he worked for a couple of years in Gandhi Hospital and Medical College in Hyderabad as assistant professor. He says that his stint at Hyderabad was most fruitful. "Those were my formative years and I was exposed to different persons from various cultures with different medical history."

After stints at Guntur and Tirupati with a brief period in Visakhapatnam in between, he was finally posted to the City of Destiny in 1973 as professor in AMC. After working in various capacities, he retired voluntarily as superintendent of King George Hospital in 1989. During his professorship, he groomed over 3,000 MBBS students and over 100 post graduates in general medicine.

Achievements

Apart from treating his patients and teaching his students, he was instrumental in setting up the Acute Medical Care Unit, Acute Pediatric Care Unit and Traumatology blood bank in KGH.

Diagnostic revolution

Dr. Rao considers the advancement in diagnostics as a great boon to medical science. "Earlier, the diagnostic facilities were minimal we had to rely more on the art of handling a patient and less on the science of dealing with the disease.

Today due to the diagnostic facilities the science has overtaken the art. Diagnostics have revolutionized the treatment style.

In the past, we were chasing the disease but today we are not only able to overtake it but also nip it in the bud.

The science of medicine has become more dynamic."

Patient-doctor relationship

Being an old timer in the profession he feels that two things are missing today. "Trust and human values, the two basic ingredients that facilitate the bonding between patient and a doctor is missing today, thanks to the culture of corporate hospitals and clinics," says Dr. Hanumantha Rao.

Award

"There can be no bigger award than the respect shown by my former students at the felicitation function.

Most of them have passed out years ago and are well-settled but all of them coming together to honour me was something overwhelming," says he in an emotionally choked voice.

The students of Dr. Hanumantha Rao have conferred upon him the title of `Poorna Purusha' (The complete man), and why not, he has achieved all that one can achieve in a lifetime.

SUMIT BHATTACHARJEE

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