KKGGMMUU CCaammppuuss NNeewwsslleetttteerr A publication of the Website Cell of King George Medical University, Lucknow January 2006 Centenary Issue Vol 3 No1 Message from the Vice Chancellor Editors' Note Dear Friends, TT he year just gone by has had its ups and downs. We have celebrated one full century of existence of our With the beginning of the new year 2006, our institution institution and we have seen our university through one crosses a milestone - that of having lived, survived and of her darkest hours. Yet, just as every cloud has a silver grown for a full hundred years since its inception. The second convocation of the University on 10th January lining, I firmly believe that the institution will emerge 2006 marked the end of the year long foundation stronger and cleansed through the ordeal. centenary celebrations. Certainly, these events should not deter us from our pursuit of all round excellence which will only come A lot was planned for these celebrations and a lot has from renewed allegiance to our mandates of teaching happened on the campus - good, bad and downright and training with dedication, provision of quality painful. By recalling the good, we hope to help heal patient care with compassion and perseverance with some wounds and so we bring out this issue of 'The cutting edge research to serve medical science and Georgian' with all that was good and upbeat over the last humanity. few months. Mahendra Bhandari Rashmi Kumar Apul Goel University News Centenary Celebrations T he year 2005 had a special significance for our institution because it marked the 100th year since the inception of this medical college (now university) i.e. it was the year of the foundation centenary. It was on 26th December 1905 that the foundation stone of this great institution was laid by the Prince of Wales. The centenary celebrations were flagged off with the first convocation of the university, held on 14th January 2005. A total of 42 scientific programs were held during the year. On 26th December 2005, there was a Dignitaries at the convocation grand display of fireworks and the administrative By 3 pm most of the guests and students had block was lit up. Sweets were distributed among staff, assembled and with the arrival of the Chief Guest, the students, patients and their attendants. A cricket match academic procession walked down to the beat of between senior and junior doctors was also held. drums. Vice Chancellor KGMU Prof Mahendra Bhandari in his address welcomed all the guests and Second Convocation of KGMU read out the Annual Report. He exhorted the new graduates of the year to excel in their chosen disciplines, while refining and utilizing their The second convocation of our university was held knowledge to alleviate human suffering. The Vice Chancellor then introduced Prof PN Tandon, citing his on 10th January 2006 in the Scientific Convention achievements and contributions for conferral of the Centre. Like the 1st convocation, this too was a joint Honoris Causa. convocation of KGMU and UP King George's This was followed by the University of Dental Sciences. Preparations for this bestowal of MBBS, MD, MS, very special function were going on for weeks. The DM and MCh degrees. Then Chief Guest at the convocation was His Excellency, came the much awaited award Governor of Uttar Pradesh, Shri TV Rajeshwar, who is ceremony. Kum Shalini also the Chancellor. The other distinguished guest was Maheshwari, having topped the final MBBS examination was Padma Bhushan Prof PN Tandon, a truly prolific declared the year's Hewett Georgian, who was conferred 'Causa Honoris' of the medallist. She won a total of 15 University at the convocation. As befits such an Prof PN Tandon awards and certificates. As occasion, the ceremony was replete with protocol, with tradition goes, the young lady got a standing ovation. many solemn pledges and speeches, yet glittering and The award ceremony was followed by the Convocation colourful. The Convention Centre's central open Address by Prof PN Tandon and address by His amphitheatre was utilized for the convocation. The Excellency, the Chancellor. The convocation was stage was beautifully decorated with flowers and a followed by high tea on the Convention Centre lawns. huge picture of the KGMU building in the background. Some lady members of the Academic Procession Kum Shalini Maheshwari receiving the Hewett medal (2) University News Centenary Alumni Meet were heard as many a class fellow recognized another after years. A documentary film depicting recent This historic event was held on the 11th January 2006 developments in the university was screened in the close on the heels of the 2nd Convocation of the White Hall. At 12.30 pm, the Minimally Invasive university. The organizing committee had left no stone Surgery Endoscopic Training Centre at Queen Mary's unturned to contact as many Georgians as possible Hospital was inaugurated by Dr Leela Tandon. Lunch from across the globe and bring them to their alma was served on the Convention Centre lawns. mater for a truly memorable homecoming. The The actual program of the centenary meet started in the invitation letter as well as registration form and Convention Centre at 3 pm. Master of ceremonies Dr program were posted on the KGMU website well in Varun Narain regaled the audience in his inimitable advance and countless letters were sent out. As many style. Prof SD Pandey, President of International as 850 Georgians from 52 batches made it to the meet, Association of KGMU & KGUDS Alumni gave the including 80 from overseas. This was the first ever welcome address. Dr MC Pant read the Secretary's conclave in which alumni of so many batches came report. A souvenir tracing the history of the institution together. was released. Vice Chancellors of both the universities gave their addresses. Senior Georgians on the dias also The program started on 10th January morning with a addressed the gathering, the most notable being the scientific program in the Brown Hall in which eminent message of Dr RL Shah, a 96 year old Georgian of 1933 Georgians delivered lectures. Dr Ramji Gupta spoke batch who braved the cold winter to travel from on 'Pulse therapy in autoimmune disorders', Dr Om Haldwani to Lucknow for the occasion. Award winning Kumari from Kanpur on “How to win over Geriatrism” Georgians were felicitated. Finally, a 2 minute silence and Dr SK Verma from Texas on “Advancements in was observed and prayer was offered in the memory of Medicine since 1905 : Back to the Future”. These Georgians who had passed away. The entire program presentations were followed at noon by the 4th Dr NN was a great success owing to the unstinting efforts of Gupta - CG Agarwal Oration delivered by Prof Rakesh Prof SD Pandey, Prof MC Pant and Prof AM Kar. It Tandon - a Georgian and ex Head of Gastroenterology was decided to hold the next international meet in at AIIMS and presently Professor & Head, Mauritius in 2007 and the one after in Australia. Gastroenterology at Pushpawati Singhania Research Institute, New Delhi. The topic of his oration was “Chronic Pancreatitis in India : an overview”. Dignitaries on the dais at the Centenary Alumni Meet New Departments Georgians at the Centenary Meet The university is in the process of adding new superspecialty departments. The Department of On 11th January, the day began with registrations for the Geriatric Mental Health is already functional since centenary meet. In the morning, batch meets were August 2005. A new Department of Surgical organized. Tables and chairs had been arranged in the Gastroenterology has been formed in January 2006. tennis lawns outside the Administrative Block. Very The Departments of Rheumatology and Sports soon the entire area was full of Georgians meeting and Medicine are also in the final stages of becoming greeting one another. Shrieks and guffaws of laughter operational. (3) Research & Academics Stem Cell Research Showcase KGMU 2005 KGMU and IIT Kanpur are partners in the 'Stem Cell This annual event hosted by the Research Cell was held Bank Project'. Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that on 27th October this year. Faculty members of the can be stored and later developed into any other cell or university were invited to submit their published organ. These 'pleuripotent' cells can be manipulated research work of the last year for competitive review with the help of growth factors to get the desired results. and presentation at the function. The program started at For example, in the case of stroke, the cells could be 10.30 am with a talk by the Vice Chancellor entitled injected into the brain to develop into normal healthy “Vision for Research at KGMU”. This was followed by brain cells or neurons. Stem cell research thus offers release of the souvenir by the Dean, Prof SK Agarwal immense potential in the treatment of a wide range of and address by the Chief Guest, Prof CP Govila, Vice diseases. As a first step, a stem cell bank will be Chancellor, UPKGUDS. Prof S Awasthi, Faculty in established at KGMU. The university is finalizing the Charge, Research Cell presented a review of activities procurement of equipments and infrastructure for the of the Research Cell over the last year. A total of 19 bank. Faculty involved from KGMU is Dr Tulika Intramural Student Fellowships were awarded this Chandra and Dr Ashutosh Kumar from Pathology and year, of which 13 were to undergraduate students. Five Dr Uma Singh from Obstetrics & Gynecology. Intramural Research grants were awarded to younger faculty members. A total of 12 new PhD registrations Books released were made this year. Ongoing extramurally funded Dr. Sandeep Saxena MS, MAMS, projects 2005-06 numbered 112, of which 55 were Associate Professor, Department of sponsored by government agencies, 48 by Ophthalmology edited and compiled 2 pharmaceuticals and 9 by international agencies. The textbooks that went on sale at the maximum number of projects was under the A m e r i c a n A c a d e m y o f Department of Psychiatry, followed by Departments of Ophthalmology in Chicago in October Pathology, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Pediatrics, 2005. Both the books are available in Microbiology and Medicine. print and electronic versions. Dr Sandeep Saxena . The plenary session at Showcase KGMU consisted of 1.Ophthalmic Surgery : The Cutting Edge. This a presentation on “Stem Cell Transplantation and its book has global authorship, 23 chapters, 675 pages, Future Applications” by Col Velu Nair, Professor & 1525 color and black and white figures and 2 DVD Head, Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation ROMS featuring 80 surgical videos. A complete and Hematology, Army Hospital, Delhi. Following this ophthalmic surgery textbook for practising were faculty presentations of published research by ophthalmologists as well as those in training. Prof Vinita Das, Prof Rajendra Prasad, Prof AK Tripathi, Prof Shally Awasthi, Dr Sandeep Saxena and Dr Ashish Wakhlu. Faculty publications were also displayed. Future Plans ? The MD-PhD program - a super specialty course to be initiated with financial support from ICMR. Five seats have been approved ? A proposal for an Advanced Centre for Biostatistics was put up and has been approved 2. Optical Coherence Tomography in Retinal by the Executive Council of the university. Diseases: This book again with 23 chapters, 394 ? A new Centre of Excellence in Molecular pages, 1100 color and black and white figures, 1CD and Epidemiology and Life Style Diseases, with global authorship, is an up to date text on optical central research instrument facility is also coherence tomography. A highlight is in vivo live proposed. histology, where 10 micron cross sections of the macula are analysed. (4) Research & Academics Intramural Faculty Seed Grants 2006 1. Dr Swati Agarwal , Ophthalmology: Control of progression of diabetic retinopathy using Benofotiamine -A pilot study. 2. Dr Sanjeev Kumar Gupta, Ophthalmology: Proliferative retinopathy due to Eale's disease: Role of growth factors. 3. Dr Rajiv Agarwal, Plastic Surgery: Device development and clinical application for craniofacial distraction. 4. Dr Apul Goel, Urology: Expression of 'Hepsin' in human prostatic carcinoma and benign prostatic hyperplasia. 5. Dr Pushplata Sankhwar, Obstetrics & Gynecology: Testing the feasibility and efficacy of the device - female meatus visualizing CIC canula in patients of obstructive voiding - A pilot study. 6. Dr Nisha, Obstetrics & Gynecology: Serum inhibin as a diagnostic marker of ovarian tumour. 7. Dr Amita Pandey, Obstetrics & Gynecology: Chlorhexidine A meeting in progress at the Research Cell vaginal washing: Saving neonatal & maternal lives. Intramural Student Research Grant presentations were made recently. The following undergraduate students who were awarded the grant in 2005, presented their research results S. No. Name of Proponent Name of Mentor Title of Proposal 1. Ms. Juhi Kumari, Ms. Prerna Kumari Dr. Manish Banpai, Assessment of Flow Mediated Dilatation (FMD) or reactive MBBS-04 Physiology hyperemia in forearm in different phases of menstrual cycle by non-invasive technique 2. Ms. Prarthna Saxena, Ms. Mili Jain, Dr. Manish Bajpai, Effect of static exercise on cardiac output measured by Mr. Ayush Shukla, MBBS-03 Physiology Impedance Cardiovasograph 3. Ms. Deepti Verma, Ms. Garima Dr. N.S. Verma, Respiratory functions in different phases of menstruation in Sharma, MBBS-04 Physiology asthmatics 4. Mr. Mudit Kumar Agarwal, Ms. Dr. Neena Srivastava, Effect of exercise on memory, concentration and mental Namita Choudhary, MBBS-04 Physiology fatigue 5. Mr. Ashok Kumar Rawat, Dr. Pradeep Kumar, Effect of short term exercise on cardiovascular performance Mr. Bhupendra Kumar, MBBS-04 Physiology in male medical students 6. Mr. Rahul Bamal, Ms. Princy, Dr. Sandeep Quantification of caffeine induced autonomic nerve activity MBBS-04 Bhattacharya, changes in healthy subjects Physiology 7. Ms. Alka Gupta, Ms. Surabhi Dr. S. Bhattacharya, Effects of menstrual cycle on autonomic functions Rohtagi MBBS-04 Physiology 8. Mr. Akshay Batra, Mr. Dr. Shraddha Singh, Plasma fibrinogen level in smokers - a complimentary Ambukeshwar Singh, MBBS-04 Physiology predictor of cardiovascular disease A comparative study to investigate the effect of 9. Mr. Ankit Kumar Sahu, Dr. Vani Gupta, consumption of lemon tea and milk tea on insulin resistance Mr. Dheerendra Patel, MBBS-04 Physiology and total serum lipid profile 10. Ms. Azka Zuberi, Mr. Mudit Kumar Prof. Sunita Tewari, Effect of computers on intellect and reaction time in young Agarwal, Mr. Abhishek Goel, Physiology healthy adults MBBS-04 Dr. Sandeep Saxena, Role of lutein and zeaxanthin in diabetic retinopathy 11. Mr. Akshay Anand, Mr. Abhinav Ophthalmology Tewari, MBBS-04 12. Ms. Anju Verma, Ms. Indu Maurya, Dr. Surya Kant, Effect of yoga on asthma symptoms, pulmonary functions MBBS-04 Pulmonary Medicine and free radical status in patients of bronchial asthma 13. Mr. Abhishek Goel, MBBS-04, Mr. Prof. D. Dalela, Uric acid abnormalities in patients of upper urinary tract Arun Goel, JR-III (Physiology) Urology urolithiasis- a biochemical evaluation (5) Scientific Events July to December 2005 Workshop on Essential Medicines, Adverse Drug Nonsurgical facial rejuvenation is becoming popular in Reactions & Therapeutic Drug Monitoring : This the west, since these methods give a more youthful look event was organized on 22nd & 23rd August 2005 by the to the person without surgery or with minimal surgery. Department of Pharmacology. Objectives were to chart The techniques are known as 'non-ablative laser' out a state policy for selection of essential drugs and (NAL) and 'microderm abrasion'. Most of them are focus on cause, effects and monitoring methods for minor OPD procedures that can be completed within a adverse drug reactions. Organising Secretary was half hour visit to a beauty parlour, and therefore don't Dr KK Pant. carry the risks associated with surgery. Public Lectures on Japanese encephalitis : With the state in the grip of a raging epidemic of Japanese encephalitis, KGMU Creative League organized a public information session on the disease on 30th August 2005. Speakers on the occasion were Prof Rashmi Kumar, Prof SK Das, Prof MZ Idris and Dr Vimla Venkatesh. Chief Guest was Dr SC Rai, Mayor of Lucknow. Information about the disease, its clinical features, diagnosis and management was imparted in lay language for the convenience of the At the inauguration of Facial Rejuvenation Workshop public and media. The IXth UP Chapter Convention of National 8th Foundation Day Function Department of Neonatology Forum was held on 15th October 2005 in Surgical Oncology : This program was held on 20th the Scientific Convention Centre, KGMU. The Chief September 2005 in the Scientific Convention Centre. Guest on the occasion was Dr Nimal Hettiaratchy, State Dr SC Rai was the Chief Guest. Dr NC Misra Oration Representative, UNICEF and the Guest of Honour was was delivered by Prof Irving Taylor from University Dr LB Prasad, Director General Family Welfare, Uttar College, London and Dr DN Sharma Oration by Dr DD Pradesh. In his speech, Dr Hettiaratchy stressed on the Patel, Director, Gujarat Cancer Research Institute, need to bring down neonatal mortality in the state as the Ahmedabad. country's profile depended on it. The conference was inaugurated by the Vice Chancellor, Dr Mahendra CME on Hemophilia : This event was held on 23r d & Bhandari. The packed program included continuing 24th September 2005 in the White Hall of the medical education (CME), award paper and free paper University. It was jointly organized by the Departments sessions, panel discussion and general body meet. The of Pathology & Medicine, KGMU and the Hemophilia Organising Secretary was Prof GK Malik Federation of India. The objectives of the CME were to familiarize the doctors working in this field with recent advances in management of such disorders. A 'wet' workshop and a physiotherapy workshop were also held. The Organising Secretary was Dr Ashutosh Kumar, Department of Pathology. The program was inaugurated by the Vice Chancellor. The 27th Annual Conference of UP Chapter of Indian Society of Anesthesiologists was held in the Scientific Convention Centre on 1st and 2nd October 2005. The 2 day conference was inaugurated by our Vice Chancellor. Lt Gen HK Maini VSM was the Guest of Honour. A Workshop on Nonsurgical Facial Rejuvenation was organized by the Postgraduate Department UP Neocon in progress of Plastic Surgery on 8th & 9th October 2005. (6) Scientific Events July to December 2005 First Convocation of Lucknow College of Surgeons First Foundation Day Function, Queen Mary's & Instructional Course Symposium on Colorectal Hospital : This celebration was held on 31st October Cancer : Organized jointly by the Lucknow College of 2005 to mark the 73rd year of establishment of Queen Surgeons and Department of Surgery, KGMU on 21st Mary's Hospital. The Vice Chancellor Prof Mahendra October 2005 at the Scientific Convention Centre, the Bhandari inaugurated the function. A scientific session convocation was a glittering affair in which senior on 'Heart Disease in Pregnancy' was held to mark the surgeons of the city were awarded fellowships of the occasion. college. Padmashri Prof Mahendra Bhandari, Vice Chancellor, KGMU gave the convocation address. Prof 11th National Conference of Indian Society for SS Agarwal, Former Director SGPGI, Lucknow and Parenteral & Enteral Nutrition (ISPEN) was held in ACTREC, Mumbai delivered the 1st Prof Naseem the Scientific Convention Centre from 5-7th November Ansari Memorial Oration on “Molecular genetics of 2005. Organising Secretary was Prof Ramakant, colorectal cancer - a model for carcinogenesis”. The Department of Surgery. The conference was Annual Oration of Lucknow College of Surgeons was inaugurated by Sri SC Mishra, Member Rajya Sabha delivered by Prof Ajay Kakkar of University College, and Ex Advocate General of UP. Padmashri Dr SC Rai, London on “Cancer Associated Thrombosis”. The Mayor of Lucknow was the Chief Guest. Sri Brijesh Organising Secretary was Prof Sandeep Kumar. The Pathak, MP was the Guest of Honour and the function scientific program was followed by a musical evening was presided over by the Vice Chancellor. and dance. Urology Quiz for MBBS Students : With the objective of generating interest in the subject of urology, the Department of Urology conducted a Urology Quiz on 11th November 2005. The quiz was conducted by Dr Apul Goel and consisted of MCQs, Xray films, clinical photographs and videos of surgical procedures. The winners were: 1st Amit Kumar, 2nd Ashish Kumar and Amit Chaudhary and 3rd Somil Participants at the Surgery Function XVIIIth UP Chapter Conference of Association of Radiation Oncologists of India : This conference was organized on 22nd & 23rd October 2005 by the Department of Radiotherapy. The Chief Guest at the Inaugural Ceremony was Padmashri Dr SC Rai, Mayor of Lucknow, while Guests of Honour were Shri RK Mittal, Commissioner, Lucknow and Dr Kamal Sahani, Jaiswal Lighting the lamp at ISPENCON Director, Medical Education, Uttar Pradesh. The program was presided over by the Vice Chancellor. Practical Training Course in Pediatric Oncology : Mock Exam in Urology : In order to familiarize This 2 day course was organized in the Department of students with the examination pattern, the Department Pediatrics on 12th & 13th November 2005. Organising of Urology organized a mock exam for examinees Secretary was Prof Archana Kumar. The purpose of the taking the DNB and MCh in Urology. Students were course was to apprise doctors working in district and shown slides, digital films, photos, Xrays, pathological other hospitals about management of pediatric specimen etc in accordance with MCI guidelines. A malignancies so that they could make an early complete feedback of both the theory and practical diagnosis and engage in 'shared care' of these patients. parts including a video recording of their own Course faculty included renowned pediatric performance was given to them. oncologists from Mumbai and Delhi. (7) IAP-UNICEF Workshop on Strengthening of Gujral Bhargava Oration 2005 was organized by the Routine Immunizations : This one day event was Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics in the held on Childrens' Day i.e. 14th November 2005 in the Brown Hall of the University on 3rd December 2005. administrative block of the university. Organising Chief Guest was Prof CP Govila, Vice Chancellor, UP Secretary was Prof Rashmi Kumar. Objectives of the KGUDS. The lecture this year was delivered by conference were to stress the importance of routine Director, Central Drug Research Institute, Dr CM immunization, have a brainstorming session on how to Gupta, and the topic was “ Resurgence of Natural improve immunization coverage in the state and Products in Drug Discovery: Current International encourage practising pediatricians to play a role. The Status and Positioning of CDRI”. Chief Guest at the inaugural ceremony was the Hon'ble A State level CME in Pathology & Workshop on Minister of Family Welfare, Uttar Pradesh, Shri Ahmed Automation in Chemical Pathology was organized Hasan ji, while Dr Nimal Hettiaratchy, State on 2nd & 3rd December 2005 by the Department of Representative UNICEF was Guest of Honour. Pathology. Organizers were Prof AN Srivastava and Experts from Delhi and representatives of various Prof S M Natu. Speakers included Prof Jean Michel NGOs and government bodies deliberated on the Coindre from France, Prof S Nag from Canada, and Dr subject. N Tuteja and Dr Dinesh Gupta from New Delhi. About fifty delegates participated from all over UP. Seminar on Public Health : A seminar on “Strengthening Health Systems to ensure Accessibility, Equity and Quality: A view through the economic lens” was held in the White Hall on 2nd & 3rd December 2005. Dr Peter Berman, Lead Economist, World Bank, New Delhi was the Chief Guest and delivered his address on ”Transforming the Indian Health System: an evidence based approach”. Other speakers included Prof S Chakraborty, Director, Jaipuria Institute of Management, Lucknow, Prof DCS Reddy and Dr Sunil Nandraj from SEARO, New Delhi, Dr Kent Ranson Inaugural Ceremony of the Immunization Workshop from London School of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene Workshop on Neonatal Ventilation : This was an and Dr Arvind Mohan from Lucknow University. intensive 4 day workshop on neonatal ventilation. It Organising Secretary was Prof S Awasthi. was organized in the Department of Pediatrics from 17th Foundation Day Celebration Department of to 20th November 2005. Many experts in neonatology Radiodiagnosis : This annual event was held on 17th came from AIIMS and PGI Chandigarh to teach December 2005 in the White Hall of the university. The participants the basics and nuances of neonatal inaugural program started at 12 noon with vandana. ventilation. Organising Secretary was Prof GK Malik. Head of Department, Prof S Bhadury gave the welcome VIII Biennial Conference of the Indian Association address and read out the annual report of the of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (IACAMCON department. Eminent radiologists from New Delhi, 2005) : This 3 day conference was held in the Scientific SGPGI Lucknow, and IMS Varanasi participated as Convention Centre from 24th to 26th November 2005. resource persons. Organising Secretary was Prof P Sitholey, Head, Department of Psychiatry. Epilepsy Awareness Day : Organised by Department of Neurology on 20th November 2005 World AIDS Day celebrated : On the occasion of World AIDS Day on 1st December 2005 , an awareness camp was organized in the Medicine OPD. This was accompanied by formal inauguration of the Antiretroviral Therapy Centre. Lectures on HIV/ AIDS were held. A highlight of the event was a quiz for the general public and people afflicted with HIV. Chief Guest was Special Secretary Medical Education. Organising Secretary was Prof AK Tripathi. At the Radiodiagnosis Foundation Day Function (8) Scientific & Social Events July to December 2005 58th National Conference of Association of Social Events Otolaryngologists of India : This was a mega event Hasya Kavi Sammelan : On the occasion of Diwali, a organized by the Department of ENT from 5th to 7th get together in the form of 'Hasya Kavi Sammelan' was January 2006 in the Scientific Convention Centre. The organized on 27th October 2005 by the KGMU Creative conference was inaugurated by the Chief Minister. A League and coordinated by Prof S Bhadury, Head, satellite meeting of the Federation of Head & Neck Department of Radiodiagnosis. Oncology was held from 3rd to 5th January. A galaxy of national and international experts in the field Silver Jubilee Reunion 1980 batch : Held on 24th participated as resource persons. December 2005 in the Brown Hall of the University. Golden Jubilee Reunion 1958 Batch was held on 9th January 2006 in the Scientific Convention Centre. As usual, this was a rollicking affair with introductions, titles, music and dance, not to mention 'sheyr & shayri' in true 'Lakhnavi' style Future Event UP Chapter Conference of Indian Academy of Pediatrics, 14th & 15th October 2006. Organising Secretary: Prof KL Srivastava, Head, Department of Pediatrics. At the inauguration of the ENT conference 'Georgian Raag ' on the way A chance conversation between a writer and his wife's surgeon paved the way for a unique literary creation to be called 'Georgian Raag'. The idea of collecting and compiling actual memoirs of teachers of the college as transcripts and publishing them in the form of a book came from Prof Sandeep Kumar . Giving shape to the idea is Mr Rajiv Saran a noted Hindi writer who has done yeoman work in interviewing, recording, and transcribing these memoirs over the last 2 years. The work is going through final editing, with inputs and support from Prof Sandeep Kumar. The book will have chapters by eminent teachers of the college including Prof Mansoor Hasan, Prof M Bhandari, Prof SS Agarwal, Prof PK Misra, Prof NN Mahendra, Prof TC Goel and many others. Mr Rajiv Saran OBITUARIES Prof RML Mehrotra Prof KM Wahal Prof KM Wahal was born on 24.3.23. Dr RML Mehrotra was born on 27th Having completed his graduation and July 1923. He graduated from KGMC post graduation in Pathology from in the year 1945, standing 1st in his KGMC, he joined his parent class. Subsequently he completed his department as Lecturer in 1946. MD Pathology in 1948 and PhD from Subsequently, he served his London University in 1952. He joined Department as Reader and Professor. his parent institution as Lecturer in Pathology in 1948 He was conferred DSc from University of and headed the department from 1965 to 1983. Pennsylvania in Neuropathology. Prof Wahal passed Prof Mehrotra had more than 150 research publications away on 24th December 2005. and edited 5 textbooks. He was decorated with many Prof DN Khanna honours and awards including Rockefeller Foundation and Nuffield Research Fellowships, Khanolkar Prize Born on 18.11.33, Dr DN Khanna did for Research in Pathology (1957) and Dr BC Roy his graduation and post graduation in Award (1981). He was Fellow of the Royal College of physiology from KGMC. Subsequently, Pathologists and President Indian Association of he served his alma mater as Lecturer, Pathologists & Microbiologists. After retirement, he Reader, Professor and Head of set up the premier pathology laboratory in the city. Dr Department of Physiology. He passed Mehrotra passed away on 24-11-05. away on 23rd January 2006. (9) As you prepare for a Herculean task ……. A Alumni Functions will help in neutralizing these powerful s candidates for an advanced centrifugal forces that constantly work to divide different degree from KGMC, you new students components of a University in particular, and a society in join an academic community whose general, into fragments, often indifferent to each other, and interests span almost the full spectrum of occasionally hostile. It will give us an opportunity to present medical endeavor - surgery, medicine, a happier and friendlier face to the society, failing which this pediatrics, geriatrics and what not! You've print space will be taken up by the scums and urchins and come to KGMC to study because you hooligans aping us. have a talent and a curiosity that drives you to seek specialized learning in one of these fields. And I sometimes observe cultural divisiveness at work. I you've come, I trust, with some appreciation of the blood, hear references to unbecoming stereotypes applied by sweat and tears that must be expended, figuratively or medical college faculty to those from other colleges, by literally, for success in this pursuit. Each one of you will be clinicians to basic scientists, or vice versa. Echoing the devoting years, and years, and in some cases, yet more years previous description of “ignorant specialists” and “natural to a dedicated and tightly defined task. You will be required Luddites”, different groups of faculty may be perceived by to master highly specialized forms of scholarly others as advanced but narrow technocrats (surgeons), or craftsmanship and technique, unique uses of language and conversely as intellectual but impractical snobs (physicians). symbolism, and modes of thought and discourse peculiar to Such invective may sometimes grow more colorful, and one your chosen discipline. As your command of your specialty can even have some fun at this: “hyperactive advances, you will find yourself moving apart intellectually, megalomaniacs”, “bombastic philistines” and “dithering often decidedly so, from others who labour in different esthetes” come to mind. For the most part, such talk, though fields. This is good, and necessary, and you would be ill disrespectful, is not malicious, but reflects merely a gross advised not to make such progression your goal. exaggeration of underlying cultural differences, with humorous intent. However, conditioning of expectations by However, essential as this may be, the mastery of means of such stereotypes can halt or delay potential specialized knowledge and technique should not be all that collaborations, and opportunities for meaningful defines your experience at KGMC. Such mastery should be achievements may be lost. viewed as necessary, but not sufficient. It is all too easy to allow the demands of advanced scholarly achievement to Teachers of our University have a responsibility of make you insular, to isolate you from the remarkable scope encouraging a propensity for “outrageous ambition.” This and breadth of what goes on within this University in should be a distinctive feature of every Georgian. However particular and this city of Lucknow in general. we should be very careful with these legacies, if we are not to When one is educated in a particular discipline, you also allow our very real underlying cultural differences to twist acquire a set of prejudices and ways of looking at the world. our catch phrase from “outrageous ambition” into Along with those perspectives comes a specialized language “outrageous arrogance” and “thwarted ambition”. We can do that's often ineffective in communicating with people in better, and we must, if KGMC is to gain the competitive distant - and even not so distant- disciplines. Distinctive advantage against peer institutions that the splendidly academic cultures clearly do exist within our different beautiful and compact geography of our campus should schools and departments, creating barriers or even provoking afford. mistrust or disrespect. If this is happening between departments imagine the chiasm between us and the patients, My message to my fellow Georgians today is that their relatives and us! If after spending 25 years in the we help ourselves as individuals and as a community if we profession I, a Plastic Surgeon, know virtually nothing about strive to create countervailing centripetal forces to draw say Psychiatry or very little about Biochemistry, then how divergent parts of the University community together. will a patient or a relative understand my treatment protocol Happily, I believe that many within our faculty and if I don't spend time to tell him so? If we are not being trained administration are working with a will to create forces of in this discipline of communication then our training is unity rather than schism. We should remember that the grossly incomplete. Cured unhappy patients are far more ultimate purpose of the pursuit of knowledge, in science, harmful to our profession than well-tried but not cured, and humanities, and the arts is the attempt to explain the universe and our place in it. This goal supercedes all others, even those happy ones! that appear to have more immediate or practical value. To do this we have to make connections; we have to show that The Page 3 of our Newspapers have a tendency of knowledge has a context. It is the linking of facts and the characterizing the literary intellectuals of our society as threads that run between disciplines that provide that “natural Luddites” and scientists as “ignorant specialists.” context. But a breakdown of communication between these two cultures threatens the progress of our civilization. Events like Dr Surajit Bhattacharya, Georgian 1975 Batch 'Meet the Press' and 'Public Forum' on College Day or (10)