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| EDITORIAL |
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| Year : 2013 | Volume
: 12
| Issue : 1 | Page : 1-2 |
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Good Bye General
Ajit Kumar Padhy
Editor in Chief, World Journal of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore - 169608
| Date of Web Publication | 25-Jun-2013 |
Correspondence Address:
Ajit Kumar Padhy
Editor in Chief, World Journal of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore - 169608
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DOI: 10.4103/1450-1147.113929 PMID: 23961247 
How to cite this article:
Padhy AK. Good Bye General. World J Nucl Med 2013;12:1-2 |
Dr. Major General N Lakshmipathi [Figure 1] died on 6 January 2013 at the age of 84. Known for his steadfastness, discipline and progressive thinking, he was one of the pioneers of Indian Nuclear Medicine; contributing to its growth and development for several decades in almost all areas of the specialty. His role in the establishment of Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Science in New Delhi is very well known. If today INMAS is one of the best organizations of Nuclear Medicine in India, dealing with patient care, research and teaching, a lot of credit for that should go to Major General Lakshmipathi.
At a personal level, I met Major General Lakshmipathi in the year 1979 during one the Annual Meetings of Society of Nuclear Medicine of India, held in New Delhi and of which he was the Chairperson. By then he was already a founder member of Society of Nuclear Medicine (1968), its Secretary and President. He has also been credited along with Brig. Mazumdar for starting the first university based post-graduate course in nuclear medicine in the world way back in 1965. His personality, smart demeanours, leadership qualities and above all humility made him my idol for life. I had watched him dominating the I Indian Nuclear Medicine scene, installing the first NMR machine in India at INMAS, introducing the National Board Examination in Nuclear Medicine, starting a Journal of Nuclear Medicine and establishing the Indian College of Nuclear Medicine. I had watched him from very close quarters doing what he did with selflessness, passion and full dedication.
People like Major General Lakshmipathi have made the life of the present day nuclear medicine professionals working in India easy by streamlining the procedures, rules and regulations during the formative years of the specialty in the country. Yet I doubt, how many of the present day Nuclear Medicine Physicians in India would know or even heard of Major General Lakshmipathi. These are the people through their hard work and dedication have entrenched nuclear medicine in India on very strong footing. They have trained and educated numerous people, who are now practicing the specialty; not only in India but around the world, especially in some of the developed countries like USA and UK.
The World Association of Radiopharmaceutical and Molecular Therapy (WARMTH) through the years have made it a tradition to honour such individuals (from the countries/regions where the meetings are held) at each of its Annual International Conferences on Radiopharmaceutical Therapy (ICRTs) with "Life-time Achievement Awards". General Lakshmipathi was the recipient of such an award in the year 2008 at Goa, India, along with several other stalwarts from India.
I consider myself privileged to have known Major General Lakshmipathi and to have had the opportunity to work and collaborate with him during the formative years of my life as a nuclear medicine physician. I on behalf of his numerous students, colleagues and friends would like to express our gratitude to one of the best known nuclear medicine professionals of India, not only for what he had given us from the scientific point of view; but also for his care and very warm feelings, which will remain with us forever. We are truly blessed for having been able to share our moments of happiness as well as difficulties, where Major General Lakshmipathi always had the right words and the support we needed. An extraordinary personality, a wonderful colleague and above all a good human being - Major General Lakshmipathi will remain in our hearts forever. Our deepest condolences for the loss of a great teacher and a good soul are expressed to his family, friends and colleagues.
[Figure 1]
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