By Syed Akbar
A clinical cardiologist and epidemiologist by training, Prof K Srinath Reddy is internationally renowned for his unstinting services to public health and rare career commitment to preventive cardiology.
Prof Srinath Reddy has several outstanding feats to his credit as a cardiologist and public health expert, but argues that unlike in competitive sports, one cannot ever claim to be on the top, in the field of medicine. Nevertheless, he agrees that "my work has won national and international recognition in the past 16 years".
Inspired by Dr Norman Bethune, a Canadian doctor who served in China, he decided to contribute lifelong, as a health professional, "to improve the lives of people and help to create a healthier India".
Prof Srinath Reddy graduated from Osmania Medical College, Hyderabad and later trained at AIIMS, Delhi. Before he took up the present task of presidentship of the Public Health Foundation of India, he headed
the cardiology department at AIIMS.
He has been involved in several major international and national research studies including the INTERSALT global study of blood pressure and electrolytes, on epidemiology of coronary heart disease and community control of rheumatic heart disease and on risk factors of myocardial infarction.
"A good doctor needs competence, commitment and conscientiousness in professional work while combining care, courtesy and compassion in dealing with patients and their families. I have tried to imbibe and apply these attributes in my work," says simple-looking Prof Srinath Reddy.
Always busy with his profession, he reads books, listen to music and watch old English and Hindi films whenever he gets "free" time. He has served on many WHO expert panels. He has also served as chair of the
scientific council on epidemiology of the World Heart Federation. He has more than 210 scientific publications. He was conferred Padma Bhushan. The Royal Society for the Promotion of Health, UK, conferred on him the award of the Queen Elizabeth Medal.
"Indians are quick learners usually," he says adding "but not always, apply themselves diligently to the completion of any task they take up". They also have the capacity for lateral thinking, which helps them to become effective problem solvers.
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