 Most
of the Radiologists and specialist doctors of Hyderabad
took off from their hectic schedule on March 17 2001,
to attend the felicitation ceremony of Dr Kakarla Subba
Rao, world renowned radiologist and present Director,
Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS). As a
result, the venue of the felicitation, Ravindra Bharati,
was flooded with Dr Subba Rao's well wishers, students
- present and former, eminent doctors, their family members
and all those who knew Dr Rao for the last fifty years.
The felicitation ceremony was organised by AP Chapter
of Indian Radiological and Imaging Association.
Welcoming the guests, Prof. B Rama Subbarayudu, Chairman
of Felicitation committee and Vice-president of IRIA AP
Chapter said, "It was two years ago that IRIA decided
to institute a 'Lifetime Achievement Award' to
present it to its members who contributed their mite for
development of radiology and present the first such award
to Dr Kakarla Subba Rao, who has been excelling
and enriching the field of Radiology for the last 50 years."
There were several dignitaries from all fields of work
who were eager
to express their feelings and share experiences of working
with Dr Rao during the last five decades. But due to lack
of time, only a few of them were allowed to speak for
only two minutes. Most of the speakers who came with lengthy
speech copies with them cut their words to fit into the
time frame, while others turned poetic and expressed their
feelings with the help of poems, ghazals and shairs.
Prasanna, CEO, Wipro GE Medical Systems said,
"Dr Kakarla was responsible for bringing the first
MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) machine into the country."
Dr Soma Raju, eminent cardiologist and promoter
of Care Hospitals praised Dr Kakarla as the man
who brought culture into the field of medicine. Dr Soma
Raju, a student of Dr Kakarla, who worked with him at
NIMS quoted several examples regarding Kakarla's discipline.
P Ramchandra Reddy, Ex-speaker of AP, who spoke on behalf
of public praised Dr Kakarla as a noble personality who
always worked for the poor people and the development
of NIMS from a mere orthopedic hospital to a Super Specialty
Hospital in the Public Sector and a Deemed University,
which brings out and nurtures hidden talents of the students
and makes them into gems like Dr Soma Raju.
While reading out the citation Dr K D Wakeel, a
member of IRIA, said, "Dr Kakarla Subba Rao is a
legend in his life. With contributing 50 years of his
valuable life for the development of Radiology, he has
reached the zenith of the profession."
 After
presenting the "Lifetime Achievement Award",
Governor
C Rangarajan complemented the eminent radiologist
for his outstanding contribution to several areas of medicine.
Mr Rangarajan said there could be no better model than
Dr Subba Rao for young medical professionals to follow.
He had time and again drawn the attention of the medical
profession to the fact that medicine was not only a profession
but a mode of service to the people.
 Responding
to the felicitation,
Dr Subba Rao said, "The medical field has expanded
so rapidly but still there is no proper method to scale
the human emotions. I am short of words to express my
gratitude. My mother gave me courage, from my father I
got leadership qualities, my wife, family, friends, all
contributed to my successful 50 year career. I never dreamt
of becoming a doctor. In my school days I wanted to be
a Telugu Pandit, but when I entered the college the influence
of Satyagraha movement tilted me towards politics, later
I thought of joining in an engineering course but ultimately
I landed in the medical field. Then, I wanted to be a
surgeon but fascinated by radiology, I opted for it, at
a time when nobody was interested to take up the specialisation.
I served 50 years as a radiologist, and now everybody
is asking me about my future. I spent my first 30 years
of life for study, next 30 years in earning and I want
to spend my last 30 years in serving the people."
As soon as he finished his speech, several well wishers
of Dr Rao, presented him with bouquets and heavy garlands
as a token of their love and affection towards him. |
