‘A teachers’ teacher’ | Dr D B Kadam passes away at 69: ‘His dedication was beyond compare, ever-smiling, never tired’

He passed away early Tuesday morning after a prolonged illness at Noble hospital. He was 69. Dr Kadam is survived by wife and son.

Dr Chetan Deshmukh, consultant physician at Deenanath and Jehangir hospitals, was associated with Dr Kadam since 1992 and recalled his days as a student and intern. “Dr Kadam was an astute clinician and despite senior stature and vast experience, he was easily approachable,” Dr Deshmukh said.

He also spoke about Dr Kadam’s extraordinary work ethic. “He would never complain and tirelessly attend to a wide variety of patients. His clinical rounds were a masterclass in medicine and had a unique knack of simplifying even the most complex theses,” Dr Deshmukh said, adding that Dr Kadam truly loved seeing patients. “Even during his illness, people would be waiting at his home waiting for reports and updates,” he recalled.

“Dr Kadam’s dedication to work is beyond compare, an ever-smiling face, never tired,” recalled Dr Sharada Rane, Professor and Head, Department of Pathology at B J Government Medical College. “Dr Kadam’s passing away is a huge loss. He was a physician par excellence, a humble human being and willing to help anyone. During the Covid 19-pandemic, he was the main pillar of the state’s Covid 19 task force and developed the Covid protocol and treatment that was accepted by the Indian Council of Medical Research and implemented later on,” Dr Rane said.

Dr Bhooshan Shukla, child and adolescent psychiatrist, remembered Dr Kadam as an astute clinician and teacher. “He was a teachers’ teacher. I remember him as someone who was quick to pick up a psychological issue in a patient at a busy government hospital OPD in a few seconds and convince the patient to seek help. This is a rare and highly valued quality in a doctor and teacher — 360 degree view of the patient as a person,” Dr Shukla said, adding that his deep baritone voice, hearty laughter and twinkling eyes will be missed by all students including him.

For Dr N P Rao, Chairman, Rao Nursing Home, Dr Kadam was more than a teacher. “He was a mentor, guide and true friend. From my undergraduate and postgraduate days,through my time as a lecturer at Sassoon General Hospital and later as I began my private practice, his wisdom and encouragement were always present. He generously devoted his busy evenings to the OPD at Rao Nursing home ,” Dr Rao said, adding his passing is a profound loss to all who had the privilege of learning from him and walking alongside his example of integrity and compassion in medicine.

Such was Dr Kadam’s personality that Dr Shripad Gokhale, anaesthetist, took to poetry to write a heartfelt tribute on the “troubleshooter and advisor to Deans and peers alike and there was no greater problem that Kadam Sir could not undo”. Several doctors like Dr Manish Kolge and Dr Pradip Awate, former state epidemiologist, recalled Dr Kadam’s contribution and said it was an irreparable loss.