Renowned AIIMS Cardiologist Dr P Venugopal contribution to cardiac surgery— and how it transformed the institute

Senior doctors remember Dr P Venugopal’s journey in medicine, marked by academic brilliance.

Dr Venugopal was cremated at Lodhi Garden crematorium, where senior AIIMS doctors gathered to pay their respects and honour his immense contributions to the field of cardiac surgery. (File)

Dr Panangipalli Venugopal, a pioneering figure in Indian cardiac surgery who performed the country’s first heart transplant and conducted over 50,000 heart surgeries, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 82. Born in Rajahmundry, Andhra Pradesh, Dr Venugopal was instrumental in introducing modern cardiac surgery techniques to India in the 1970s. He served as the head of the Cardiothoracic Centre at AIIMS and later became dean and director, leaving behind a lasting legacy in Indian medicine.

Dr Venugopal was cremated at Lodhi Garden crematorium, where senior AIIMS doctors gathered to pay their respects and honour his immense contributions to the field of cardiac surgery.

Paying his tribute, AIIMS Director Dr Srinivas highlighted Dr Venugopal’s transformative role in expanding AIIMS and establishing the prestigious Cardio Neuro Centre (CNC). “Dr Venugopal had a clear vision for AIIMS and was deeply committed to patient care,” Dr Srinivas said. “The excellence we see in the CNC today—in patient services, teaching, research, and innovation—stems from his leadership. If the CNC has risen to become the top centre at AIIMS, it’s a testament to the foundation he built and the standards he set for all of us.”

Dr Venugopal’s groundbreaking work as a cardiac surgeon earned him national acclaim when he performed India’s first successful human cardiac transplant. His achievements were recognized by the Indian Parliament, and he was awarded the Padma Bhushan. “But more than the prestigious accolades, Dr Venugopal valued the grateful words of thanks from the hundreds of patients whose hearts he mended and whose lives he saved,” recalled Prof. K Srinath Reddy, former head of the Department of Cardiology at AIIMS.

Dr Venugopal’s journey in medicine was marked by academic brilliance. He was a top-ranking student at AIIMS, later pursuing postgraduate studies in surgery at PGI Chandigarh and earning his MCh in Cardiothoracic Surgery at AIIMS. His training continued abroad, where he studied at Buffalo and later at Houston, under the renowned cardiac surgeon Dr Denton Cooley.

Upon the retirement of his mentor, Prof. N Gopinath, Dr Venugopal became the head of cardiothoracic surgery at AIIMS and eventually rose to the position of Director. Prof. Reddy recalled, “He tirelessly worked round the clock—whether in the operating theatre, post-op care, outpatient clinics, or administrative offices. Even late in life, he never took the summer and winter vacations that AIIMS faculty were entitled to.”

Prof Reddy also remembered Dr Venugopal’s unwavering commitment to academic freedom at AIIMS. “He wasn’t afraid to challenge authority to uphold the dignity and autonomy of the institution,” he said, referencing the conflict between Dr Venugopal and then-Health Minister Dr. Ambumani Ramadoss in 2004. “His dismissal by the AIIMS Institute Body, driven by political tensions, was eventually overturned by the court. The AIIMS community hailed him as a valiant champion of the institution.”

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Dr Balram Bhargava, former Director-General of the Indian Council of Medical Research and ex-chief of the Cardiothoracic Centre at AIIMS, remembered Dr Venugopal as an innovator and a mentor. “Once Dr Venugopal had faith in you, he would support you in setting up something new for AIIMS and the country. He was instrumental in establishing the Centre of Excellence for Stem Cell Studies, the Stanford India BioDesign Programme, and Coronary Brachytherapy for Stent Restenosis,” Dr. Bhargava said.

Dr Bhargava also praised Dr. Venugopal’s leadership in building India’s foremost centre for cardiac surgery and heart transplantation. “He was a brilliant surgeon, a visionary leader, and one of the fathers of cardiac surgery in India. He trained nearly half of the cardiac surgeons in the country. Open heart surgery is a complex, collaborative effort, and his ability to lead and innovate speaks volumes of his contributions to the field.”

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. ``Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) "Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. ``At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure "For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. ``Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions X (Twitter): @runaanu ... Read More

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