Ramesh Nigam was founder professor and head of the department of surgery at the Maulana Azad Medical College, Delhi, India, and a distinguished vascular surgeon. Born on 12 August 1920, his father had served in the Indian Medical Service, and then became professor of surgery at the King George's Medical College, Lucknow. His mother was Indrani Kunwar. He was educated at La Martinière Boys School, and at Jubilee College, Lucknow, and went to Guy's to study medicine in 1937. At the outbreak of the second world war, he found himself on his summer vacation in India and, unable to return, he finished his medical education at the King George's Medical College, Lucknow, qualifying with honours in the MB BS and with all 17 gold and silver medals awarded by the university. He held junior posts as demonstrator and lecturer in surgery at King George's Medical College. After the war, he returned to England to sit for the FRCS and was awarded the Hallett prize in the primary in 1946, passing the final in the same year.