Visvanathan, Komaluru Radhakrishna (1929 - 2021)
by
 
Kishore Visvanathan

Asset Name
E010056 - Visvanathan, Komaluru Radhakrishna (1929 - 2021)

Title
Visvanathan, Komaluru Radhakrishna (1929 - 2021)

Author
Kishore Visvanathan

Identifier
RCS: E010056

Publisher
The Royal College of Surgeons of England

Publication Date
2022-01-18
 
2022-02-17

Subject
Medical Obituaries

Description
Obituary for Visvanathan, Komaluru Radhakrishna (1929 - 2021), Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England.

Language
English

Source
IsPartOf Plarr's Lives of the Fellows

Date of Birth
3 September 1929

Place of Birth
Salem, Tamil Nadu, India

Date of Death
16 September 2021

Place of Death
Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Occupation
General surgeon

Titles/Qualifications
MB BS Madras 1954
 
FRCPS 1966
 
FRCS 1967
 
FRCSC

Details
Komaluru Radhakrishna Visvanathan, known as ‘Vishy’, was a general surgeon in Estevan, Saskatchewan, Canada. He was born in Salem, Tamil Nadu, India on 3 September 1929, the second of eight children of K V Radhakrishna and Mahalakshmi. He studied medicine in Madras and qualified in 1954. He travelled to the United Kingdom to pursue further surgical training and was proud to have attained the fellowships of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow and the Royal College of Surgeons of England in 1966 and 1967 respectively. Vishy and Margaret (née Turner) met in Burnley, Lancashire in 1955. He told the story of seeing a young nurse in the operating room and being smitten by ‘a pair of beautiful blue eyes above a surgical mask’. They were married on 20 November 1959. His medical training took them to several cities in England and Scotland. They immigrated to Canada in 1967 and he established a medical practice in Estevan, Saskatchewan. Soon he achieved his fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. He had a busy general and surgical practice until his retirement in 1994. He was committed to professional development throughout his career. Even though he was nearing retirement, he sought out training in endoscopy and laparoscopic surgery, to provide the best care for his patients. He served as president of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan in 1980. He was proud to be a Canadian citizen and often said ‘Canada has been very good to me’. His dedication to his patients made him much loved and respected in the community. Many patients became close friends. A much-sought-after invitation was to attend one of Vishy’s basement slideshows. In a time before the Internet, digital cameras and regular international travel, a narrated travelogue of adventures in India was fascinating and exotic. While he enjoyed sharing the culture of his homeland, he wholeheartedly embraced the customs of his adopted home. He and a group of close friends enjoyed an annual fishing trip to the remote Wollaston Lake in northern Saskatchewan. He also purchased a motorhome and took his family on many trips exploring North America. Vishy lived the Rotary motto of ‘Service above self’. He served as president of Estevan Rotary Club and was district deputy grand master of the Masonic lodge. Vishy and Margaret moved to Calgary in 1995. This allowed him to further pursue his interests in photography, gardening, golf and Indian classical music. While in Estevan, his photography hobby led him to build his own darkroom, where he developed and printed his own pictures. During retirement, he became interested in digital photography. Ever curious and eager to learn new things, he embraced the new technology and edited his photographs digitally. His face lit up whenever he was with or spoke about his grandchildren. Vishy kept close track of each one’s pursuits and progress. He died on 16 September 2021 at the age of 92, and was survived by Margaret, his wife of 62 years, sons Kishore, Raman and Nandha, and nine grandchildren. This kind and generous man will be remembered for his ready smile, warm heart, wisdom and love for his family.

Sources
McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes Komaluru Radhakrishna ‘Vishy’ Visvanathan https://mhfh.com/tribute/details/34061/Komaluru-Visvanathan/obituary.html – accessed 9 February 2022

Rights
Copyright (c) The Royal College of Surgeons of England
 
Image Copyright (c) Image reproduced with kind permission of the Visvanathan family

Collection
Plarr's Lives of the Fellows

Format
Obituary

Format
Asset

Asset Path
Root/Lives of the Fellows/E010000-E010999/E010000-E010099

URL for File
385318

Media Type
JPEG Image

File Size
70.49 KB