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Dr. Vallath Balakrishnan, Professor of Gastroenterology, left his earthly sojourn on 20th March 2018 at his residence in Kochi. He is survived by his wife Sarala Balakrishnan, son Balachandran Sreekandath, and daughter Vijaya Sreekandath. He was one of the pioneers of Gastroenterology in India and was instrumental in setting up the first Gastroenterology department in the state of Kerala at Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram. For his contribution to the development of the specialty of Gastroenterology, he was awarded the Dr. B. C. Roy National award in medicine by the President of India.

Prof. V Balakrishnan did his schooling at Thrissur. After his MBBS from Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram in 1958 and MD in General Medicine from Maulana Azad Medical College in 1963, he was one of the first two in India to obtain DM in Gastroenterology, which he did, from the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh. Subsequently, he underwent advanced training in gastroenterology as a WHO fellow in Edinburgh and London during 1974–75. He also served in the Army Medical Corps as a Medical Specialist and Major during the National Emergency of 1965 (Indo-Pakistan war) on emergency commission.

He initiated the Gastroenterology Department at the Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram in 1972 and strived hard to make it one of the best departments in the country. He served the department for nearly 18 years and became its Director. His department not only set a trend for starting several other specialties in Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram but also became a model for other medical colleges to emulate. He initiated a state-of-the-art research center which was known for its research on tropical pancreatitis. Prof. Balakrishnan’s research group also had collaborations with internationally acclaimed departments in France, UK, Japan, and the Netherlands. He is a pioneer in the specialty of Pancreatology in India and was also the National Coordinator for the India Pancreatitis study. He has published more than hundred scientific papers in peer-reviewed medical journals. He has also contributed to a large number of textbooks and monographs including international volumes. He was also a reviewer for several national and international journals.

After retiring from Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram, he joined as a consultant at Sree Sudheendra Hospital as well as a visiting teaching faculty at PVS Memorial Hospital, Kochi. Later he joined Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Kochi as the head of the Department of Gastroenterology. He continued his passion for research and teaching during this period. He was also the founder of the Cochin Gut club and The Kerala chapter of Indian Society of Gastroenterology in 1991.

He was a passionate teacher and astute clinician and is highly regarded by his students. The students who were trained by him at Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram and Amrita Institute have carried across the country and globe the high standards and ethical practice, which he insisted.

He was a prolific writer and has edited many books including Common Problems in Gastroenterology, Chronic Pancreatitis in India, Practical Gastroenterology, and Chronic Pancreatitis and Pancreatic Diabetes in India for the Indian Pancreatitis Study Group (IPANS) in 2006. His autobiographical memoirs “A Passion Named Life – Memoirs of a Physician” and “Fire in my Belly” traced his journey from a humble beginning to setting up a Gastroenterology department in the Government sector. The book is an inspiration read for any aspiring gastroenterologist.

Prof. V Balakrishnan was also awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Indian Society of Gastroenterology, Lifetime Achievement Award of the Association of Physicians of India (Kerala chapter), Dr. P N Chhuttani Oration Award of the Indian Society of Gastroenterology, Warner Oration Award of the Indian Society of Gastroenterology, Kerala Gastroenterology Forum Oration, and the Best Doctor Award of the Kerala State Government.

Apart from learning and practicing medicine, his other interests included extensive reading, writing, poetry, numismatics, and photography. He had a keen interest in history and philosophy as well. Throughout his life, he remained a humble man, an ardent advocate of ethical and humane medical practice and a great human being. He has left behind a lasting legacy and would be fondly remembered as the father of Gastroenterology of Kerala.