Kakarla Subba Rao
Kakarla Subba Rao FRCR, FACR, FICP, FSASMA, FCCP, FICR, FCGP, (Telugu: కాకర్ల సుబ్బారావు) is a bone radiologist and former Director of Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences in Hyderabad.[1][2][3][4]
Early life
Born in an agricultural family at Pedamuttevi, in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh, on 25 January 1925; he had his early schooling at S.R. High School, Challapalli and The Hindu College at Machilipatnam, between 1937 and 1944.
He joined the Andhra Medical College at Vizag and obtained his MBBS degree in 1950. He married Adusumilli Jhansi Lakshmi Bai from Pedamuttevi, Andhra Pradesh.
Life in the US
Having completed his internship at K G Hospital, Vizag in 1951, Rao left for the US for higher studies, on a special scholarship.
He cleared the American Medical Board Exam in Radiology in 1955. Rao worked as a 'special fellow' in Radiology at New York and Baltimore from 1954 to 1956.
Rao came back to India in 1956 and joined the Osmania Medical College as an assistant professor in Radiology and also as assistant radiologist at Osmania General Hospital till 1962, when he became professor of radiology and chief radiologist.
In 1970 Rao left for the US again. Rao became a 'Fellow of Royal College of Radiologists (UK) in 1973. Till 1986 he was associated with the Faculty of Radiology at different medical institutions in America, rendered his valuable services and distinguished himself in the process. He retired as a professor in radiology from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York and its affiliated hospitals including Montefiore, Jacobi and Bronx-Lebanon. He was also involved in teaching as a guest lecturer in many hospitals throughout the United States and Canada. He was well known for winning multiple awards at the RSNA(Radiological Society of North America) as a member of the American College of Radiology and has published multiple books as well as articles on skeletal radiology, which was his speciality.
He was also the founder president of Telugu Association of North America (TANA), an umbrella organisation for Telugu speaking people in the United States.[5] He was also actively involved in the establishment of one of the first Hindu temples in the state of New York, The Ganesha Temple in Flushing, Queens, New York.
Back in India
He returned to India from the US in 1986, when the then Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh N. T. Rama Rao, requested all the eminent Telugus settled in the US to return and serve their brethren. Upon returning he joined Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences, popularly known as NIMS, which would have never attained prestigious status without Rao, a world-renowned radiologist.
Established by the Nizam, the institute was known as Nizam Orthopedic Hospital till Rao, took its reins and rebuilt it as a premier health care institute in the state, on par with the corporate hospitals.[6] Today, NIMS is prestigious medical institute of excellence in patient service, education, training and research.
He published several books on radiology, edited different journals and delivered many lectures. Rao has presented many papers at medical conferences, workshops and scientific seminars in India and abroad, winning umpteen number of awards and accolades in a career spanning over five decades. The Indian Radiological and Imaging Association has conferred on him the prestigious 'Radiologist of the Millennium' award in the year 2000, in recognition of his contributions to the field of Radiology.
The Government of India honoured Rao with the Padma Shri on 26 January 2000, in recognition of his valuable contributions in the field of medicine.[7]
The AP Chapter of the Indian Radiological and Imaging Association, felicitated him with the 'Lifetime Achievement Award' on 17 March 2001. His philosophy in his own words is "I pass through this life only once, let me do the maximum good to the largest number of people." In addition to serving the State of Andhra Pradesh in India in an official capacity, Kakarla also built a school in Hyderabad named the International School. One of the most prestigious private schools in Hyderabad, from K-10. He established the KREST foundation to encourage research in radiology and has been a major player in establishing various other educational institutions in India.
References
- ↑ "Dr. Kakarla's profile".
- ↑ "Dr. Kakarla Subba Rao – a Profile".
- ↑ "Dr. Rao formally hands over charge of Director, NIMS". Chennai, India: The Hindu. 9 July 2004.
- ↑ "Tele-Radiology set up of Kakarla Subba Rao Radiological and Imaging Educational Sciences Trust(KREST), Hyderabad".
- ↑ "Past Presidents of TANA". Telugu Association of North America.
- ↑ "Dr. Rao formally hands over charge of Director, NIMS". Chennai, India: The Hindu. 9 July 2004.
- ↑ "Padma Awards" (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2015. Retrieved July 21, 2015.