Udupi: Renowned Gynaecologist Dr Padma Rao Passes Away

Media Release

Udupi, Nov 3: Dr A Padma Rao, a renowned gynaecologist passed away on Thursday November 3 at her residence in Manipal. She was 85.

Dr Padma's name is synonymous with maternal and child care. She was a much loved and respected teacher and founder and visionary of maternal health services in Udupi district. She established the OBG department at Kasturba Hospital and was instrumental in building up the department and the hospital. She served as its HOD for several years.

Well-known for being a great teacher she leaves behind numerous students and patients who would forever remember her. She was a pioneer in lapariscopic surgery. Married to ex-dean of KMC Dr A Krishna Rao she leaves behind three children, all renowned doctors in Manipal - Dr Girija, Dr Gowri and Dr Shubhageetha - five grand children and three great grand children.

District incharge minister Dr V S Acharya, U R Sabhapathi, MLA Raghphathi Bhat, former Mahila Samaj president Sadhana Kini, Udupi Manipal Rotary Club presidents, members and many others from the district condoled the sad demise of Dr Padma Rao.

Achievements of Dr Padma Rao

- First to perform laparoscopic sterilization in India (year 1971) and to simplify the technique of laparoscopy.

- Served as the first Indian representative of the American Association of 'Gynecological Laparoscopists (AAGL) of Los Angeles, California, from 1972 to 1976.

- Awarded "Lifetime Achievement Millennium award" at All India Level by All India Federation of OBG at Lucknow in Dec 1999 (One among 29 Gynecologists of India).

Orations

Oration at l0th Annual Conference of Bengal Obst. and Gynaec. Society at Calcutta, 1984 - "Drugs in Pregnancy".

Dr Ida Scudder Oration at Christian Medical College, Vellore, in February, 1985 "Changing Trends in Obstetrics and Gynecology"

 Dr M.D. Adatia Oration at the Annual Conference of Bombay Obst. and Gyn., ' Society in June, 1985 - "Neglected Contraceptive device - IUCD".

 Oration at Silver Jubilee Celebration of Nagpur Obst. and Gyn. Society on 10th' Oct. 1985 on "Endoscopy"

 Dr S.T. Watve Oration at Kolhapur- Zonal Maharashtra Conference of Obst. and Gyn. August, 1989 - "IUGR".

 KSOG Oration at Hubli in September 1989 - "Changing Trends in the Management of Menopause".

 "Sushruta Oration" At Annual Conference of Women Doctors' Association of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry at Ramanathapuram on 4-2-1990 - "Prevention of Hazards of Menopause."

Oration at Surat Obst. and Gyn. Society in September, 1991 - "Diabetes in Pregnancy".

Oration at Inauguration of Indian Academy of Human Reproduction, Cochin in February 1993 - "Graffian Follicle".

Indira Ramamurthy Oration at Annual Conference of South India Obst. and Gyn. Society at Madras in Feb. 1993 - "Evolution of Steroidal Contraceptive".

FOGSI - Oration Dec 1996 - topic `Pregnancy Wastage - a dilemma, Annual Conference PUNE.

Dr Leela Dubey Memorial Oration - July 1997 - "Peoples Role in Safe Motherhood".

Dr Dharwar Memorial Oration at Gulberga, - topic "Endometriosis" in Sept98.
Posts Held in FOGSI

Senior Vice- President, FOGSI (1978 - 1979)

President, Manipal Obst. & Gynaec, Society, From 1973 - 1995 (22 years)

Chapters Written in Books and Monograms

Etiology of IUGR-Monogram on IUGR.

Editor: N.N. Roy Chowdhury, Calcutta, 1981.

"Maternal Diabetes in Perinatal Mortality" - Monogram on "Recent Trends in Perinatology",

Editors: Dr Jayashree Roy Chowdhury and Prof. N.N. Roy Chowdhury, Calcutta, 1983.

"Interception" - Current Practice of Obst. and Gyn. by FOGSI 1992 and Principles and Practice of Obst.& Gyn. for Postgraduates by FOGSI 1996.

"Ethical and Social Implications of Infertility Management" in Infertility Update Editors: Versant B. Patwardhan and Mehroo D. Hansotia, By FOGSI 1994.

Papers Reviewed in WHO Bibliography

"Laparoscopic Sterilisation, under Local Anesthesia"

 - Internal Seminar on Family Planning, New Delhi, March 1972 - Reviewed in "Medical Times", May, 1972

 - Reviewed in WHO Bibliography, Special Supplement No. 6, on "Sterilization on Male and Female", 1975.

 Abortion and Socio-Economic Status.

 - 61st Session, Indian Science Congress, Nagpur, January, 1974

 - Transaction of Scientific Papers by India Fertility Research Programme, Dec. 1974 p. 179. - Reviewed in WHO Bibliography, Special Supplement "Abortion" No -7, 1976.

 Experience with laparoscopy in Developing Country

 - IV th Asian Congress on Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Kuala Lumpur, July, 1974. - WHO Bibliography on Human Reproduction, April, 1975

 - WHO Bibliography on Human Reproduction Special Supplement No. 6, 1975 on "Sterilisation- Male and Female",

 Medical Termination of Pregnancy and its impact on Family Planning

 - 2nd Transaction of Scientific Papers of the Conference of India Fertility Research Programme, Bombay, March, 1975

 - WHO Bibliography Special Supplement No. 7. 1976 on "Abortion".

 Three Hundred Laparoscopic Electric Coagulation of Tubes using air.

 - Proceedings of second International Seminar on Maternal and Perinatal Mortality, Family Planning and Sterilization, Bombay.

 WHO Bibliography Special Supplement No. 6 . 1975, 1975, "One Hundred Female Sterilization by Laparoscopic Electric Coagulation followed " for 3 yrs.

 19th All India Obstetrical and Gyn. Congress. Jamshedpur, Dec. 1975

 - Published in Antiseptic, Nov. 1976

 Reviewed in WHO Bibliography on Human Reproduction No. 4, 1975, WHO Special Supplement No. 6, 1975 on "Sterilization - Male and Female.