Daijiworld Media Network - Shivamogga (SP)
Shivamogga, Oct 1: Highly respected psychiatrist from the city and chairman of Karnataka Mentall Health Task Force Authority, Dr K A Ashok Pai, breathed his last late night on Thursday September 29 at Scotland due to heart attack. He was 69.
Dr Pai has left behind wife Rajani Pai and daughter Dr Preethi Pai.
Dr Pai, who was operating 'Manasa Nursing Home' in the city had earned a name for himself in the country and abroad through treatment of tough cases, writing a number of articles which were easy to understand even by common people on mental health. He used to get invites from various international bodies to deliver speeches at their programmes. He had bagged several awards including B C Roy award.
Dr Pai was in Scotland to take part in a symposium on mental health there. At around 7 pm Scotland time, he complained of severe chest pain when relaxing in hotel room in the company of his wife. He immediately suffered heart attack thereafter. His wife contacted hotel staff and arranged to rush him to hospital but he was not alive by the time medical team attended to him.
As procedures like postmortem have to be complied with, and also as Indian embassy office at Scotland had holiday on Friday, his mortal remains might reach his hometown on Sunday, sources said.
Dr Pai had also forayed into cinema and produced films under his banner, 'Manasa Arts'. Movies like 'Kaadina Benki', 'Prathama Ushakirana' and 'Aaghatha' based on mental health stories authored by him and produced by him had bagged national awards.