Dr. V. V. Muthusamy (affectionately known as VVM or Dr. Muthusamy) was a pioneering cardiologist whose life embodied compassion, wisdom, and quiet revolution in Indian medicine. Born in the mid-20th century in Tamil Nadu, he pursued his MBBS in 1969, followed by an MD in Medicine in 1975, and specialized further with a DM in Cardiology in 1984. He became Madurai’s first cardiologist, establishing cardiology as a dedicated specialty in a city where heart care had previously fallen under general medicine. Over more than five decades, he practiced at various hospitals, including associations with Madurai Medical College, where he served as a clinician, teacher, and mentor, shaping generations of doctors.

To the medical community, he was a distinguished figure: a Fellow of the Indian Academy of Echocardiography (FIAE), a respected voice on hypertension (having served as president of the Indian Society of Hypertension at one point), and a clinician known for his expertise in echocardiography, interventional approaches when they emerged, and holistic patient care. Yet, those who knew him best remember a man who stripped medicine of its grandeur and made it profoundly human.

His story intertwines deeply with the life of Dr. PK Gupta, a psychiatrist from Madurai, whose tribute highlights the personal impact VVM had.

Early in his career at Rajaji Government Hospital in Madurai, Dr. Muthusamy served as Assistant Resident Medical Officer (ARMO). There, he frequently collaborated with engineers on hospital infrastructure, including one senior PWD civil engineer, Thiru MS Chellamuthu—Dr. Gupta’s father. Their professional exchanges planted the first seeds of a lifelong connection.

Years later, when young medical student PK Gupta grappled with career choices—torn between cardiothoracic surgery, ENT, or psychiatry—Dr. Muthusamy stepped in as guide.

One afternoon in the college corridors, Dr. Muthusamy pulled the hesitant student aside.

“PK, cardiothoracic surgery is heroic, but it’s grueling and narrow,” he said gently. “ENT has its charms, but the field is crowded. Psychiatry? That’s where the future lies. Minds will matter as much as bodies in the coming decades. Don’t chase the scalpel—chase understanding.”

Still unsure, Dr. Muthusamy arranged a meeting with Dr. G. Venkataswamy (Dr. V), the visionary founder of Aravind Eye Hospital.

As they sat in Dr. V’s simple office, the elder doctor listened to the young man’s doubts.

“Medicine isn’t just fixing what’s broken,” Dr. V told him. “It’s restoring wholeness. If your heart pulls you to minds, follow it—there’s no greater service.”

That conversation, orchestrated by Dr. Muthusamy, nudged PK toward psychiatry, forever altering his path.

Decades on, when tragedy struck Dr. Gupta’s family—losing his father, brother, and cousin in road accidents, then his daughter Selvi’s severe fire accident, followed by his own health crises (emergency appendectomy, fracture, and a terrifying abnormal ECG suggesting cardiac trouble)—Dr. Muthusamy became more than a doctor. He became family.

When the ECG raised alarms, Dr. Muthusamy turned Dr. Gupta’s home into an impromptu ICU, monitoring him round the clock.

“You’re not just a patient, PK,” he said firmly one night, adjusting the oxygen mask. “You’re family. We’ll get through this.”

He personally arranged for Dr. Gupta to see his own revered teacher, the legendary cardiologist Dr. C. Thanikachalam at Apollo Hospitals in Chennai—a feat, given the senior doctor’s packed schedule.

In the cath lab the next day, after the angiogram showed a structurally normal heart, Dr. Thanikachalam sat with them.

“This isn’t your heart failing, Doctor,” he told Dr. Gupta. “It’s your spirit carrying too much sorrow. Medicine alone won’t heal this.”

He referred him to yoga master Dr. T. K. V. Desikachar.

Dr. Gupta hesitated. “Sir, I’m an allopathic doctor—yoga for heart issues?”

Dr. Muthusamy smiled. “Try it, PK. True healing doesn’t fit in one box.”

Those yoga sessions taught Dr. Gupta the power of breath, stillness, and holistic care—principles he later wove into his psychiatric practice.

Dr. Muthusamy lived his philosophy: Be simple. Listen more than you speak. Treat every patient as a teacher, every symptom as a lesson. Make hospitals welcoming—because a patient’s first smile marks the start of healing. Accessibility and empathy weren’t add-ons; they were duties.

He practiced until his final days, touching lives quietly.

On January 8, 2026, Dr. V. V. Muthusamy passed away, leaving a void in Madurai’s medical landscape and in countless hearts.

He is survived by his family, including his son and daughter, both doctors carrying forward his legacy of compassionate care.

In an era of superspecialization and speed, Dr. Muthusamy reminded us that the finest medicine is delivered with humanity. As Dr. Gupta reflects, some shape your knowledge—others shape your soul. Dr. VVM did both, quietly, forever.