Dr. R. Sivaraman, Padma Shri
Surgeon & Pioneer of Geriatric Surgery in Tamil Nadu
The elderly patient looked anxious as he was wheeled into the ward.
“Doctor, at my age… is surgery really safe? Will I survive it?”
Dr. R. Sivaraman sat beside the bed and spoke with quiet reassurance. “Age is only a number. What matters is how carefully we prepare, how precisely we operate, and how well we care for you afterwards. We will treat you with the same respect and skill as any younger patient.”
That philosophy guided his life’s work and helped establish geriatric surgery as a distinct specialty in Tamil Nadu.
Born in Manakkal, Ayyampettai village in Thanjavur district, R. Sivaraman completed his MBBS from Thanjavur Medical College and his MS in General Surgery from Madras Medical College (MMC). He served in both institutions in various capacities, rising to become Professor and Head of Geriatric Surgery, Medical Superintendent, and later Dean at Madras Medical College.
In 1983, at a time when surgery on older patients was often approached with hesitation, he created a dedicated Department of Geriatric Surgery at MMC—the first of its kind in the state. He recognised that ageing bodies required specialised assessment, modified surgical techniques, and attentive post-operative care. Through systematic work he demonstrated that carefully selected elderly patients could undergo major surgery safely and recover well.
He also founded Sushrutha, a Geriatric Surgical Society that organised health camps in rural areas, taking specialised surgical care and awareness beyond the big cities. After retirement he continued to contribute as Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Medical) at SRM University.
His work was recognised with the Padma Shri in 2009. He received the Lifetime Achievement Award twice from the Indian Ageing Congress and was awarded an honorary Doctor of Science by the Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. Medical University in 2008.
Colleagues remembered him as a dedicated teacher and administrator who never lost sight of the human being behind the diagnosis.
“The elderly are not simply older versions of the young,” he would tell his students. “They carry a lifetime of experience and deserve care that is both scientifically sound and deeply respectful.”
Dr. R. Sivaraman passed away in November 2018 at the age of 74. The department he founded, the society he built, and the generations of surgeons he trained continue to serve older patients across Tamil Nadu with the same spirit of careful, compassionate care he championed.
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