In the neurosurgical theatres of AIIMS and later Paras Hospitals, Dr. Veer Singh Mehta became known as a meticulous operator who specialised in some of the most delicate and high-stakes procedures in the human body. Born on 5 December 1949 in Rajasthan, he completed his MBBS and MS at SMS Medical College, Jaipur, before training in neurosurgery at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, under the guidance of pioneering figures such as Professors P.N. Tandon and A.K. Banerji.

He joined the AIIMS Department of Neurosurgery in 1981 as an Assistant Professor. Rising steadily, he became Professor in 1992, Head of the Department in 1994, and Chief of the Neurosciences Centre in 2001, a position he held until 2006. Under his leadership the centre grew into one of the leading neurosurgical facilities in India and South-East Asia. He was a pioneer of brachial-plexus injury surgery in the country, restoring function to arms damaged by trauma that many once considered irreversible. His results in brainstem tumour surgery, giant intracranial aneurysms and complex spinal tumours earned international recognition.

“The brain does not forgive carelessness,” he would tell residents in the operating room. “Every millimetre demands absolute respect.” He also introduced the concept of day-care and short-stay neurosurgery in India, reducing hospital stays without compromising safety. An elected Fellow of the National Academy of Medical Sciences, he served as President of the Neurological Society of India and of the association of South Asian Neurosurgeons. After leaving AIIMS he continued his work as Chairman of Neurosciences at Paras Hospitals, Gurugram, treating patients from across India and abroad.

In 2005 the Government of India awarded him the Padma Shri for his contributions to medicine. From a young surgeon from Rajasthan to one of the architects of modern Indian neurosurgery, Veer Singh Mehta’s career remains a story of precision, perseverance and a lifelong commitment to giving patients a second chance at movement, speech and life itself.