We would all agree that the life of a medical professional is a challenging one. What’s more intriguing is that, many of them not only efficiently balance between their personal and professional lives but also do tremendous work in different other arenas of life as well. This section will take you beyond a doctor’s routine and familiarize you with some of their lesser known facets.
Dr. Kannan. D, M.S, M.CH (Gastro), FRCS (Glasg)
Chief Surgical Gastroenterologist
Kauvery Hospital
Dr. D. Kannan was born in an agricultural family background in a village called Reddipatti near Namakkal. His father was in government service and was in a transferable job and so studied in different schools in Trichy, Tiruvarur, Pattukottai, Thanjavur and Rasipuram. After his school final in Government High School in Rasipuram he joined PUC in the prestigious St.Joseph’s College, Trichy. Joined MBBS at The prestigious Madras medical college in the year 1975. Received merit scholarship throughout MBBS for the marks in the School final examination (SSLC). He played all out door games and was a keen sportsman. Captained the college hockey team and played in the inter-medical sports events in other places like Manipal, Amritsar, etc.
Completed his M.S., in General surgery in 1986 under Prof.N. Rangabashyam again in MMC and was a pet student of Prof.N.R.
Joined Govt.service at the Upgraded primary health centre, Perambakkam near Chennai in the year 1986 where he performed major surgeries possible under spinal anaesthesia without an anaesthetist support.His contribution to the village was so much they still come back to him for medical treatment and consider him as a family member. In 1987 he joined Govt. General Hospital and Madras medical college as a tutor in surgery under Prof. Rangabashyam. After 10 months he moved over to Stanley Medical College hospital under Prof.R.P. Shanmugam who started the Department of Surgical Gastroenterology. Dr. Kannan was one of the pillars of the Department and was responsible for its meteoric growth.
Did M.ch Surgical Gastroenterology between 1993-1995 in MMC under Prof. Ahmed Ali and came back to Stanley medical college and continued till 2008.Dr.Kannan learned his surgical skills in the department and got married to a Stanlean Dr. Malarselvi who is a gynaecologist. Proud to say that he was a member of the team under Dr.R.P. Shanmugam who did the first successful liver transplant in a Govt.hospital in India .The department grew in strength and is recognised as a premier one in GI surgery in the country.
In 2008 was appointed as the first Professor of Surgical gastroenterology at Thanjavur medical college and after 10 months was transferred and posted in Govt.Royapettah hospital as Professor of Surgical Gastrenterology , Kilpauk Medical College. Here again developed the department so well it is doing an excellent work.
In 2012 he got transferred to Madras medical college and Govt. Rajiv Gandhi hospital as Professor of Surgical Gastroenterology. He was very popular among post graduate students and staff so much that they gifted him a golden scalpel with an inscription ‘The Greatest Surgeon of Our Times’ on his super annuation as Director of Institute of Surgical Gastroenterology, Madras Medical College in the year 2016.
He is a versatile open and laparoscopic surgeon with special interest in Hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgeries and has performed more than2000 pancreatic surgeries. He is one of the very few pancreatic surgeons in India with maximum work on pancreas and his presentations have received recognition in Singapore and Brazil world conferences as best papers. He has been an M.Ch examiner in many Universities.
He is a member of:
1. Association of Surgeons of India
2. Indian society of Gastroenterology
3. Tamil Nadu Chapter of Indian Society of Gastroenterology
4. Association of Minimal Access Surgeons of India
5. Indian Society of Hepato-Pancreatic Biliary Association
6. Indian Association of Endocrine Surgeons
* President elect of the Tamil Nadu Chapter of Indian Society of Gastroenterology
To his credit has authored a chapter in the text book of surgical gastroenterology by Sanjiv Haribakthi and published more than 30 articles in indexed Journals. He has delivered the prestigious Dr.Mathias and Dr.Vittal orations in the Annual Conference of the Association of Surgeons of India.
He received the best doctor award by the Government of Tamil Nadu in the year 2015.
He was awarded the best doctor award by the times group in Stalwarts category in 2018.
He was conferred the Honorary FRCS by the Royal college of Physicians and surgeons Glasgow in 2009.
Dr.D. Kannan is a consultant Surgical Gastroenterologist at Kauvery Hospital and still continues his academic work as Professor of Surgical Gastroenterology at Saveetha Medical College, where he established the department of Surgical Gastroenterology in 2017.
Dr.D. Kannan’s wife Dr. Malarselvi practices as a OBG and assists him in his surgeries. Daughter Neha Kannan is a software engineer working in New York and son Naveen Kannan is completing his MBBS at Madras Medical College.
