R. Marthanda Varma
{{Short description|Indian neurosurgeon (died 2015)}}
{{about|an Indian neurosurgeon|other uses|Marthanda Varma (disambiguation)}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2017}}
{{Infobox person
| name = R. Marthanda Varma
| image =
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| caption =
| birth_date =
| birth_place = Mavelikkara, Kerala, India
| death_date = 10 March 2015
| death_place = Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| restingplace =
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| othername =
| occupation = Neurosurgeon
| yearsactive =
| known for = Varma's Technique (Neurosurgical procedure)
| spouse = Malathi
| domesticpartner =
| children = Two sons
| parents = Aswathynnal Kutty Amma Thampuran
| website =
| awards = Padma Shri
Rajyotsava Prashasti
IASSMD Distinguished Achievement Award
Citizen Extraordinary of Bangalore Award
Sir Visvesvaraya Award
}}
Ravivarma Marthanda Varma was an Indian neurosurgeon, one of the pioneers of Indian neurosurgery and the founder director of the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS).{{cite web | url=http://nimhans.ac.in/nimhans/past-directors | title=Dr. R Martanda Varma | publisher=NIMHANS | date=2015 | access-date=2 June 2015 | archive-date=15 May 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150515170406/http://nimhans.ac.in/nimhans/past-directors | url-status=dead }} He was the originator of a new surgical procedure for treating Parkinson's disease{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cnF-2KCeR1sC&q=%22varma%27s+technique%22+parkinson%27s&pg=PA168 | title=Textbook of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, Volume 1 | publisher=Springer | date=2015 | access-date=3 June 2015 |author1=Andres M. Lozano |author2=Philip L. Gildenberg |author3=Ronald R. Taske | isbn=9783540699590 }} which later came to be known as Varma's Technique.{{cite web | url=http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/mp/2003/03/27/stories/2003032701110200.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030507060535/http://thehindu.com/thehindu/mp/2003/03/27/stories/2003032701110200.htm | url-status=dead | archive-date=7 May 2003 | title=Man over mind | date=27 March 2003 | work=The Hindu | access-date=3 June 2015}} He was a former Deputy Director General of Health Services, Government of India and an honorary surgeon to R. Venkataraman, former president of India.{{cite web | url=http://www.mangalorean.com/bengaluru-dr-r-marthanda-varma-founder-director-of-nimhans-dies-at-93/ | title=R Marthanda Varma, Founder Director of NIMHANS, Dies at 93 | publisher=Mangalorean | date=12 March 2015 | access-date=2 June 2015}} He was honoured by the Government of India in 1972 with Padma Shri, the fourth highest Indian civilian award.{{cite web | url=http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf | title=Padma Shri | publisher=Padma Shri | date=2015 | access-date=11 November 2014 | archive-date=17 November 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171117004138/http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf | url-status=dead }}
Biography
Marthanda Varma was born in the Royal family of Mavelikkara{{cite web | url=http://www.evartha.in/english/2015/03/10/padmashri-dr-raja-martanda-varma-passesd-away.html | title=Padmashree Dr Raja Marthanda Varma Passed Away | publisher=E Varta | date=10 March 2015 | access-date=2 June 2015 | archive-date=12 September 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170912060115/http://www.evartha.in/english/2015/03/10/padmashri-dr-raja-martanda-varma-passesd-away.html | url-status=dead }}{{cite web | url=http://www.ndtv.com/bangalore-news/renowned-neurosurgeon-r-marthanda-varma-dies-at-93-in-bengaluru-745612 | title=Renowned Neurosurgeon R Marthanda Varma Dies at 93 in Bengaluru | publisher=ND TV | date=11 March 2015 | access-date=2 June 2015}} which had close family connections with the Travancore royal family, his mother, Aswathynaal Kutty Amma Thampuran, was the sister of the then Maharani of Travancore.{{cite web | url=https://inorite.wordpress.com/2010/07/19/the-third-princess/ | title=The Third Princess | publisher=Inorite | date=2015 | access-date=2 June 2015}} After graduating in medicine, he did master's course at the University of Bristol{{cite web | url=http://talent-kerala.net/previous/2003/jul/2.htm | title=Dr R M Varma | publisher=Talent Kerala | date=28 June 2002 | access-date=2 June 2015}} and completed the Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, becoming one of the first five neurosurgeons of India.{{cite news | url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/renowned-neurosurgeon-varma-dies-115031001354_1.html | title=Renowned neurosurgeon Varma dies | newspaper=Business Standard India | publisher=Business Standard | date=10 March 2015 | access-date=2 June 2015| agency=Press Trust of India }} He returned to India in 1958 and joined the All India Institute of Mental Health (AIIMH), a mental hospital based in Bangalore, Karnataka. as the professor of neurosurgery. He became the director of the institution in 1969 and held the post until 1974.
When the All India Institute of Mental Health was reconstituted as the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences with the participation from the state and central governments in 1974, Varma was chosen as its founder director, a post he retained until 1977. In 1977, he was appointed as the deputy director of Health Services by the Government of India for a one-year term. He returned to NIMHANS in 1978 and served as the director until his superannuation in 1979. He also served as the dean of the faculty of mental health and neurosciences of Bangalore University, as the advisor to the government of India on mental health and neurosurgery and as the honorary surgeon to R. Venkataraman, former President of India.
Varma was credited with research on Parkinson's disease and was known to have developed a minimally invasive technique for the control of the disease, the procedure now known as Varma's Technique. The procedure, first introduced in 1963 by Varma, involved accessing the subthaamic nucleaus in brain through foramen ovale using syringes{{cite journal | url=http://www.acnr.co.uk/may_june_08/ACNRMJ08_movement.pdf | title=Movement Disorders in India | author=UdayMuthane | journal=Advances in Clinical Neuroscience and Rehabilitation | date=May 2008 | volume=8 | issue=2 | pages=22–23 | access-date=3 June 2015 | archive-date=4 March 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304112730/http://www.acnr.co.uk/may_june_08/ACNRMJ08_movement.pdf | url-status=dead }} with the whole procedure lasting less than 20 minutes. He presented a paper on the technique at the international conference of Neurosurgeons at Copenhagen in 1965. He presented more than 40 medical papers in medical conferences and was credited with the publication of over 20 articles.
Marthanda Varma was married to Malathi, a lecturer at APS college and the couple had two sons.{{cite web | url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/bengaluru/NIMHANS-Founder-Director-Varma-No-More/2015/03/11/article2707966.ece | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151127140331/http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/bengaluru/NIMHANS-Founder-Director-Varma-No-More/2015/03/11/article2707966.ece | url-status=dead | archive-date=27 November 2015 | title=NIMHANS Founder Director Varma No More | publisher=Indian Express | date=11 March 2015 | access-date=2 June 2015}} The elder is Ravi Gopal Varma, also a neurosurgeon and the younger is Shashi Gopal Varma. He died on 10 March 2015 at M. S. Ramaiah Memorial Hospital, Bangalore, at the age of 93,{{cite web | url=http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/news/latest-news/dr-r-marthanda-varma-passes-away-159193.html | title=Dr R Marthanda Varma passes away | publisher=Mathrubhumi | date=10 March 2015 | access-date=2 June 2015 | archive-date=11 March 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150311014901/http://www.mathrubhumi.com/english/news/latest-news/dr-r-marthanda-varma-passes-away-159193.html | url-status=dead }} succumbing to age related illnesses.{{cite web | url=http://www.thegulfindian.net/nimhans-founder-dr-r-marthanda-varma-passes-away/ | title=NIMHANS' founder Dr. R Marthanda Varma passes away | publisher=The Gulf Indian | date=22 March 2015 | access-date=2 June 2015 }}{{Dead link|date=November 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{cite web | url=http://www.medindia.net/news/dr-r-marthanda-varma-pioneer-in-neuroscience-passed-away-147276-1.htm | title=Dr R Marthanda Varma, Pioneer in Neuroscience, Passed Away | publisher=Med India | date=11 March 2015 | access-date=2 June 2015}}
Varma also mentored many private hospitals in Bangalore, such as Mallige Medical Centre, Manipal Hospital, and MS Ramaiah Hospital. He was also an independent director at Mallige Medical Centre.{{cite web | url=http://www.mca.gov.in/mcafoportal/showdirectorMasterData.do | title=View Director Master Data DIN:00886787 | publisher=Ministry of Corporate Affairs | access-date=2 June 2017}}
Varma, an elected fellow of the National Academy of Medical Sciences,{{cite web | url=http://www.nams-india.in/downloads/fellowsmembers/ZZ.pdf | title=List of Fellows - NAMS | publisher=National Academy of Medical Sciences | date=2016 | access-date=19 March 2016}} received the Rajyotsava Prashasti from the government of Karnataka in 1969. The Government of India awarded him the civilian honour of Padma Shri in 1972 and he received the Distinguished Achievement Award from the World Congress of the International Association for the Scientific Study of Mental Deficiency (IASSMD) in 1982. He was also a recipient of the Citizen Extraordinary of Bangalore Award in 1967 and the Sir Visvesvaraya Award in 1998. The Neurological Society of Bangalore has instituted an annual oration award in his honour. He remained the Professor Emeritus of NIMHANS after his retirement until his death. He is also a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award of Madras Neuro Trust.{{Cite web |url=http://www.madrasneurotrust.org/lifetime-achivement.html |title=Madras Neuro Trust |access-date=16 August 2020 |archive-date=7 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200907203315/http://www.madrasneurotrust.org/lifetime-achivement.html |url-status=dead }}
{{portal|India|Medicine}}
References
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Further reading
- {{cite journal | title=Lidocaine and muscimol microinjections in subthalamic nucleus reverse parkinsonian symptoms |author1=Ron Levy |author2=Anthony E. Lang |author3=Jonathan O. Dostrovsky |author4=Peter Pahapill |author5=John Romas |author6=Jean Saint-Cyr |author7=William D. Hutchison |author8=Andres M. Lozano | journal=Brain |volume=124 |issue=10 | year=2001 | pages=2105–2118 | doi=10.1093/brain/124.10.2105|pmid=11571226 |doi-access=free }}
- {{cite journal | title=Movement Disorders in India | author=UdayMuthane | journal=Advances in Clinical Neuroscience and Rehabilitation |date=May 2008 | volume=8 | issue=2 | pages=22–23}}
- {{cite web | title=Textbook of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, Volume 1 | publisher=Springer | date=2015 |author1=Andres M. Lozano |author2=Philip L. Gildenberg |author3=Ronald R. Taske }}
- {{cite journal | title=Percutaneous trans-foramen ovale approach to subthalamic nucleaus (Varma's technique) |vauthors=Muthane UB, Varma RB, Sundararaj P | journal=Mov Disord | year=1998 | volume=13 | issue=71}}
{{Padma Shri Award Recipients in Medicine}}
{{Padma Award winners of Kerala}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Varma, R. Marthanda}}
Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri in medicine
Category:Year of birth missing
Category:People from Alappuzha district
Category:Indian medical academics
Category:Indian medical writers
Category:Fellows of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
Category:Indian Medical Service officers
Category:Fellows of the National Academy of Medical Sciences
Category:Medical doctors from Kerala