Dr. Balu Sankaran

Professor Emeritus, St. Stephens Hospital, Delhi.

Brief Biography

Dr. Sankaran was born on 4th September 1926, in Tuticorin, in Tamilnadu. After Graduation from Stanley Medical College, Chennai in 1948, he went for training in Orthopedic Surgery at New York Orthopedic Hospital, Colombia Presbyterian Medical Center from 1951-55 and later at the Manchester Royal Infirmary in 1955. He joined All India Institute of Medical Sciences as an Assistant Professor of Orthopedic Surgery in 1956. He became an Associate Professor in 1963 and continued in AIIMS till 1967. In 1961-63 he was a Rockefeller Foundation fellow at the University of Illinois where he did fundamental research work. In 1967, he became Prof. of Orthopedic Surgery at the Maulana Azad Medical College which position he held till 1970. Then he became Director Professor Central Institute of Orthopedics which position he held till 1978. He was promoted as Director General of Health Services Govt. of India in 1978. He was selected to the World Health Organisation as a Director in Geneva in February 1981. This position he held till 1987. He was awarded the Padma Shree in 1972.

He later became the Chairman of the Rehabilitation Council of India (1992-1994). He also set up the Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India at Kanpur in 1972 and the National Institute of Rehabilitation Training and Research near Bhuvaneshwar. He was Chairman of the Corporation till 1981. He was also a consultant to the WHO in Leprosy Reconstructive Surgery in Myanmar. His basic research work on Osteoporosis started in Chicago 1961 and still continues. He was the Principal Investigator on the research projects to the Technology Mode in Rehabilitation of the Department of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. This project was for development of orthopedic implants suitable for developing countries.

He was awarded Padma Vibhushan, India's second highest civilian award in 2007. He was working in St Stephens Hospital, Delhi as a Professor Emeritus till 2007. Presently he is leading a peaceful retired life in Tirunelveli, Tamilnadu.