Krishna Mohan Pathi

Krishna Mohan Pathi is an orthopaedic surgeon, researcher and teacher from Odisha, known for his work on bone and joint problems in sickle cell disease and on trauma care. He was named for the Padma Shri in 2021 in the field of medicine, from Odisha ^[1].

Training

Pathi was born on 1 August 1939 ^[2]. He took his MBBS from Utkal University with distinction and his MS in orthopaedics from Patna University in 1966 ^[2]. In 1972 he went to England as a Commonwealth medical fellow, working in Oxford, Liverpool and Birmingham, and he later became a fellow of the International College of Surgeons, the American College of Surgeons and the National Academy of Medical Sciences ^[2].

Teacher and leader

He has been professor and head of orthopaedics and principal of VSS Medical College in Burla, and superintendent and principal of MKCG Medical College in Berhampur ^[2]. He was vice-president of the Indian Orthopaedic Association and state president of the Indian Medical Association ^[2].

Simple surgery

His special contribution has been to design simple, low-cost operations that can be done with basic instruments ^[2]. He was probably the first orthopaedic surgeon in India to use muscle pedicle bone grafts for hip damage in sickle cell disease, and his work on this and on locked jaw joints has been recognised in India and abroad ^[2].

A hospital in the jungle

About 40 years ago he set up the Bharadwaj Gurukul Ashram to develop tribal villages in Kukudakhandi block of Ganjam district ^[2]. Bringing together the government, other NGOs and local people, he turned a stretch of jungle into a hospital complex that gives free modern care to nearby villages ^[2].