India’s first cardiologist Dr Sivaramakrishna Iyer Padmavati practices at 101

Dr Sivaramakrishna Iyer Padmavati is the first female Cardiologist of India. At 101, she is still active and treating her patients, much like when she started 60 years ago. Born in Burma, Dr Sivaramakrishna studied her MBBS at Rangoon Medical College, following which she moved to London in 1949, where she received an FRCP from the Royal College of Physicians, London, followed by an FRCPE from the Royal College of Physicians, Edinburgh. She started practising medicine in a number of famous hospitals in London before her interest in cardiology grew. 

She is credited as being among the first cardiologists in the country and set up the India's first cardiac clinic and catheter lab at Lady Hardinge Medical College in Delhi. In India, she not only set up the country’s first cardiology clinic, but also the first cardiology department at an Indian medical college and founded India's first heart foundation to help spread awareness about heart diseaseDr Sivaramakrishna still serves as the director of the National Heart Institute, Delhi, and is the Founder President of the All India Heart Foundation. 

Stent, heart bypass surgery, heart attack…all of us have heard these painful terms amongst our loved ones at one time or another. But these were uncommon a generation ago. In an attempt to understand the status of heart disease in India, Priyamvada Chugh reached out to India’s first and oldest cardiologist.

Having witnessed drastic changes in the incidence of heart disease in India over the last century, she says “Things were different earlier. Physical activity and a healthy diet were the norms. Now, times have changed.”

“I still touch, and use my ears and eyes to treat patients, but I have to know technology too. I used to attend at least two global heart conferences in a year to keep myself updated. Treat medicines as your servant. You shouldn’t let them become your master,” says Dr Sivaramakrishna Iyer Padmavati.