==Biography==
==Biography==
A biography about Cherian titled ”Hand of God” was released in 2015 and was written by Priya M. Menon.<ref name = “Times”/> He released his autobiography on 25, January 2025. <ref>{{Cite web|date=25 January 2025|title=KM Cherian Autobiography|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/doctors-should-consider-patients-as-family-dr-km-cherian/article69137288.ece}}</ref>
A biography about Cherian titled ”Hand of God” was released in 2015 and was written by Priya M. Menon.<ref name = “Times”/> He released his autobiography on , January 2025. <ref>{{Cite web|date= January 2025|title=KM Cherian Autobiography|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/doctors-should-consider-patients-as-family-dr-km-cherian/article69137288.ece}}</ref>
==References==
==References==
Indian heart surgeon (1942–2025)
Kotturathu Mammen Cherian[1][2] (8 March 1942 – 25 January 2025) was an Indian heart surgeon. He performed India’s first coronary artery bypass surgery and first heart-lung transplant and is considered a pioneer of pediatric cardiac surgery in the country. He was also a former honorary surgeon to the President of India and a Padma Shri awardee.
Cherian was born to Mammen of the Kotturathu house in Chengannur, Kerala, on 8 March 1942.[3][4] He started his career in Christian Medical College, in Vellore as lecturer in Surgery. In 1970, he migrated to Australia. He did his FRACS in Cardiothoracic Surgery in 1973. He also worked in New Zealand and the United States.
After his studies, he worked as a Special Fellow in Pediatric Cardiac Surgery in Birmingham, Alabama under Dr. John W. Kirklin and in the University of Oregon under Dr. Albert Starr. On his 26th birthday in 1968, he performed his first open heart surgery.
As a young migrant in Australia, he had the opportunity to work at St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney.
Cherian died in Bengaluru, Karnataka on 25 January 2025, at the age of 82.[5] He is survived by his son Sanjay, daughter Sandhya and many grandchildren. His wife Celine predeceased him in 2020.
Cherian attended Kasturba Medical College, Manipal.[6] He performed India’s first coronary artery bypass surgery in 1975 at Southern Railway Headquarters hospital, Perambur, Chennai.[7] He was the founder of Frontier Lifeline Hospital, where he performed India’s second heart transplant surgery in 1995.[6] He also performed the country’s first heart-lung transplant and the country’s first pediatric cardiac surgery.[7]
Dr.K.M.Cherian is also credited with introducing the Physician Assistant profession in India in the year 1992. Today, the profession has grown to over 10,000 graduate PAs with over 25 universities conducting the program. [8] The Indian Association of Physician Assistants celebrates Dr.K.M.Cherian as the father of the PA profession in India.[9]
Cherian was the Founding Vice President and Director of Madras Medical Mission (MMM), Founding Chairman of Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS). He was the Founder Chairman of Frontier Lifeline Hospital and Frontier Mediville, the first Medical SEZ and Medical Science Park in India. His Charitable Trust has built the St.Gregorios Cardio Vascular Centre, at Parumala, in Kerala and his Educational Trust runs the International CBSE School named “The Study – L’ecole Internationale” in Puducherry.
Dr. K. M. Cherian Institute of Medical Sciences
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Cherian and several other investors set up a hospital in Chengannur, Kerala. It was inaugurated in March 2021. It sits on a 5-acre plot. The name of the hospital is Dr. K. M. Cherian institute of medical sciences.
[17]
A biography about Cherian titled Hand of God was released in 2015 and was written by Priya M. Menon.[6] He released his autobiography on 24, January 2025. [18]
- Profile Archived 23 July 2020 at the Wayback Machine on Frontier Lifeline Hospital official website
- Cherian, K.M. (8 October 2017). “I really worked hard: K.M Cherian”. The Hindu. Interviewed by Geeta Padmanabhan. – October 2017 interview
- Cherian, K.M. (19 October 2010). “We are putting India on a different plane”. Rediff.com. Interviewed by Shobha Warrier. – October 2010 interview
- Cherian, K.M. (13 March 2014). “Cultural, Ethical, and Humanitarian Affairs: an interview with Dr K.M. Cherian, MS, FRACS, Dsc, Cardiac Surgeon, Chairman and CEO, Frontier Lifeline Hospital, Chennai, India”. Cardiology in the Young. 24 (4). Interviewed by Tom R.Karl. Introduction by Suresh Rao. Greenwich Medical Media (published August 2014): 701–713. doi:10.1017/S1047951114000699. ISSN 1047-9511. PMID 24809253. S2CID 206307292.
