Who was SS Badrinath? Sankara Nethralaya founder & Padma Bhushan-winning Indian doctor dies at 83

Dr SS Badrinath was the founder and chairman of Sankara Nethralaya in Chennai. He died on Tuesday at 83.

Tamil Nadu Congress Vice President Rama Suganthan confirmed the news of his demise on X.

Former vice president of India, M Venkaiah Naidu,also condoled the death of Dr Badrinath.

Here's everything you need to know about Dr SS Badrinath, a stalwart who built an iconic hospital that has helped thousands of patients, and still continues to do so.

SS Badrinath's Early Life

Dr Sengamedu Srinivasa Badrinath was born on 24 February 1940 in Triplicane, Chennai. His father, Sri SV Srinivasa Rao, worked for the Madras Government as an engineer in the Department of Public Works and Food Production. His mother, Lakshmi Devi, was the daughter of a leading advocate from Nerur, Tamil Nadu.

Dr Badrinath was the youngest of seven siblings. He lost both his parents when he was a teenager.

SS Badrinath's Education

Due to a childhood illness, Dr Badrinath started his education when he was seven. He studied at the PS High School in Mylapore and Sri Ramakrishna Mission High School in Chennai. He completed his intermediate collegiate study at Loyola College in Chennai.

Dr Badrinath studied at the Madras Medical College between 1957 and 1962. He completed his education using the life insurance policy money obtained after the death of his father.

Dr Badrinath secured the highest marks in ophthalmology in the university exams and completed his medical studies on the first attempt.

For his post-graduation, he went to the United States of America and attended the Grasslands Hospital, New York University postgraduate medical school and Brooklyn Eye and Ear Infirmary between 1963 and 1968.

SS Badrinath's Medical Career

• In 1969, Dr Badrinath passed the examination for the Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in Canada.
• In 1970, he passed the American Board Examination in Ophthalmology. Dr Badrinath started his first job at the Voluntary Health Services in Adyar in the same year.
• Between 1970 and 1972, Dr Badrinath started his private practice in ophthalmology and vitreoretinal surgery at the HM Hospital and Vijaya Hospital in Chennai.
• In 1978, Dr Badrinath founded the Medical Research Foundation. Sankara Nethralaya is the hospital unit of this foundation.
• In 1999, the Government of India awarded Dr SS Badrinath with Padma Bhushan for building Sankara Nethralaya, a hospital that provided quality care at affordable cost, teaching and training ophthalmologists and paramedical personnel and research in vision sciences.

SS Badrinath's Personal Life

Dr Badrinath is survived by his wife, Dr Vasanthi Iyer, and their two sons. The two had met in Brooklyn in 1966 and married on 3 June 1967.

(With inputs from agencies)