Harbans Singh Wasir

Dr.(Prof.) Harbans Singh Wasir
Harbans Singh Wasir
Born 13 August 1937
India
Died 23 August 2004
New Delhi
Cause of death Septicemia (Blood Infection)
Resting place Dayanand Muktidham Cremation Ground and Electric Crematorium
28°35′21″N 77°14′27″E / 28.58917°N 77.24083°E / 28.58917; 77.24083
Occupation Cardiologist
Years active 1937-2004
Known for Preventive cardiology
Spouse(s) Bhupendra Kaur
Children 2 sons namely Dr.Harpreet Wasir and Dr.Jasjeet Wasir
Parent(s) Sardar Hazara Singh and Sardarni Amrit Kaur
Awards Padma Bhushan
Padma Shri
Dr. B. C. Roy Award
ICMR Research Award

Harbans Singh Wasir,[1] was an Indian cardiologist, medical researcher and writer, and the professor and head of the Department of Cardiology at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, known for his contributions in the fields of hypertension and rheumatic heart diseases.[2] He was a recipient of Dr. B. C. Roy Award, the highest Indian award in the medical category.[3] The Government of India awarded him the fourth highest civilian honour of Padma Shri in 1987 and followed it up with the third highest honour of Padma Bhushan in 2000.[4]

Biography

Born on 13 August 1937, Wasir graduated in medicine from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences Delhi and continued his studies there to secure MD in medicine in 1965 and DM in cardiology in 1969.[2] His career started at his alma mater itself where he rose in ranks to become the professor and head of the department of cardiology during his thirty years of service there.[5] After superannuation from service in 1997, he joined Batra Hospital, Delhi and served the institution till his death on 23 August 2004.[6]

Dr.(Prof.) Harbans Singh Wasir receiving the Padma Bhushan from the President of India K.R Naraynan

Wasir served as the honorary physician to four of the Presidents of India[2] and was a Consultant to the World Health Organization on Cardiovascular Diseases.[5] He is credited with research on the topic of preventive cardiology and his research findings have been published by way of several books in English and Hindi, such as Preventive Cardiology,[7] Aging and Heart Care,[8] Heart to Heart - A Holistic Approach to Heart Care, Traditional Wisdom in Heart Care,[9] Life Styles and Longevity and Heart Care for Holistic Health[10] and over 400 medical papers.[2][11] He also delivered over 350 lectures[10] on cardiology in India and abroad and served as a visiting professor at universities in Sweden, Belgium and Russia.[2] On duty with the World Health Organization, he worked as a consultant at Mauritius, Nepal and Bhutan.[3]

Harbans Singh Wasir was a recipient of Dr. B. C. Roy Award from the Medical Council of India and two civilian awards from the Government of India, the Padma Shri in 1987 and the Padma Bhushan in 2000.[2][3] He also received the Research Award from the Indian Council for Medical Research and DSc (honoris causa) in Medical Sciences[2] and was an elected fellow of the National Academy of Sciences, India.[12] He was married to Bhupendra Kaur, a gynecologist and the couple had two sons, Harpreet Wasir and Jasjit Wasir.[6] Both the children are medical doctors.[6]

Articles

"The middle class is more prone to heart attacks"

ONCE known as a disease of the rich, heart disease and high blood pressure are no longer confined to any particular strata in society. It strikes ruthlessly irrespective of the social structure and has over the years accounted for more deaths and disability in the adult and elderly population in the country. "Curative treatment for heart ailments is prohibitively costly and beyond the reach of most of the families, and even the state budget," says eminent cardiologist, Dr (Prof) Harbans Wasir, who has been conferred with the Padma Bhushan this year on the eve of Republic Day.

For over three decades now, Dr Wasir has treated several hundreds of people first at the prestigious All India Institute of Medical Sciences and now at Batra Hospital in New Delhi.

Dr Wasir is of the opinion that change in lifestyle, lack of exercise, irregular habits and stress in modernday has done more to contribute to the disease which can be prevented by adopting healthy habits and relaxation techniques.

Like thousands of families that migrated from Pakistan during Partition facing an uncertain future, young Harbans Wasir too made Delhi his home. Staying in a refugee camp near Shahdara in north-eastern part of the city, he studied in an open-to-sky class and later worked through the day to study in the night and eventually joined medicine at AIIMS in 1957. Ten years later, armed with topper’s degree in medicine and biochemistry, MD and DM (cardiology), he joined the institute, and rose to head the department before retiring in 1997. In an exclusive interview with K. V. Prasad, Dr Wasir, the specialist who has the distinction of having attended to some of the top leaders of the country shares his thoughts and contribution towards spreading awareness of a disease that can be fatal. It meant writing nearly 400 research papers, seven books, including one in Punjabi and Hindi, and public lectures.

Career

Dr, Harbans Wasir during a lecture in the Conference organised by Delhi Wine Club (DWC)
Dr.Harbans Wasir along with other famous personalities such as Hema Malini, A.R Rahman, Ratan Tata etc. as the recipients of the Padma Shri Award in 2000

Dr Harbans Singh Wasir, former professor and head of the Department of Cardiology at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), died after a brief illness. He spent almost his entire professional career at AIIMS, which he had joined as an undergraduate student of the second batch in 1957. He did his MD in Medicine in 1965 and DM in Cardiology in 1969 from AIIMS. He joined the Institute in its formative years, and steadily rose to head one of the most widely recognized superspecialty departments of the institution, which he served for 30 years in various capacities. During his distinguished career, he excelled in all facets of patient care, clinical research and teaching, and contributed immensely to the development of Cardiology nationally and internationally. He published over 400 research papers and his work on the epidemiology of hypertension and rheumatic heart disease is widely recognized. He received numerous accolades and awards including the prestigious Dr B.C. Roy National award for the development of a new specialty, the ICMR research award, fellowship of the National Academy of Science, and DSc (honoris causa) in Medical Sciences. He was also awarded the Padma Shri (1987) and Padma Bhushan (2000). Dr Wasir recognized the importance of preventive cardiology very early and delivered public lectures, published books and wrote in the lay press on the theme of prevention. His books Heart to Heart: A holistic approach to heart care, Haardik Samvad (Hindi), Naroa Dil (Punjabi) were instant hits with lay people. Some of his books were translated into other regional languages as well. His other books include Preventive cardiology, Ageing and heart care; these publications effectively crystallized the disciplines of Preventive Cardiology and Geriatrics. He served as a WHO consultant for cardiovascular disease control in India, Bhutan, Nepal and Southeast Asian countries. He was a visiting consultant to universities in Sweden, Belgium and Russia. Dr Wasir combined traditional wisdom with modern medicine and believed in a holistic approach to health. His ward rounds were remarkable for his infectious enthusiasm which was so conducive to learning and patient care. It was common to see morose patients brighten up after his rounds. A man of refined tastes, he was obsessed with punctuality, cleanliness and physical fitness. Himself a fitness freak, he could climb seven floors to his office leaving the hapless residents following him gasping for breath. Although strict with himself, he was forgiving of and kind to others. He was a father figure for his students; someone with whom they could share their difficulties without fear. A devout Sikh, he would quote fluently from the Guru Granth Sahib. He served as an honorary physician to four Presidents of India, but his contact with every patient was unique. Young and old, VIPs and common men, artists and artisans were equally dear to him; they just depended on him and loved him. Truly, he was a popular cardiologist. He is survived by his wife and two doctor sons and three loving grandchildren

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Tribute". Times of India. 2015. Retrieved August 21, 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 S. S. Kothari (January 2005). "Obituary". National Medical Journal of India 18 (1): 41.
  3. 1 2 3 "Prof. Harbans S. Wasir". Zoon Info cache. 2015. Retrieved August 21, 2015.
  4. ↑ "Padma Awards" (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2015. Retrieved July 21, 2015.
  5. 1 2 "Zoom Info profile". Zoom Info. 2015. Retrieved August 21, 2015.
  6. 1 2 3 "Dr H.S. Wasir passes away". The Tribune. 24 August 2004. Retrieved August 21, 2015.
  7. ↑ Harbans Singh Wasir (1991). Preventive Cardiology: An Introduction. Vikas Publishing House. p. 409. ISBN 9780706961386.
  8. ↑ H. S. Wasir (1993). Aging and Heart Care. Vikas Publishing House. ISBN 978-0706965674.
  9. ↑ Harbans Singh Wasir (1995). Traditional Wisdom for Heart Care. Vikas Publishing House. p. 100. ISBN 9780706997392.
  10. 1 2 H.S. Wasir. Heart Care for Holistic Health. Roli Books. p. 84. ISBN 9788174361189.
  11. ↑ Shyam Sunder Kothari, Sudhir Varma, Harbans Singh Wasir (March 1994). "Thrombolytic therapy in infants and children". American Heart Journal 127 (3): 651–657. doi:10.1016/0002-8703(94)90676-9.
  12. ↑ "NASI Fellow". National Academy of Sciences, India. 2015. Retrieved August 21, 2015.

Selected bibliography

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