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= T. S. Kanaka = From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to navigationJump to search T. S. Kanaka or Thanjavur Santhanakrishna Kanaka, also known as Tanjore Santhana Krishna Kanaka, (31 March 1932 to 14 November 2018) was Asia's first female neurosurgeon[1] [2] [3] [4] and one of the world's first few female neurosurgeons.[5] She was the first neurosurgeon in India to perform chronic electrode implants in the brain,[6] having performed deep brain stimulation as early as in 1975.[7] She pioneered functional neurosurgery in the 1960s and 1970s[7] along with Prof. Balasubramaniam and Prof. S. Kalyanaraman, and received recognition for her research and contributions to the field of stereotactic surgery.[6]

Later in life, she focused her efforts on charitable public service and founded the Sri Santhanakrishna Padmavati Healthcare and Research Foundation in Chennai, India. [ref 17]

Contents

 * 1Biography
 * 2See also
 * 3References
 * 4External links

Biography
Kanaka was one of eight children born to Santhanakrishna and Padmavathi Kanaka in Madras. Her father was the Deputy Director of Public Instruction and Principal of Madras Teachers College.[8] Early on, T. S. Kanaka was drawn to spiritual studies, but despite her interest went on to study medicine, completing her Bachelor of Medicine (MBBS) in December 1954 and achieving her Master of Surgery (MS) in general surgery in March 1963. In 1968, she obtained her Master of Surgery (MCh) in Neurosurgery and later completed a PhD in the Evaluation of Stereotatic surgery in Cerebral Palsy in 1972. After over 20 years of surgery, Kanaka went back to school and obtained her Diploma in Higher Education (DHEd) in 1983.

Kanaka was one of the world's first female neurosurgeons;[5] having qualified with a degree (MCh) in Neurosurgery in March 1968; after Diana Beck (1902-1956),[14] and Aysima Altinok who qualified in November 1959.[15] When stereotaxy started in Madras in 1960, B.Ramamurthi and his team, V. Balasubramaniam, S. Kalyanaraman and T. S. Kanaka, supported by their neurologist counterparts G. Arjundas and K. Jagannathan, became the earliest team in India to perform stereotaxic procedures.[6] [9] [10]

Kanaka served in the Indian Army as a commissioned officer during the 1962-1963 Sino-Indian War.<sup id="cite_ref-11" class="reference">[11] She was predominantly associated for most of her career with the Government General Hospital.

Kanaka also taught at the Madras Medical College,<sup id="cite_ref-12" class="reference">[12] Epidemiological Research Centre, Adyar Cancer Institute, Hindu Mission Hospital and other hospitals. She worked with several organisations to aid provision of healthcare to economically disadvantaged people, including Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) for over 30 years.<sup id="cite_ref-13" class="reference">[13]

Kanaka was formerly listed in the Limca Book of Records for the highest number of blood donations by an individual. As of 2004 she was noted to have donated blood 139 times. [citation 18]

In 1996, Kanaka became the Honorary President of the Asian Women's Neurosurgical Association. At that time she was formally acknowledged as Asia's first female neurosurgeon. She retired as a surgeon in 1990 but continued to offer consultancy services. She used her own funds to establish a hospital, named after her parents as Sri Santhanakrishna Padmavathi Health Care and Research Foundation, which offers free healthcare to the needy.<sup id="cite_ref-chari_8-1" class="reference">[8] <sup id="cite_ref-uma_16-0" class="reference">[16] She was involved in a project that fabricates deep-brain-stimulation kits in India by Indian biomedical engineers. She died on November 14, 2018 at the age of 86.<sup id="cite_ref-tsk_7-2" class="reference">[7] <sup id="cite_ref-17" class="reference">[17]

External links[edit]

 * "Stereotactic surgery in India : the past, present and the future". Ramamurthi. NeurologyIndia.com.
 * "A lifelong passion to heal". New Straits Times.
 * "Trail-blazer in women's education". The Hindu. 2003-04-16.
 * "A lifelong passion to heal" by Sofianni Subki: AML-632
 * http://greatindianheroes.com/uncategorized/dr-ts-kanaka-asias-first-female-neurosurgeon/
 * http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil_nadu/article404878.ece