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Biography
Sunkara Balaparameswara Rao (born (1928-02-12)February 12, 1928) is an Indian neurosurgeon in Hyderabad, India. He was called the "Father of Neurosurgery" in Andhra Pradesh and has been awarded the Dr. B. C. Roy Award for organizing and developing neurosurgery in Andhra Pradesh. In 2008, he was conferred an honorary degree of Doctor of Science by the Dr. NTR University of Health Sciences. In 2015, he was awarded Lifetime Achievement award by the Telangana government.
His brother Sunkara Venkata Adinarayana Rao is an orthopedic surgeon.
Early life
Dr. Sunkara Balaparameswara Rao was to father Sunkara Kanakam and mother Seshamma on 12 February 1928, at Bhimavaram, West Godavari District, Andhra Pradesh. His school education was at Madras, Bhimavaram and Machilipatnam.
He studied M. B. B. S. in Andhra Medical College, Visakhapatnam between 1945 and 1950 with outstanding caliber at all levels of graduation. He was awarded Silver Jubilee Award for the best outgoing student in 1950. He obtained M.S. General Surgery in 1954 from Andhra Medical College, Visakhapatnam, and he was awarded "Major Ebden Memorial Gold Medal" for outstanding performance. He was a good sportsman and a tennis champion.
Career
He underwent training in Neurosurgery under Dr. B. Rama Murthy during 1955-56 at Madras. A pioneering Neurosurgeon, he started the first Department of Neurosurgery in Andhra Pradesh at Andhra Medical College and King George Hospital, Visakhapatnam on 2 April 1956 with meagre resources. It was the fourth Department of Neurosurgery in India after Vellore, Madras and Bombay. This department at Visakhapatnam was the first such to be started by a person trained in India, the earlier ones being started by persons after formal training abroad.
Dr. Balaparameswara Rao was then deputed to United Kingdom for higher training in Neurosurgery in 1959. Later in 1960, he worked as Additional Professor of Surgery at Andhra Medical College / King George Hospital, Visakhapatnam.
From 1960 to 1974, Dr. Balaparameswara Rao worked as Professor of Neurosurgery in Andhra Medical College and from 1974 to 1976 as Professor of Neurosurgery in Osmania Medical College, Hyderabad. He was Professor Emeritus, Osmania Medical College from 1983 to 1986. He Was Dean of the Faculty of Medicine Of Osmania University. He worked with devotion and dynamism. He instilled discipline and capacity for hard work into his junior staff.
Dr. Balaparameswara Rao was the First Superintendent (Director) of Nizam's Institute of Orthopedics and Specialities, Hyderabad, from 1976-1981. He served as Principal, Osmania Medical College, Hyderabad from 1981–83 and retired in the year 1983.
Dr. Balaparameswara Rao was a Member from 1965 and Fellow from 1975 of the National Academy of Medical Sciences, New Delhi. He was the Senate Member of Andhra University. He was the Vice-President Neurological Society of India in 1973 and President in 1974. He was nominated as Emeritus Professor of Dr. NTR University of Health Sciences and National Academy of Medical Sciences. He is an Honorary Neurosurgeon for Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad and SVIMS, Tirupati.
Dr. Balaparameswara Rao published 81 scientific papers in various national and international journals. He has contributed a chapter on Spinal Tumors for the Text Book of Neurosurgery by the Indian Authors. He presented more than 50 papers at various conferences. His presentation of scientific papers and his orations are always precise and lucid.
Dr. Balaparameswara Rao chaired a number of academic sessions in conferences. He guided 19 scholars for their thesis and dissertations during their post-graduation in the department of Neurosurgery. He was an examiner and paper setter for various universities for Neurosurgery. He has delivered 17 orations at the state and national level. He was a member of more than 40 expert committees and selection boards.
He trained a number of Neurosurgeons and his students have occupied professorial chairs in premier institutions of India and abroad.
Distinctions, Awards and Honours
- Distinction in Physiology.
- Tatachary Gold Medal in Pathology.
- Dr. Ramamurthy Prize in Bacteriology.
- The Andhra Medical College Silver Jubilee Prize for the best outgoing student.
- Ebden Memorial Gold Medal for outstanding performance in M.S. (General Surgery).
- Distinguished Scientist award from A.P. Academy of Sciences in 1999.
- He received Dr. B.C.Roy National award in 1989 for organizing and developing Neurosurgery in Andhra Pradesh.
- Lifetime Achievement Award At Golden Jubilee Celebration of department of Neurosurgery of Andhra Medical College and King George Hospital at Visakhapatnam on 16-12-2005
- Lifetime Achievement Award at Regional Asian Stroke Congress and 1st National Conference of Indian Stroke Association at Chennai on 5-1-2006
- Honorary Doctorate conferred by NTR University of Health Sciences on 18-2-2008 at Vijayawada.
- Lifetime Achievement Award by International Neuro Spinal Surgeons Association of India at the annual conference at Bengaluru on 9-9-2011.
- Ugadi Puraskaram by the Andhra Pradesh Government on 23-3-2012.
- Honorary Doctorate conferred by GITAM University Visakhapatnam on 15-9-2012.
- Lifetime Achievement Award by Neurological Society of India at 64th Annual Conference at Hyderabad on Thursday 17-12-2015.