Dr. Rajan Ravichandran
| Dr. Rajan Ravichandran | |
|---|---|
| File:Dr.Rajan Ravichandran.jpgDr.Rajan Ravichandran.jpg Dr. Rajan Ravichandran | |
| Born | March 26, 1955 |
| 🏳️ Nationality | Indian |
| 🎓 Alma mater | Bombay University |
| 💼 Occupation | Nephrologist |
| Known for | Preventive nephrology, ABO-incompatible transplantation, Public health advocacy |
| Title | Director, MIOT Institute of Nephrology Professor of Practice, IIT Madras |
Dr. Rajan Ravichandran (born 26 March 1955) is an Indian nephrologist based in Chennai. He is known for pioneering work in dialysis technology, kidney transplantation across blood groups, and public health initiatives targeting kidney disease prevention. He is the Director of the MIOT Institute of Nephrology, Professor of Practice at IIT Madras, and founder of the Sapiens Health Foundation and Cystinosis Foundation of India.
Early life and education
Dr. Rajan Ravichandran was born in India on 26 March 1955. He graduated first in his class from Bombay University with an M.B.B.S. in 1977, earning multiple academic distinctions including the Dr. N.D. Patel Prize in Surgery, Charles Morehead Prize in Clinical Medicine, Sir Jaswantsingh Limbdi Prize, and several others.
He pursued his postgraduate studies at King Edward Memorial (KEM) Hospital in Mumbai, completing his M.D. in Internal Medicine in 1981 and a D.N.B. in Nephrology in 1983. During his residency, he was awarded the Best Resident Award at KEM Hospital in 1981.
In recognition of his contributions to medicine, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (FRCP), Edinburgh in 2008, and became a Fellow of the American College of Physicians (FACP), USA the same year.
He was among the earliest physicians in India to formally specialize in nephrology, choosing the field during a period when kidney care and dialysis infrastructure in the country was still at a nascent stage.
Career
Clinical practice
He began his practice at VHS Hospital in Chennai, providing free treatment to underprivileged patients. From 1985 to 1989, he worked as Consultant Nephrologist at Vijaya Hospital, Vadapalani. In 1989, he founded the Madras Institute of Nephrology at Vijaya Health Centre, where he served until 2008. During this period, he performed over 5,000 kidney transplants and treated more than 20,000 patients from across India.
He also served as Chief Nephrologist at Malar Hospitals (1992–2008) and Honorary Professor of Nephrology at Sri Ramachandra Medical College (since 1993).
In 2008, he founded the MIOT Institute of Nephrology at MIOT Hospitals, Chennai. It became the first unit in India to adopt a 100% single-use policy for dialysis. He pioneered ABO-incompatible kidney transplantation in India using Japanese protocols, and trained nephrologists across the country in this technique.
Academic roles and research
In 1997, Dr. Ravichandran became the only nephrologist appointed as Adjunct Faculty at IIT Madras. In 2024, he was appointed Professor of Practice in the Department of Medical Sciences and Technology.
In collaboration with IIT Madras, he co-patented two drugs, including a phosphate binder now widely used by dialysis patients. His medical engineering projects include peritoneal dialysis bags, weighing cots, and an acute dialysis machine developed nearly three decades ago. His current research includes development of an assist kidney device.
COVID-19 research
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Ravichandran’s research on the use of Indomethacin in COVID-19 treatment, conducted with IIT Madras, was published in Scientific Reports (a Nature Portfolio journal). The treatment protocol was adopted in Indian hospitals and has been considered internationally.
Sapiens Health Foundation
Dr. Ravichandran founded the non-profit Sapiens Health Foundation in 1997 to subsidize dialysis and transplants for low-income patients. Since 2009, it has focused on prevention of kidney disease through early screening and public awareness campaigns.
The foundation has screened thousands of school and college students in Chennai and runs the Salt Awareness Campaign—a flagship initiative promoting low-sodium diets, involving students, food manufacturers, and government bodies.
It has conducted two international conferences on "Salt and Health" with IIT Madras and IIT Bombay. More details are available at www.losalter.org.
Outreach activities include:
- Poster/video competitions and public lectures
- Home urine protein detection kits
- Street plays and short films
- World Kidney Day campaigns
Cystinosis Foundation of India
Dr. Ravichandran established the Cystinosis Foundation of India in 2012. It is the 11th such foundation in the world and India's only support group for children with cystinosis, a rare genetic disorder. As of 2023, 54 children are registered.
Publications
Dr. Ravichandran has authored over 44 peer-reviewed articles in international and Indian journals. Topics include kidney transplantation, peritoneal dialysis, public health nephrology, cystinosis, and COVID-19 therapeutics.
Key journals:
- Scientific Reports (Nature)
- Journal of Biosciences
- Nephron
- Peritoneal Dialysis International
- Indian Journal of Nephrology
- Korean Journal of Transplantation
Research projects
He has been Principal Investigator in numerous national and international studies, including:
- Clinical trials on erythropoietin, phosphate binders, and Tacrolimus
- Studies on peritonitis and CAPD/DAPD comparison
- Medical device innovation including the DEMONSTRATE vascular calcification study
Honors and awards
- Gold medals and academic prizes from Bombay University (1975–78)
- Best Resident Award – KEM Hospital (1981)
- Marquis Who’s Who (2004, 2007)
- Dhanvantri Award (2005)
- Vocational Excellence Award – Rotary Club (2006)
- Rashtriya Gaurav Award (2011)
- Lifetime Achievement Award – Government of Tamil Nadu and FICCI (2016)
- ANIO Service Excellence Award (2021)
- Dronacharya Award – AVATAR, New Delhi (2022)
- Champion of Chennai – KSR Foundation (2023)
- FRCP (Edinburgh), FACP (USA)
Committees
- Former Chairman – Ethics Committees of MIOT, Vijaya, and Malar Hospitals
- Advisory Committee Member – Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati Viswa Mahavidyalaya
- Past President – Peritoneal Dialysis Society of India
Professional memberships
- International Society of Nephrology
- American Society of Nephrology
- Asian Pacific Society of Nephrology
- Indian Society of Nephrology
- World Transplantation Society
- Indian Society of Organ Transplantation
- Indian Society of Peritoneal Dialysis
- European Renal Association
- Association of Physicians of India
- Indian Medical Association
Public engagement
Dr. Ravichandran contributes regularly to newspapers and health magazines and has participated in policy discussions on public health and the food industry. He is a sought-after speaker at medical conferences both in India and abroad.
He was widely acknowledged for advising actor Rajinikanth against entering politics after a kidney transplant, placing public health above political ambition.
External links
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