November 1, 2017,
Dear member,
I am sure you are reading the series on- Legends in Neuropathology. I would very much appreciate to hear or see any messages from you on this subject. This time I am sending the write-up on Prof.Subimal Roy, founder president of our society.
With good wishes
Radhakrishnan.
Prof. Subimal Roy was born on November 1, 1933 to a middle-class family of West Bengal. He completed his M.B.B.S. from the National Medical College, University of Calcutta, in 1956. Subsequently, he moved to New Delhi and joined the All India Institute of Medical Sciences as a Demonstrator in 1959 and remained so till 1964. During this period, he obtained his M.D. in Pathology and completed his thesis entitled “Biochemical and Morphological Evolution of Endemic Goitre” under the guidance of Late Prof. Ramalingaswami. In 1964, he went to UK and joined as a Research Fellow in Pathology at the University of Sheffield. There, he did his Ph.D. from 1964 to 1967 on “Cell Structure and Function of Synovial Membrane – A Combined Histochemical, Autoradiography, and Ultrastructural Study of Human and Animal Material.” During this period, he developed a keen interest in Neuropathology and continued at the University of Sheffield till 1969 as a Research Fellow in Neuropathology, working with Prof. Dubowitz, a doyen in the field of myology. On his return from UK, he joined the Department of Pathology at AIIMS as Assistant Professor and became Associate Professor in 1970. Subsequently, he went on a WHO Research Fellowship to the Department of Neuropathology, Montefiore Hospital and Medical Centre and Albert Einstein College of Medicine at New York, USA, from 1973 to 1974, where he trained in Neuropathology with Late Prof. Zimmerman. He became Professor of Pathology at AIIMS in 1978 and retired as Head of Department of Pathology in 1991. Subsequently, till 1999, he served as Professor of Pathology at the King Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia. On his return, he joined Sir Ganga Ram Hospital as Senior Consultant, where he continued to serve patients.
As one of the pioneers of Neuropathology, he was one of those who introduced the specialty of Neuropathology in this country. He was instrumental in establishing the Department of Neuropathology at AIIMS, New Delhi. He had a keen interest in ultrastructural pathology and his major contributions in the field of neuropathology relate to ultrastructural features of brain tumors with special reference to pituitary adenomas. He was an avid and consistent researcher who was extremely precise in his scientific work as well as work ethics. He published more than 200 high-quality research papers in national and international journals, along with numerous chapters in various textbooks. His research contributions won him several national and international awards and honors, including Lifetime Achievement awards by the Delhi Neurological Association and the Neurological Society of India. The most prestigious honor was the setting up of an International Pathology Endowment Fellowship in his name by the Boston University School of Medicine, USA, in 2001 to train and inspire the younger generation. He was a visiting Professor to several universities in India and abroad, including the Institute of Pathology, Kabul, Afghanistan, and Al Fateh University, Tripoli, Libya. He was elected as Fellow of the National Academy of Medical Sciences in 1983 and Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences, Allahabad, in 1988.He was a great teacher and taught with a fervor and dedication.. Teaching was very close to his heart, and generations of students that trained under him.
Apart from his professional accomplishments, h fondly he was remembered as a kind-hearted, benevolent, gentle, caring, sensitive, and soft-spoken human being. He was immensely liked and respected for his unique humane qualities. Dr. Roy lived a much disciplined life and never missed his daily walk, be it rain or sunshine. Because of his amicable personality, he had a wide circle of friends whom he loved to entertain. Most of his students were invited every year, following Durga Puja, for a grand dinner at his home, cooked by his extremely hospitable and loving wife, Mrs. Pratima Roy. His wife was always a great source of strength and support to him, which enabled him to concentrate on his professional work. His son Mr. Abhijit Roy is a computer engineer settled in Delhi while his daughter Dr. (Mrs.) Bandana Biswas is settled in Australia.
Prof.Subimal Roy left for heavenly abode on March 1, 2015.Prof.Subimal Roy was one of the architects behind the successful formation of our Society in December 2014 and he was the first founder President of our Society. Whatever the society has achieved today is due to his dedication and untiring hard work. It is most unfortunate that he could not live long enough to be present at the inaugural conference of our society at Hyderabad in December 2015.In his remembrance as well as for his contributions, our society has instituted a ‘Prof.Subimal Roy award’ to be given for the best published work during the annual conference of our society.
As one of the pioneers of Neuropathology, he was one of those who introduced the specialty of Neuropathology in this country. He was instrumental in establishing the Department of Neuropathology at AIIMS, New Delhi. He had a keen interest in ultrastructural pathology and his major contributions in the field of neuropathology relate to ultrastructural features of brain tumors with special reference to pituitary adenomas. He was an avid and consistent researcher who was extremely precise in his scientific work as well as work ethics. He published more than 200 high-quality research papers in national and international journals, along with numerous chapters in various textbooks. His research contributions won him several national and international awards and honors, including Lifetime Achievement awards by the Delhi Neurological Association and the Neurological Society of India. The most prestigious honor was the setting up of an International Pathology Endowment Fellowship in his name by the Boston University School of Medicine, USA, in 2001 to train and inspire the younger generation. He was a visiting Professor to several universities in India and abroad, including the Institute of Pathology, Kabul, Afghanistan, and Al Fateh University, Tripoli, Libya. He was elected as Fellow of the National Academy of Medical Sciences in 1983 and Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences, Allahabad, in 1988.He was a great teacher and taught with a fervor and dedication.. Teaching was very close to his heart, and generations of students that trained under him.
Apart from his professional accomplishments, h fondly he was remembered as a kind-hearted, benevolent, gentle, caring, sensitive, and soft-spoken human being. He was immensely liked and respected for his unique humane qualities. Dr. Roy lived a much disciplined life and never missed his daily walk, be it rain or sunshine. Because of his amicable personality, he had a wide circle of friends whom he loved to entertain. Most of his students were invited every year, following Durga Puja, for a grand dinner at his home, cooked by his extremely hospitable and loving wife, Mrs. Pratima Roy. His wife was always a great source of strength and support to him, which enabled him to concentrate on his professional work. His son Mr. Abhijit Roy is a computer engineer settled in Delhi while his daughter Dr. (Mrs.) Bandana Biswas is settled in Australia.
Prof.Subimal Roy left for heavenly abode on March 1, 2015.Prof.Subimal Roy was one of the architects behind the successful formation of our Society in December 2014 and he was the first founder President of our Society. Whatever the society has achieved today is due to his dedication and untiring hard work. It is most unfortunate that he could not live long enough to be present at the inaugural conference of our society at Hyderabad in December 2015.In his remembrance as well as for his contributions, our society has instituted a ‘Prof.Subimal Roy award’ to be given for the best published work during the annual conference of our society.