With the passing of Dr. K.P. Mishra on March 15 in Bhubaneswar an excellent cardiologist and a great humanitarian soul is lost.
In these days of commercialisation of the medical profession, the likes of him were rare indeed. ‘Kabi,’ as he was known to his close friends, was an outstanding cardiologist. The scholar that he was, he maintained his professional knowledge up-to-date. His books on ECG procedures are known for their quality and insight.
Among his many qualities of head and heart, his humanitarianism to find relief for his patients, rich or poor, stood out, and made him a role-model for doctors.
He was a spiritual leader as well. As a devotee of Lord Jagannath, he raised resources and built a meditation centre in Chennai.
He was educated in Odisha and later in the United States, but devoted most of his professional life to Chennai. He was a brilliant and sought-after speaker who could mesmerise audiences.
In his untimely death within a few years of shifting to Bhubaneswar, the people of Tamil Nadu and Odisha have suffered a loss.
(The author is a former Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu and a former Governor of Odisha)