Dr. Vallalarpuram Sennimalai Natarajan affectionately called as “Dr.VSN” is a renowned Geriatric Physician, Educationist, Author and a Social Worker. He is recognized as the Father of Geriatric Medicine in India as he introduced and popularized the discipline in the country.

Education
He completed his Bachelor of Medicine degree in the year 1965 from Madurai Medical College and Master’s degree in Medicine from Madras Medical College in 1968. He was chosen to undergo training in Geriatric Medicine in the U.K. as early as 1974. After four years of specialization he received the coveted MRCP (UK) degree and attained accreditation as a specialist in Geriatric Medicine from Joint Committee on Higher Medical Training, U.K. The Royal College of Physicians, Edinburgh awarded its Fellowship to him as FRCP (Edin) in 1987.

Achievements

Dr. Natarajan has been associated with Government General Hospital, Madras as Physician since 1974. During the course of time he has seen many achievements in the field of Geriatrics

  • Established an out-patient wing in Geriatric Medicine in the Government General Hospital in 1978
  • Succeeded in developing this discipline further by opening a 10 bedded ward in 1988
  • appointed as the First Professor of Geriatric Medicine at Madras Medical College in 1986
  • Established a Post-Graduate M.D. programme in Geriatrics in 1996

It is due to his efforts that India and Chennai found a place in the World map of Geriatrics.

Awards & recognition

Dr. Natarajan has won many accolades to go with his achievements.

  • Dr.B.C.Roy National Award in 1994
  • Gold Medal in 1997 by the British Geriatric Society on its 50th anniversary
  • Government of Tamil Nadu “Best Social Worker” Award in 2007
  • Seven “Life Time Achievement Awards” from Central, State Governments, Medical Universities and social organizations.
  • Padma Shri in the year 2012 for rendering service to the aged for more than three decades