OrthoWalkathon Journal of Clinical Orthopaedics 2018 Jan-June;3(1):32-36

Prof. (Dr) M. Shantharam Shetty *- a Doyen of Orthopaedics Interviewed by Dr Siddhartha M Shetty,

practice; practice what you preach” community, and mother a true home says Dr. Shetty. “ ...seen the maker, who looked after her children transformation of orthopaedics SP well with all sincerity and purpose. Nails Plate to PFN A2 from excision I was again lucky that my father- a arthroplasty of hip to most government servant- was posted to sophisticated modular, hybrid hips, where we have thereafter from arthrodesis knee to high flexed settled permanently. I had the privilege knees, open menisectomy to of schooling in St. Aloysius School, arthroscopic meniscal repair to which had the best of sports facilities, regenerative therapy.”. debating and cultural fests and more Dr.Shetty continues “.... Change is a than that, all teachers were indeed natural phenomenon. An arm chair admirable. They chiselled us in surgeon has no role to play in the discipline, academics, sports and present arena of constant cultural activities. I am beholden to this development and learning. A learner school. One incidence which I should Prof. (Dr.) M. Shantharam Shetty will have time and means to learn, a mention here is how Principals or lazy person will have only excuses”. teachers can mend ones thinking in life. He is a renowned Doctor, good My Principal Rev. Fr. Betram Sequiera teacher and a good human being too. Excerpts from an Interview: made this impact on me. One of my His benign presence, stately bearing, Question 1: You hail from a bunt family classmates John was caught smoking by innate simplicity, vast erudition and from the undivided district of Dakshina his mother. She came to Principal and benevolent guidance to all his in . The family was asked him to advise or punish John and students and peers in the medical predominantly agrarian and your see that John does not smoke. Father field something to be experienced. upbringing in a joint family. How do Betram asked her to come on 1st of An avid lover of sports, good orator you recollect the times during schooling succeeding month. The same reply was and was a talented sportsman which was also the time when repeated 3 times and at the end of 4th throughout his school and university challenging without India achieved its month, Fr. Betram simply called John career. He believes in the dictum that freedom. and his mother and told him how bad “knowledge is power and with the I was lucky to be born in an illustrious smoking was and cajoled him to stop power comes responsibility”. Bunt Family. I was born in the famous smoking. John's mother was astonished In Prof. Dr. M Shantharam Shetty, I Moodlakatte House - my grandfather's and asked-“Father, just to say this, you found as Max Lucado put it, that “the house known for its architectural took 3 months and I am afraid John was people who make a difference are not heritage where the famous Rekha's smoking all the time”. Dear Lady, father the ones with the credentials, but the picture 'Utsav' was filmed- and spent said-“... I must confess, I was myself ones with the concern”. some time in my mother's place smoking all the time and it took me 3 “....I do not preach what I do not Molahalli another prominent Bunt months to stop smoking, now I have stopped smoking. I did not want to * Prof. (Dr.) M. Shantharam Shetty, House-both with large land holding. Pro Chancellor, Nitte University, It is well said birth is an accident, preach what I do not practise; practise Chairman, Tejasvini Hospital & SSIOT, life is a journey and death is reality. what you preach” – a great lesson in my Adjunct Professor, The T N Dr. MGR Medical University, life. AO Trustee 2006-11 and Past Chairman AO Trauma India I was fortunate to be born as the son Council, of a father, who was one of the first About freedom and Independence, Yes, Past President, Indian Orthopaedic Association agricultural graduates of our I was 5 year old when we were

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32| Journal of Clinical Orthopaedics | Volume 3 | Issue 1 | Jan-June 2018 | Page 32-36 Shetty S, Shetty SM www.jcorth.com proclaimed an independent nation. We considered as a city for orthopaedic Liverpool, his classes were fascinating– I were in Kasargod, on 15th of August teaching and clinical practice, yes- we tagged on to him, worked with him in 1947, there was a grand scale were the first in India to start a PG Bangalore as Lecturer in Orthopaedics celebration in the public maidan. I was Orthopaedic course and all my and when I secured a seat for MS (Orth) 5 years old. My father was a colleagues have maintained high ethical, in Delhi, I also had the job offer from government official and we were seated innovative and the latest techniques in Canada in a small hospital. I sought his in a specially erected enclosure. They the practise of orthopaedic surgery. The advice as to what I should do. He just were distributing laddoos and I put number of orthopaedic conferences at said, “..resign, pack up and join your post forward my left hand I got a laddoo, the state, national and international graduation studies at Delhi though I will mischievous as I was, I put forward my level, vouches for the same. miss you as a junior”. That was the best right hand hiding my left hand and I got advice I got. If I had gone to Canada, one more laddoo. I asked my father will Question 3 : How was it that you perhaps, I would have ended up as a G P it be like this hereafter. My father said decided to become a doctor and take up and never would have the fascination of yes, it will be like this, provided you orthopaedics as a speciality? What was Orthopaedic Surgery in my life. work for it. Yes, my country and the inspiration to move away from the countrymen have been extremely kind comforts of the home to Mysore to me I got almost whatever I asked for, medical college for the MBBS and later Question 4: You have decided to return dreamt of, and aspired to be in my to Delhi for orthopaedic training? to Mangalore to practice orthopaedics country. Unfortunately, all are not How I became a doctor is purely by and at that time it would have been fortunate as me and my heart bleeds for accident and luck. I wanted to be a difficult as an orthopaedic surgeon to them, many a times. lawyer. I was a good debater in my establish or to practice the art and school days. When I passed my SSLC provide the best care. How did you Question 2: The city of Mangalore is and wanted to take up Arts, it was my begin your professional career as the world renowned as a seat of education; mother who coaxed me and said “son infrastructure and amenities would have it is well recognised in the field of my dream is to see you as a doctor”. My been inadequate? Health care because of the various mother was everything to me. In PUC, Again, after M.S Orth in Delhi, working medical institutes and excellent other I did not do well, but our Bunt as a post graduate and resident under related healthcare facilities. The city has Community was categorised/grouped Dr. Balu Sankaran a doyen in been recognised among the orthopaedic as backward community in that orthopaedics, I was planning to go to fraternity in India and abroad all particular year and thus I got a seat in Australia. I had applied for a visa. At because of your contribution. Sir, so Govt. Medical College, Mysore. It was that point in time, Dr. TMA Pai, a how did this journey in orthopaedics pure destiny and my good fortune that visionary and architect of Manipal, was begin? my community was categorised as on a visit to Delhi and I happened to Yes, Mangalore I consider the paradise backward and after 4 years, it was again meet him since my father was closely on earth, not that it has given me basic categorised as forward community. associated with him. He simply asked education and of course now livelihood, Once I got in to Medicine, I wanted to me to go over to Mangalore and he but it has given me friends whom I make the best use of it though the would give me a job there. Coming to knew not, brothers out of strangers, love dictum says; you should not take up Mangalore was a dream come true. I and understanding. With just a anything which you do not want to. I loved Mangalore. I started my career as population of 5 lakh which has almost believe in the philosophy that it is some Asst. Professor in Orthopaedics. Dr. remained stagnant- perhaps the only unseen power- we all call him God -does Ramanna was the Head of the Dept. of city to be like that. It has 7 Medical everything for us what is best. It is for us Orthopaedics. Then, orthopaedics was Colleges, cradle of 5 nationalised banks; to take the call and go further, and I part of General Surgeon's domain and as the famous cuisines of Dosa and always did that when the door of such, it was under them. There were Vada, all have their roots here. opportunity taps on your door, it should doyens like Dr. M P Pai, Dr. M V Shetty, Moreover, in every field of human be our endeavour to open it and work and Dr. Venkat Rao who all were endeavour, there is a Mangalorean, who on it. practising orthopaedics. But, having has made a name for herself/himself in It was in the final year- watching Dr. worked with Dr. Balu Sankaran, who every field he/she is into including film M.Y Rai, a disciplinarian, who had just was a surgical master craftsman, I made industry. As regards Mangalore being come back after doing FRCS, M.Ch, my way by sheer hard work. I had under

33| Journal of Clinical Orthopaedics | Volume 3 | Issue 1 | Jan-June 2018 | Page 32-36 Shetty S, Shetty SM www.jcorth.com me, 30 beds and just one Asst. in India has been constantly done much better with the clinical Surgeon to assist me. We had 2 units changing and upgrading itself. You materials and the resources I had. and almost every night, I used to be have seen it evolve and adapt, these in Government Wenlock Hospital changes, you have experienced as a Question 6: You have achieved attending to emergencies. Govt. student then as faculty in Kasturba excellence in orthopaedics through Wenlock Hospital was one of the Medical College and later as you hard work with tenacity of purpose best government hospitals of the were Dean of K S Hegde Medical which is very hard to replicate, you state, but to get an x-ray in the night Academy and Vice Chancellor of were President of the IOA, you have was a struggle due to lack of Nitte deemed to be university. been trustee of the AO INDIA, and technicians, meagre theatre staff and Initially, it produced family doctors you are part of SICOT and various poor implants and an old hand drill. and later specialisation became the other national and international Dr. Ramanna and I bought our own norm and today super specialisation bodies. All these bodies hugely set of instruments and operated at and subspecialisation is the way all benefitted with your contribution. It Wenlock. Imagine the difficulties in are pursuing medicine. will be very nice to know as how you getting a theatre mobile x-ray- while So, where do you see the medical challenge yourself to take up such doing an SP nails those days – since education is heading for? initiatives and contribute so much the radiology x-ray washing room Yes. My greatest asset in my life has time and effort to such associations? was 2 floors down. If guide wires been luck but luck always comes to Yes. I was lucky again. I was the AO fail to be in place desperation would those who work for it. I had seen the Trustee, I was the first AO Trauma set in. Imagine doing an internal transformation of orthopaedics from India Council Chairman, I was fixation of both bones forearm in SP Nails Plate to PFN A2 from elected the State, South Indian and those thin ladies with a Sherman excision arthroplasty of hip to most finally the IOA President. My Plate with a hand drill. But, those sophisticated modular, hybrid hips, colleagues were kind to me. All were challenging days when the from arthrodesis knee to high flexed, these posts gave me enough patients used to have full faith in us. uni and modified condylar knees, opportunity to update my The pleasure was love of work. Do open menisectomy to arthroscopic knowledge which I could use to treat your duty and leave the rest to God. meniscal repair to regenerative my patients and transfer the Yes, God indeed used to heal the therapy. Well, my generation has knowledge to my students. Teaching wounds and fractures united, we undergone great transformation. is my obsession, but once I became were only messengers. Dr. Even now, I attend at least five to six an administrator as Dean, it Ramanna, my HOD, left for US in conferences, be a faculty or as a fascinated me and somehow I found search of greener pastures after 3 participant in different parts of the time for my clinical practise, years. I had made my impact by then country and abroad. As far as teaching and administration. It was and I was made the Head of medical education is concerned, I tough to balance and do justices to Orthopaedics Department. We must admit that the quality of all, but I feel, if there is a will, there is started MS (Orthopaedics) in the present day teachers compared with a way. same year and I had the distinction that of the earlier years, I am sorry to of continuing as the HOD for next say it has left much to be desired. Question 7: The Lions club of 24 years. It was all God's will again. They need to attach importance to Mangalore has been a great We used to have M S Exams once in clinical assessment, history, clinical beneficiary due to your association Manipal and once in Mangalore. Dr. signs and even planning. I think our with it and in promoting its social V. Chacko was the chief at Manipal. basic medical education, no doubt, cause. You were instrumental as Dr. N. Natarajan (senior), should involve the latest of the bio Governor of Lions club in Dr.Vyagreshwarudu, Dr.Tarapurwala technological pursuits, but patient is establishing, one of its kind, in south and Dr.Ethirajulu were some of the a human being with a heart, soul and Karnataka the Lions artificial limb external examiners. It was a a family behind. If only a surgeon Centre. You also were instrumental privilege to have been a co-examiner sees his brother or sister in his in establishing Lions blood bank and with them. patients, that would be ultimate relentlessly took up various socially training. My only guilt is that I have relevant initiatives to help the Question 5 : The medical education only 75 publications, I could have disabled and the needy. Your humble

33| Journal of Clinical Orthopaedics | Volume 3 | Issue 1 | Jan-June 2018 | Page 32-36 Shetty S, Shetty SM www.jcorth.com approach and the infectious smile able to offer the best treatment good loving family is a must. God kept up the spirits of your associates options with better outcomes. And, has blessed me with an in this endeavour to deliver the best research has played pivotal role. In understanding wife who waits for to the needy, in a very affordable today's world, there is a constant me till 12 midnight to serve dinner manner. How did you come up with urge to know the latest and try to and again the working wheel starting such interesting projects and which incorporate it in practice and you at 8.00 AM. This, we have been of those have been your cherished have always been in the forefront in doing for the last 50 years of our one? bringing it into practice and also marriage. The sacrifices my wife and In Lions organization, I was elected conducting research. children and other family members, unanimously as the Governor in How important is it for everyone especially my parents, made me 1994; I have been a member of this who is part of orthopaedics to what I am today. I thank Almighty organization for the last 45 years. constantly involve in research and for this in my everyday prayer. My 3 Lions Club has given me an stay abreast with the developments daughters never used to sleep till I opportunity to do whatever social and be open to the thought of come home and always we ate our service and community obligations I adopting such practices? dinner together. Every Sunday was a had to give back to the society what Yes. Orthopaedics surgery amongst family day and each one of us looked society has given me. I have been most of the branches of medicine upon for this day for an outing either looking after the Lions Artificial has evolved tremendously mainly for an evening Dosa outing or a Limb Centre for the last 40 years in because of technology and dinner. It is great to have daughters, Government Wenlock hospital Biological evolution. The robotics, they are loving and understanding. through which we have supplied better understanding of metals, Yes, all my three daughters have more than 85,000 artificial computerization, arthroscopic become doctors. They scored well in appliances to the challenged evolution, gene and stem cell PUC, but it was the courtesy and disabled persons. I was instrumental therapy have made the surgeons job good will of Dr. T. Ramdas Pai and in starting the Lions Tejasvini Blood more challenging, demanding, but at Mrs. Vasanthi Pai that all my 3 Bank and the Lions Tejasvini the same time easier. Change is a daughters could study at KMC and Dialysis Centre, and the Lions natural phenomenon. An arm chair have become super specialists in the Vocational Centre which are doing surgeon has no role to play in the fields of Medicine. KMC had a staff good human work. I also started the present arena of constant quota then and we are grateful to the physically development and learning. A learner magnanimity of the management. handicapped association in 1984 will have time and means to learn, a My life has been hectic almost 14 with just 60 members. Today, it has lazy person will have only excuses. hours a day of work, but it has kept 5000 members who are getting me going. I am afraid to retire, I can't support from government to be Question 9: Your family has imagine myself remain idle. Period independent as far as possible. All successively produced doctors for prior to and after the Conferences these projects have given me three generations including you, every time has been my holidays immense pleasure and peace. your three daughters and your with my wife and children. When grandchild; you surely played a role they were young, once a year we Question 8: Orthopaedics specialty which has influenced their decision used to go on a holiday – they loved has been involving itself with the to become a doctor. You lead a very and longed for it. latest development in field of hectic professional life as Pro technology, by adopting computer Chancellor of Nitte Deemed to be Question 10: What is your favourite navigation, robotics and artificial university and as Chairman of the hobby or anything that you would intelligence and also benefitting Tejasvini Hospital and SSIOT which like to do to unwind or relax? from these developments in is leading orthopaedic specialty My hobby is to read and write metallurgy and polymer science. hospital with DNB post graduate whenever I find time. To watch There has been a better training being imparted, how do you cricket or tennis matches, I know understanding of human basic divide time between family and every cricket player and tennis star sciences, and it has brought in stem professional life? by name and their achievements, cell therapy and gene therapy, hence Yes. For anyone to be successful, a from Ken Rosewall to Roger Federer

33| Journal of Clinical Orthopaedics | Volume 3 | Issue 1 | Jan-June 2018 | Page 32-36 Shetty S, Shetty SM www.jcorth.com in tennis and from Vijay Hazare to to be judged and awarded amongst My message to the future: Virat Kohli in cricket. more than 10 submissions from Work hard – there is no alternative different parts of the country. I to working, but work with love and Question 11: With more than 45 always like challenges. satisfaction. years of experience in Professional Don't be after money; money life, with many award and Question 12: You have essayed automatically comes to you if you recognitions which have been numerous roles in your professional work sincerely, ethically and with bestowed on you for your dedication life, as a student, teacher, love and compassion. God's and service to the humanity. Which administrator, leader among equals, blessings, family support and one would you rate the most a healer and many more. support of students and colleagues memorable one and the closest to What role gave you satisfaction and and community at large are vital for your heart and why? happiness? growth and peace. Yes. I have received innumerable What role would you like to be awards from our own country and remembered for? * Prof. (Dr.) M. Shantharam Shetty, abroad, from Lions Club to What would be your message for the Pro Chancellor, Nitte University, Government and premier agencies. future? Chairman, Tejasvini Hospital & But, I place the recent Golden Every role that I played in my life has SSIOT, Jubilee IOA Oration Award as the given me immense satisfaction as a Adjunct Professor, The T N Dr. most precious one. I worked for it, teacher, as a surgeon, an MGR Medical University, competed for it and won it and administrator and as a humble AO Trustee 2006-11 and Past delivered the oration. One of my community worker each as Chairman AO Trauma India senior colleagues and friend was important as the other. It is futile to Council, astonished that at my age and gauge, since in life each one is as Past President, Indian Orthopaedic position as pro Chancellor of a important as the other. Association University, I submitted the oration

How to Cite this Article Conflict of Interest: NIL Source of Support: NIL Shetty S, Shetty SM. Prof. (Dr) M. Shantharam Shetty *- a Doyen of Orthopaedics. Journal of Clinical Orthopaedics Jan-June 2018; 3(1):33-36

33| Journal of Clinical Orthopaedics | Volume 3 | Issue 1 | Jan-June 2018 | Page 32-36