CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Tuesday inaugurated a memorial hall (museum) in honour of Dr V Shanta, former Chairperson of Cancer Institute (WIA), Adyar, here, and a doyen of Oncology in India, who had dedicated her entire life for the service of cancer patients.
The Chief Minister unveiled a statue of Shanta on the WIA premises and offered floral tributes to her portrait on the occasion.
Chairman of the Cancer Institute (WIA) N L Rajah, Director & CEO of Cancer Institute Dr Kalpana Balakrishnan, State Health Minister Ma Subramanian, and Director of The Hindu Publishing Group N Ram were among those present on the occasion.
Dr Shanta (March 11, 1927 - January 19, 2021) was the Chairperson of the Cancer Institute (WIA) Chennai till her death. She dedicated her entire medical life spanning over half a century to the mission of organising care for cancer patients, the study of the disease, its prevention and control, and producing specialists and scientists in different aspects of Oncological Sciences.
She played a crucial role along with Dr Krishnamurthi in the development of the Cancer Institute from a cottage hospital of 12 beds to a major comprehensive Cancer Centre of national and international stature.