Padma Shri neurosurgeon Ashok Kumar Mahapatra dies in New Delhi
The former AIIMS Bhubaneswar director passed away on Monday while undergoing treatment at AIIMS, New Delhi.
Eminent neurosurgeon and Padma Shri awardee Professor Ashok Kumar Mahapatra passed away at 9.15 pm on Monday while receiving treatment at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, according to Medical Dialogues and Kalinga TV.
The 73-year-old medical professional had been unwell for some time. He was first admitted to a private hospital in Bhubaneswar following complaints of a headache, but was moved to AIIMS, New Delhi, on October 2 as his condition worsened.
Mahapatra was the founder director of AIIMS Bhubaneswar, a role he held from 2012 to 2016. He also served as the director of the Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS), Lucknow, between 2006 and 2009, and spent nearly 36 years at AIIMS, New Delhi, where he headed the Department of Neurosurgery.
He gained national prominence for leading the surgical separation of conjoined twins Jaga and Balia from Kandhamal district in October 2017. For his work in neurosurgery and medical education, he received the Padma Shri in 2024 and the C.V. Raman Award for Scientific Excellence in 2022.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi expressed his condolences, stating that the passing of the renowned expert was a significant loss for the nation and the state's medical community. AIIMS Bhubaneswar also shared a message of grief regarding the loss of its founder director.