Dr KK Aggarwal, Editor in Chief eMedinewS and IMA News in conversation with Prof. (Dr) Rajeshwar Dayal, Head, Dept. of Pediatrics, SN Medical College, Agra.
Prof. (Dr) Rajeshwar Dayal has been honored with Dr BC Roy National Award for the year 2008 under the category of ‘Eminent Medical Teacher’.
Prof. How does it feel being conferred one of the most prestigious awards in the medical field?
I am deeply honored to receive this award and would like to express my gratitude to the Medical Council of India for considering me for the same. It is also a matter of pride and honor for the institution where I have been teaching for the past over 32 years, i.e., SN Medical College, Agra.
Tell us about your journey so far.
After a brilliant undergraduate and postgraduate medical career during which I bagged 13 gold medals, 9 silver medals, 1 bronze medal and topped the MBBS and MD examination, I went to the UK where I trained in Neonatology at Newcastle Upon Tyne. However, I had hardly stayed there for 8 months when the post of lecturer in Pediatrics at my alma mater, i.e., SN Medical College, Agra, fell vacant and with a desire to serve my homeland I returned to take up this post in June 1984. Since then I have been working in the same department and for the past 13 years I am the Professor and Head of the
Dept.
I have guided over 50 postgraduate students for their theses and served as an examiner across the country for MD, DCH, PhD and DNB examinations. My training in neonatology paid rich dividends as with personal efforts I could set up a Level II NICU in my department. Through this NICU we are able to offer good neonatal care to our part of the country where neonatal mortality continues to remain high.