Dr. V. Shanta - A ‘Mother Teresa’ to cancer patients

On the first anniversary of the passing of Dr. V.Shanta, her colleagues at Cancer Institute pay tributes to their leader

Dr.V. Shanta was an undisputed cancer crusader in the oncologic landscape for the past six decades. Born to a distinguished scientific family with two of her relatives, the immediate grand uncle Dr. C.V. Raman and uncle Dr. Chandrasekhar being noble laureates, she could have aspired to varied professions, but she passioned medicine.

She completed her undergraduate, postgraduate courses from Madras Medical College in the 50s’ with Masters in Obstetrics & Gynecology. Following her education, instead of a lucrative practice, she chose a career and life to an ordeal against cancer, a grossly neglected disease at that time. The word “cancer” meant death in the public mind. This perception in the later years was changed by the works of , who came under the influence of legends Dr.S. Krishnamurthi and his mother, Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy, a visionary dedicated to social service and reforms. The three legendary figures were instrumental to the birth of the Cancer Institute, a banyan tree of shelter and hope.