Prof. Dr. B. V. Satyanarayana (30-1-1927 - 15-8-2005)

G Raghurama Rao

 Department of Dermatology, Andhra Medical College, Visakhapatnam, India

Correspondence Address:
G Raghurama Rao
Department of Dermatology, Andhra Medical College, Visakhapatnam
India

Prof. Dr. Bendapudi Venkata Satyanarayana, [Figure - 1] the doyen of dermatology in Andhra Pradesh, died on 15th August, 2005 at the age of 78 years at Visakhapatnam after a brief illness.

He was born on 30th January, 1927 in Eluru, West Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh in a noble, austere and well known family of Bendapudi. He graduated from Andhra Medical College, Visakhapatnam in 1952. He was awarded the Diploma in Venereology by Dr. P. Rangaiah and Dr. M. V. Krishnamurthy, pioneers in the field of venereology. In 1955, he was deputed to the School of Tropical Medicine, Calcutta for advanced training in dermatology. Immediately after the training, he was posted as the Lecturer/ Head of the Department of Dermatology, Andhra Medical College, Visakhapatnam in 1956. He was the first qualified dermato-venereologist in India, with an MD (Dermatology) from AIIMS, New Delhi, in 1962, where the MD course was started for the first time in India. Dr. K. C. Kandhari was his teacher.

He was the first qualified teacher in dermatology in Andhra Pradesh. His post in Andhra Medical College was elevated to that of Professor in 1965 and he served the Department untiringly for more than twenty years. To broaden the scope of the department and to cater to the expanding needs, he started post-graduate courses in dermatology, Diploma in Dermatology in 1964 and MD in Dermatology in 1967, being the second after AIIMS, New Delhi. He was the architect in formulating the syllabus and structure of Diploma in Leprology, the first of its kind in India. He was the first dermatologist to be awarded MAMS, Dermato-venereology in 1968 by the National Academy of Medical Sciences. He was a post-graduate examiner in practically all Indian universities.

During his long tenure as a Professor, the Department of Dermatology in Andhra Medical College, Visakhapatnam was well known for research and postgraduate teaching. Under his able guidance, the Department contributed many articles to many journals. Under his direct supervision, 25 candidates qualified for MD in Dermatology and 23 for Diploma in Dermatology.

Dr. Satyanarayana is remembered as one of the finest post-graduate teachers for his insight and invaluable guidance. He was a shrewd clinician and an incisive academician. He allowed everyone to express their views; whenever he found something novel, he openly admired it and wherever he thought himself incorrect, he admitted that without any reservation. He was dispassionate in his approach.

He was renowned not only for his academic excellence, but also for his inexhaustible treasure of love and concern for his patients, leprosy patients in particular. He served them with devotion in days when there was no adequate infrastructure or manpower and when there was a social stigma attached to leprosy.

He is survived by two sons, Dr. B V Ramachandra, Associate Professor of Dermatology, Andhra Medical College and another son, a successful mechanical engineer.