K. M. Cherian

Who is K. M. Cherian?

K. M. Cherian is a leading Indian heart surgeon who has pioneered new treatments, founded new hospitals and earned an international reputation. He is the founding chairman of Frontier Lifeline based in Chennai, and the Dr K M Cherian Heart Foundation. Dr. K. M.Cherian is a world renowned and distinguished Cardiac Surgeon. He started his career in Christian Medical College Hospital, in Vellore as lecturer in Surgery. He did his FRACS in Cardiothoracic Surgery in 1973, while being a migrant in Australia. He worked in New Zealand and was also a migrant to The United States. He worked as a Special Fellow in Paediatric Cardiac Surgery in Birmingham, Alabama under Dr. John W. Kirklin and in the University of Oregon under Dr. Albert Starr. He is an honourable Prof at the Yangzhou University, China.He performed India’s first successful Coronary Artery bypass surgery in 1975. He also performed the country’s first heart transplant after legalization of brain death. The first Heart- Lung Transplant, the first Paediatric Transplant and the first TMR were also performed by him.He is the recipient of the prestigious Doctor of Science degree awarded by King George's Medical University, Lucknow. He was awarded Padma Shri by the Government of India in 1991. DR.K.M.Cherian was honorary surgeon to the President of India from 1990 to 1993. He received a Wockhardt Medical Excellence Award in 2005, through a panel organised by Harvard Medical School. Dr Cherian is the only one from India selected for the unique honour of having his name inscribed in stone during the recent World Congress conducted by the World Society of Cardio Thoracic Surgeons on the Island of KOS, Greece.He is the first Indian to become the President of the World Congress of Thoracic Cardiac Surgeon and the first member of the American Association of Thoracic Surgery from India. He was the Founding Vice President and Director of Madras Medical Mission, Founding Chairman of Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences. He is the Founder Chairman of Frontier Lifeline Hospital and Frontier Mediville, the first Medical SEZ and Medical Science Park in India. His Charitable Trust has built the St Gregorios Cardio Vascular Centre, at Parumala, in Kerala and his Educational Trust runs the International CBSE School named “The Study - L'/ecole International” at Puducherry. Dr. Cherian performed the first coronary artery bypass surgery in India in 1975. He also performed the country's second heart transplant, first infant cardiac surgery and the first heart and lung transplant. He is also a pioneer in India having performed heart surgeires using tissue engineered conduits and used autologous stem cells in heart diseases.