Bhalchandra Kodkany, veteran doctor, researcher and medical sciences professor died in Belagavi on Thursday. He was 89. He was admitted to a hospital a few days ago. His daughter Shlipa Kodkany is a Belagavi-based ophthalmologist.
Dr. Kodkany served as a professor and in various other capacities in the KLE Society’s Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College from 1966 to 2020. He served as the Professor and Head of the Department of Gynaecology at JNMC. He was loved by his students and research scholars.
He was a recipient of the Dr. BC Roy National Award for services in medical science and education. He was also a career researcher with several of his papers being published in international journals. He was instrumental in the KLE society entering into MOU with foreign universities and taking up research and child and mother health in northern Karnataka region.
Dr. Kodkany worked on the Human Reproduction Research project, a wide ranging research project of the Indian Council of Medical Research in the 1980s. He later helped KLE set up the Women’s and Children’s Health Research Unit in JNMC. It was recognised as a NICHD Global Network Site and initiated several research projects. “He was a strict disciplinarian and passionate researcher. He changed the lives of thousands of students and countless research scholars,’‘ recalled Subarna Roy, director of ICMR National Institute of Traditional medicine who collaborated with Dr. Kodkany in several projects and assessment committees.
“Dr. Kodkany’s dedication, wisdom, and kindness touched the lives of several students. He inspired students, scientists and teachers. His death is a great loss to the institution,” said KLE chairman Prabhakar Kore.
“He was known for ingenious ways of diagnosis and surgery. He saved the lives of countless women and infants,” recalled family friend M.K. Jainapur. “He was among the earliest men to practice gynaecology in these areas. But he built up his reputation soon. He got patients from far away areas in Maharashtra and Goa,” Mr. Jainapur said.
