Cardiologist who brought 2D Echo to India, Dr G Vijayaraghavan, dies at 84

Dr G Vijayaraghavan, the cardiologist widely credited with bringing 2D echocardiography to India, died in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday, two days after his 84th birthday.

A Padma Shri recipient in 2009, Dr Vijayaraghavan was instrumental in setting up the country's first 2D echocardiography laboratory at the Government Medical College in Thiruvananthapuram in the late 1970s. The technology allowed non-invasive imaging of the heart and broadened the role of echocardiography in clinical cardiology.

To make the scanner available in India, he worked with an India-US venture that supplied the first such machine to the medical college in the state capital — a step that helped transform cardiac care in the country.

Born in Kollam, Dr Vijayaraghavan graduated from the Government Medical College in Thiruvananthapuram in 1964. He began his career at CMC Vellore and returned to his alma mater in 1976. With support from Royal Brompton and Harefield Education, London, he carried out extensive research on tropical endomyocardial fibrosis, a condition in which thick scar tissue forms inside the heart chambers and which was prevalent in southern India. His work also covered rheumatic mitral valve disease, congenital heart disease and coronary artery morphology.

In 1983 he joined the University of California, where he conducted pioneering research in doppler echocardiography. He authored several textbooks and research papers published internationally, and was recognised as a distinguished professor of cardiology by the National Board of Examinations. He also received the Golden Heart Fellowship of the American Heart Association and lifetime achievement honours from the Indian Academy of Echocardiography, the Indian College of Cardiology and the Cardiological Society of India. He was among the founders of KIMS Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram.

Beyond his clinical work, Dr Vijayaraghavan was committed to training the next generation of cardiologists. Through medical education programmes and echocardiography workshops across the country, he taught doctors to use emerging cardiac imaging technology, helping drive the adoption of 2D echocardiography in India.

He is also credited with introducing treatment for poisoning caused by consuming Cerebra Odollum, known as Othalanga in Kerala, which had become a common method of suicide. The treatment protocols he developed are credited with saving many lives.

Chief Minister V D Satheesan condoled his death, describing him as a guardian of the heart who brought relief and hope to thousands of patients and possessed "magical fingers with a divine touch". Health Minister K Muraleedharan called the loss irreparable for the healthcare sector, saying his contributions would remain a guiding light for Kerala's medical field. Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan also expressed condolences and solidarity with the bereaved family and close associates.