Renowned Geneticist, Padma Shri Awardee Dr Ishwar Chander Verma passes away

New Delhi [India], February 9 (ANI): Padma Shri awardee Dr Ishwar Chander Verma, a renowned specialist and pioneer in the field of Genetics passed away on Friday. He was widely respected in the medical community across the globe for his remarkable accomplishments.

In condolences over his passing, “Sir Ganga Ram Hospital is deeply saddened to announce the passing of Dr Ishwar Chander Verma, a towering figure in the field of Genetics. Professor Verma’s contributions to medicine and genetics have left an indelible mark globally, and his loss is mourned by colleagues, students, and patients worldwide.”

Professor Verma received the prestigious Padma Shri in 2023 for his groundbreaking research contributions. He was awarded the BC Roy National Award in 1983. Under Professor Verma’s exemplary guidance, the Institute of Medical Genetics and Genomics at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital (SGRH) garnered the esteemed FICCI 9th Annual Healthcare Excellence Award in 2017.

He set up the first Genetic centre in India at AIIMS Delhi in 1968, the first registry for genetic disorders, the first to provide advanced genetic tests at low cost using indigenous methods, and the first to decipher the molecular architecture of bthalassemia, muscular dystrophy deafness, albinism and many other disorders.

Professor Verma served on several Committees of the Government of India – Ministry of Health, ICMR and Department of Biotechnology.

He played an important role in advising the Government on Rare diseases policy. He was an adviser to WHO Geneva on genetic disorders for 20 years, and to SEARO for the past 10 years.

He received numerous awards from ICMR, NAMS Ranbaxy Science Foundation, Guru Nanak University, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital etc; and Lifetime achievement awards from AIIMS, New Delhi, Cloud Nine Group of hospitals, and Scigenome Foundation. He served as president of the Indian Society of Human Genetics, the Indian Academy of Pediatrics Delhi Branch, the Society of Fetal Medicine and the Indian Society of Inborn Errors of Metabolism.

He played a pivotal role in investigating health issues among tribal communities, implementing preventive measures, and raising awareness about common genetic disorders.