Pran Nath Chhuttani

Pran Nath Chhuttani (26 February 1915 – 16 July 1996) was an Indian physician and medical educator, recognized for his role in establishing and developing Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh.

Early life Pran Nath Chhuttani was born on 26 February 1915 in Leiah, now part of Pakistan. He completed his M.B.B.S. (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery) at Punjab University, Lahore, in 1938. He earned a D.T.M. (Diploma in Tropical Medicine) from the University of Calcutta in 1940 and an M.D. (Doctor of Medicine) from Punjab University, Lahore in 1942. Before his time as a medical student, he volunteered in the aftermath of the 1935 Quetta earthquake, assisting patients despite contracting severe dysentery that required extended hospitalization.

Post-independence, his family relocated to Gangtok, where his father held the position of Chief Judge. Chhuttani, along with Dr. Tulsi Das and Dr. Santokh Singh Anand, proposed the idea for the institute. During his leadership, PGIMER gained prominence as a leading medical research and educational institution, though it also faced challenges, including controversies related to the death of Justice D.S. Lamba and the treatment of Jai Prakash Narayan.

Chhuttani published over 150 research papers on health sciences, focusing on tropical medicine and communicable diseases. Dr. Chhuttani was the recipient of several prestigious awards, including:

The Padma Bhushan from the Government of India in 1972. The Dr. B. C. Roy Award from the Medical Council of India. Dr. Pran Nath Chhuttani Oration (1999) by the National Academy of Medical Sciences to promote studies in tropical medicine and communicable diseases.

Additionally, the Chhuttani Medical Centre in Chandigarh stands as a tribute to his enduring impact on healthcare in the region.