Kothagudem mourns the demise of its first orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Vijendra Rao

He was laid to rest here on Friday after he breathed his last on Wednesday night. He served in SCCL Main Hospital in Kothagudem for nearly five years before he started his own Amrutha Deepa Hospital in the town in 1980’s.

Kothagudem: Kothagudem town has mourned the demise of its first orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Tamanam Vijendra Rao, who passed away at an age of 72 years following an illness.

He was laid to rest here on Friday after he breathed his last on Wednesday night. He served in SCCL Main Hospital in Kothagudem for nearly five years before he started his own Amrutha Deepa Hospital in the town in 1980’s.

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Having served as a Rotary Club governor he founded Rotary Community Service Foundation Artificial Limbs Centre in the town in 1991 to manufacture artificial limbs, tricycles, crutches and calipers, which he provided to thousands of persons free of cost in both Telugu States.

Sharing life details of Dr. Vijendra Rao with Telangana Today, his longtime associate and the limbs centre joint secretary PV Ramachander Rao said that the doctor used to provide the limbs with the support of donors. When donors were not available the doctor used to spend his own money in providing the limbs to the needy, he said.

Dr. Vijendra Rao received ‘Service above self’ award from Rotary International in 2006 and best farmer award from the hands of former erstwhile AP Chief Minister K Rosaiah for promoting oil palm cultivation in the district. He also established a couple of schools in the town, Ramachander Rao said.

Despite being a dalit Dr. Vijendra Rao has not claimed the community reservation for himself and for his children in pursuing education or to get a job. He did his post-graduation at the Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) after receiving an MBBS degree from a college in Guntur, AP.

Being an expert in performing polio corrective surgeries Dr. Vijendra Rao visited many foreign countries to perform surgeries besides at many places in India. He practiced in Kothagudem town because he wanted to serve the rural masses, added Ramachander Rao.

Khammam MP Ramasahayam Raghuram Reddy, MLA Kunamneni Sambasiva Rao, former MLA Jalagam Venkat Rao, IMA Kothagudem branch president Dr. A. Bhaskar and several others paid their last respects to the doctor.