By Y.S. Rana ,Chandigarh : He can feel the beat of every heart. This can be aptly said about Dr T. S. Mahant, Executive Director, Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Fortis, Mohali. He has made a name for himself in the medical profession with his grit, determination, devotion and perseverance. And the number of open heart operations stacked against his name, add to his stature.
Having done more than 27,000 open heart surgeries on patients ranging from neonates to geriatric, newborns to 90-year-old, and simple to complex and congenital, Dr Mahant enjoys the distinction of having done the highest number by any surgeon in the country. Not wanting to sit on his laurels, he is as keen on taking up new challenges as he
was 20 years ago. “Devotion to one’s profession and enjoyment in the work one does, keep a man going”, says Dr Mahant.
Dr Mahant belongs to Mandi District of Himachal Pradesh. After his early schooling in Middle School, Pandoh, and Vijay High School, Mandi, he did his pre-medical from Government Degree College, Mandi, and MBBS from the Government Medical College, Shimla. He passed MS Surgery (1978) and M. Ch. Cardiovascular Surgery (1981) from PGIMER, Chandigarh.
After getting training in Australia, New Zealand and the United Statesof America, Dr Mahant became Professor of Cardiac Surgery atSGPGI, Lucknow (1990 – 1995). Later, he accepted the challenging role of Chief of Cardiac Surgery at Batra Hospital, New Delhi. During his extremely successful eight-year stint, he spearheaded Batra Hospital’s
cardiac programme to great heights.
He was also been senior registrar, cardiothoracic surgery, at Dunedin Hospital, New Zealand, and visiting fellow, cardiothoracic surgery, at Green Lane Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand; Senior Fellow at St Vincent Hospital, Sydney, Royal Children
Hospital, Melbourne, and Shoine Hospital, Sydney. His expertise involves coronary artery bypass surgery and valve replacement surgeries on infants and children with complex heart disease.
Turning points in life either mark the end or beginning of a phase. One of the most important turning points that shaped my life, came when I saw pathetic medical care in rural area. This made me took the decision to become a doctor and devote myself to the service of the needy,” said Dr Mahant.
Although he has done countless number of open heart surgeries, yet Dr Mahant recalls in vivid details, the rare surgery he performed on 11-month-old Junaid of Pakistan under the Rotary Heartline Project which gave the child a new lease of life. Dr Mahant has to his credit 136 surgeries done on foreigners, including nine on Pakistanis; five
on Uganadans; and on one child each from Afganistan and Nepal. All these children belonged to the economically weaker sections of the
society.
With more than 20 years of rich experience behind him, Dr Mahant is reckoned as an asset in the field of open heart surgery, and has worked in top hospitals both in the country and overseas. In recognition of his services, he was awarded the best research paper award at the Annual Conference of Surgeons of India in 1982. He has
the highest qualification both in general and cardiovascular and thoracic surgery, in the country.
With Himachal Gaurav Samman already in his kitty, Dr Mahant was awarded ‘Himachal Ratan’ by the All India Intellectual Confederation of India, in 2009. He has also been awarded Devi Chand Memorial Oration and Gold Medal in 2008 for his outstanding contribution in the field of medicine. Besides, he was awarded ‘International Man of the Year-2009’ Award by Madisons for his exemplary and distinguished achievements.
Dr Mahant feels that quality healthcare is a fundamental right, and a privilege. In the medical field where adequate is not enough, there are constant pressures and demands for providing quality healthcare and qualitative improvement in delivery.
“Some of the biggest benefits of technology have come in the areas of diagnosis imaging; minimal invasive surgical techniques, reconstruction and regeneration. With endo-surgical techniques, surgery has taken the fingers of a surgeon outside the body through a
one-cm key-hole incision which cuts down both on stay in hospital and cost. The benefits to patients include quicker recovery and less pain”, said Dr Mahant.
“Though Himachal has many firsts to its credit. The government has initiated a slew of measures which may heralded a new dawn of development in rural areas but a lot more is needed to be done to come over the problem of healthcare,” said Dr Mahant.
“I like all yesteryears actors and actresses and always fond of old songs. It is difficult to make a choice out of them,” disclosed Dr Mahant.
Surgery records
• An eminent cardiac surgeon, Dr Mahant has had an illustrious career
and has served in several leading hospitals of the country.
• Dr Mahant has a track record of having performed over 15,000
cardiac procedures.
• He is an acknowledged expert in the area of paediatric heart
surgery, having conducted over 3,500 paediatric procedures. His
distinguished track record in neo-natal surgery includes the delicate
Paediatric Arterial Switch operation on day-old infants.
• Dr Mahant served as the Head of Cardiovascular Surgery at Batra
Hospital , New Delhi .
At the end he said that now he realized he owed it to people because he was also grown up with them also a part of them.