Lalit K. Bhutani [PDF]
(5 September 1936– 24 July 2004)

It is a sad and agonizing moment for me to write an obituary for someone who touched so many lives in myriad ways. Professor L. K. Bhutani, physician, teacher par excellence and an academician, passed away at the age of 67, leaving an ‘unfillable’ void in the lives of so many of us, for whom he had done so much during our medical and dermatological training and thereafter as well!
   The eldest of six children, Dr Bhutani graduated in medicine from the University of Punjab in 1958. An almost reluctant entrant into the field of Dermatology and Venereology, he did his postgraduation from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and went on to become one of its most brilliant students, and an inspiring teacher who was in large measure responsible for making not only dermatology but also venereology popular among the medical fraternity.
   After completing his residency, he joined AIIMS as a member of its faculty and eventually took over the reins of the Department of Dermatology and Venereology in 1976 from his mentor and teacher, Professor K. C. Khandhari. He held several positions at various times at AIIMS, including that of Professor in-charge,
B. B. Dikshit Library, Superintendent of Hostels and Faculty Member in-charge, Public Relations. He eventually rose to become Dean and Director of this prestigious institute from which he retired in 1996. He then worked at one of the leading private hospitals in Delhi. Wherever he worked, his presence left an indelible mark.
   During his long stint of 17 years as the Head of Department at AIIMS, he lovingly nurtured the department and streamlined its teaching programme. It is a tribute to his uncanny foresight that almost a decade after his retirement, the teaching programme initiated by him has remained unchanged. His commitment to teaching was reflected in his authorship of two flawless atlases—Atlas of dermatology and Atlas of sexually transmitted diseases. Both undergraduate and postgraduate students continue to use these immensely popular ‘bibles’.
   As a teacher his lectures were just not ‘missable’. A brilliant orator, his talks were full of clarity and humour and were heard in pindrop silence. He dotted his presentations with the most fascinating clinical pictures; his passion for photography was unmatched and in jest we would often tell him that if he ever stood for an election, his election symbol would definitely be a camera! His well catalogued collection of clinical photographs could easily be passed off as the ‘Library of dermatological pictures’. It was always a pleasure to delve into this amazing collection and choose slides to liven up our presentations (and he never once refused any of us this favour).
   His prowess at research was responsible for his innovative work in the fields of leprosy, porphyria, pigmentary disorders and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). He was a prolific writer and his research publications were acclaimed the world over. He served on the editorial board of several prestigious journals, including the International Journal of Leprosy, Journal of Dermatological Treatment and Seminars in Dermatology.
   His interest in venereology (a field oft given stepmotherly treatment by dermatologists) was responsible for propelling the specialty to its present importance. His efforts were pivotal in getting the syndromic treatment of STDs incorporated in the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) treatment guidelines. His stints with WHO as a consultant in STDs—in Bangladesh, Armenia, Uzbekistan, Singapore and Colombo—were instrumental in streamlining the containment programmes for STDs in these countries.
   He was elected President of the Indian Association of Dermatologists, Venereologists and Leprologists in 1981–82, after having served as its Vice-President (1979–80) and General Secretary (1973–74). His immense organizational skills came to the fore when he successfully hosted the VII International Congress of Dermatology at New Delhi in 1994—the first ever for an Asian country!
   Looking around at the fraternity of dermatologists (which is full of people who have been touched in many ways by this stalwart), I see glimpses of him in several of us: in the small gestures we make, the way we try to dress (his immaculate dress sense was legendary), the way we deliver our talks (peppered with humour) and the way we teach (a Herculean task to emulate!).
   It is difficult to sum up in a page a long association of more than two decades with a person who was as multifaceted and charismatic as Professor Bhutani. An articulate teacher with an amazing sense of humour, a strict disciplinarian and hard task master, a meticulous and compassionate doctor and, above all, an adorable human being. What more can I say about my teacher, guide and mentor!