Banerjee Kalyan, Lahiri Koushik

Bioline International

Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol September-October 2004 Vol 70 Issue 5 328328 CMYKObituaryAjit Kumar Dutta (1930 - 2004)“He was not just a healer but a philosopher of healing…awonderful, humane, soothing practitioner and theorist ofmedicine, and the world is poorer for his absence”John Updike, in a personal letter after the death of ThomasB. Fitzpatrick (J Am Acad Dermatol, August 2004)The above adage suits Dr. Ajit Kumar Dutta perfectlyto the core as well, one of the most respected andbeloved teachers and practitioners and certainly oneof the doyens of modern dermatology in India.Dr. Dutta was born on 1.12.1930 in Malda, a small townin erstwhile undivided Bengal. After completing hismatriculation with flying colors in 1946 from MaldaZilla School, he graduated in Medicine from R. G. KarMedical College, Calcutta University in 1953. Hereceived his DTM and H in 1957 and stood first in orderof merit in D. Dermat in 1960. He did his MD inDermatology from Calcutta University in 1976.Vitiligo captured his attention in 1960 when he joined theDermatology Department of Calcutta Medical College andhospitals as a clinical tutor. In 1964 he completed his Ph.D.with his thesis topic being ‘Physiological study of humanvitiliginous skin in tropics and its correlation with clinicalobservations’. His article ‘A clinical study of 650 vitiligo casesand their classification’ was cited in the Yearbook ofDermatology (1970) and was subsequently referred to inthe book ‘Dermatology in general medicine’. In 1971 hisessay ‘Etiopathogenesis of vitiligo and its management’ wonhim the ‘Award of Merit” from the Skin Institute, New Delhi.His outstanding work drew international acclaim andhe was invited to present his observations at Cambridgein 1974. In the same year he was awarded the ‘CoatesMedal’ by the University of Calcutta in recognition ofhis scientific publications. His monograph “Neuralimplications in vitiligo” was awarded the “Certificateof Honor” by the Scientific Committee of the Castellani-Reiss Award at the 5th International Congress ofDermatology at Mexico in 1984.Dr. Dutta became the editor of Indian Journal ofDermatology in 1980. During the next 5 years he triedhis best to uphold the standard of this prestigiousjournal despite financial and infrastructural hindrances.He was the organizing Secretary of 16th NationalConference of IADVL held in Calcutta in 1988.He touched the zenith in his government service as well.He was the Professor and Head, Dept of Dermatology,University College of Medicine, and then the Secretaryof post graduate studies. He took early voluntaryretirement from service in 1985. He was associated witha number of institutions including Institute of ChildHealth, Goenka Hospital, and J. N. Roy Hospital. Hecontributed to the chapter on pigmentary disorders inthe IADVL Textbook of Dermatology and was co-authorof the book “Occupational and Industrial Dermatoses”.Dr. Dutta was a person of varied interests. He was avoracious reader, an acclaimed writer and a teacher ofthe highest caliber. His soothing nature and unassumingattitude touched every person. He was very active as asuperconsultant and constantly kept himself updatedwith advancements in his field till 13th May 2004 whenhe suffered a massive brainstem hemorrhage andsuccumbed on 19th May 2004 in a Kolkata hospital.Dr. Dutta is survived by his wife Rikta and twodaughters. This great person and his wonderful workwill leave an indelible imprint on the minds of manygenerations of dermatologists.Kalyan Banerjee, Koushik Lahiri

Obituary - Ajit Kumar Dutta (1930 - 2004)

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