Dr.V.Shanta was born on March 11, 1927 in a distinguished scientific family of India in Chennai. Her immediate grand uncle and uncle were both Noble Laureates. She graduated (M.B.B.S.) in 1949, D.G.O. in 1952 and M.D, in Obstetrics & Gynecology in 1955. In April 1955, she joined the fledgling Cancer Institute, established in 1954 by the Womens’ Indian Association Cancer Relief Fund, as its Resident Medical Officer in preference to the Asst. Surgeon’s Post in the Women & Children’s Hospital, Madras, to which she had been selected by the Madras Public Service Commission.
Dr.V.Shanta was the Chairman of the Cancer Institute (WIA) Chennai at the time of her death on January 19, 2021.
Late. Dr V Shanta
Dr.V.Shanta was born on March 11, 1927 in a distinguished scientific family of India in Chennai.
Her entire medical life over 50 years has been dedicated to the mission of organising care of Cancer patients, the study of the disease, its prevention and control, the generation of specialists and scientists in different aspects of Oncologic Sciences.
She has played an important role along with Dr. Krishnamurthi in the development of the Cancer Institute (WIA) from a cottage hospital of 12 beds to a major comprehensive Cancer Centre of national and international stature. She has played a pioneering role in all the achievements of the Institute.
She was on WHO Advisory Committee on Cancer till March 2005. She was also Convener of the State Advisory Board on Cancer. She has been Chairman of the INDO-US Collaborative Group on Lymphoid Neoplasias (Indian Chapter), member of many ICMR Committees, member of the ICMR Task Force on Registries and member of the Syndicate of the Anna University. She was President of the Indian Society of Oncology (88-90), President of the Asian & Pacific Federation of Organisations for cancer control (97-99) and President of the 15th Asian & Pacific Cancer Conference (1999). She has participated in a number of Scientific International Collaborative Programmes.
Apart from many awards from public and official organisations for her contribution to the advances in management and control of Cancer, she was the recipient of major National and International Awards.
She has published over 95 papers in national and international journals, contributed chapters in Oncology books, delivered many prestigious orations and participated in many international and national conferences.
National & International Awards:
International Awards:
International Association of Cancer Registries Award – Work for Development of Registries in India
Nazli-Gad-El-Mawla Award– Cancer Control in a resource poor country, Brussels
Ramon Magsaysay Award for Public Service, Philippines
National Awards
PADMA SHRI
PADMA BHUSHAN
Avvaiyar Award by Government of Tamilnadu
PADMA VIBHUSHAN
Life Time Achievement Awards – 15 (Appended)
Honorary Doctorate Awards: (doctor of Science)
Shri Venkateswara University
Tamil Nadu Dr.M.G.R.Medical University
Dr. NTR University of Health Sciences
Sathyabama University
Gandhigram Rural University,Gandhigram
University Convocation Address
Bharatidasan University, Tiruchirapalli
Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences, Tirupathi
Bangalore University, Karnataka
Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Pondicherry
Dr. MGR University, Chennai
Yenepoya University, Mangalore
Dr. NTR University of Health Sciences, Vijayawada
Chettinad Academy of Research, Chennai
Central University of Tamil Nadu, Tiruvarur
Tamil Nadu Open University
Other Awards
National & International Publications
Recent Assignments
- Member – State Planning Commission (Health)- 2010
- Member – Expert Group to dispel apprehensions on the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP)-2011
