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{{Short description|Indian doctor (1925–2021)}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{Infobox medical person
| honorific_prefix =
| name = Kakarla Subba Rao
| honorific_suffix =
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| birth_name = 
| birth_date = {{birth date|1925|01|25|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Krishna district]], [[Madras Presidency]], [[British India]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2021|04|16|1925|01|25|df=yes}}
| death_place = [[Hyderabad]], [[Telangana]], India
| death_cause =
| residence =
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| education = [[Andhra Medical College]] ([[MBBS]])<br />[[New York University]] (MS)
| occupation = {{hlist|Radiologist|hospital administrator}}
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| notable_works =
| prizes = [[Padma Shri]] (2000)
| child =
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}}

'''Kakarla Subba Rao''' (25 January 1925{{spnd}}16 April 2021) was an Indian radiologist who served as the first director of [[Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences]], [[Hyderabad]]. For his contributions to the field of medicine, Rao was conferred [[Padma Shri]] in 2000, the fourth highest civilian award by the Government of India.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Renowned radiologist and first Director of NIMS, Kakarla Subba Rao passes away|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/telangana/2021/apr/16/renowned-radiologist-and-first-director-of-nims-kakarla-subba-rao-passes-away-2290688.html|access-date=16 April 2021|website=The New Indian Express}}</ref> He was also the founder and president of the [[Telugu Association of North America]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Leadership - TANA|url=https://tana.org/previous/leadership/1/Executive-Committee|access-date=17 April 2021|website=tana.org|archive-date=18 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210418164854/https://tana.org/previous/leadership/1/Executive-Committee|url-status=dead}}</ref>

== Early life and education ==
Rao was born on 25 January 1925 to a middle class [[Telugu language|Telugu]]-speaking [[Kamma (caste)|Kamma]] family in Pedamuttevi, a small village in [[Krishna district|Krishna District]] of present day [[Andhra Pradesh]], [[India]].<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{cite book |last1=Subbarao |first1=Kakarla |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fqUwBQAAQBAJ&dq=kakarla+subba+rao+kamma+caste&pg=PA15 |title=A Doctor's Story of Life & Death: Dr. Kakarla Subbarao's Insightful Reflections on the Medical Profession |last2=Tiwari |first2=Arun K |date=19 January 2021 |publisher=Prabhat Prakashan |isbn=9788184301809 |page=15}}</ref> He completed his schooling at S. R. High School in [[Challapalli]], followed by studies at The Hindu College, in [[Machilipatnam]] between 1937 and 1944. He completed his [[MBBS]] from [[Andhra Medical College]] of the [[Andhra University]] in 1950.<ref name=":1">{{cite book |title=Andhra Entrepreneurs: Past, Present and Future |date=2018 |publisher=Indian Innovators Association |location=Chennai |isbn=9781643249346 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OflmDwAAQBAJ&dq=Andhra+Medical+College+the+Hindu&pg=PT164 |access-date=23 July 2020}}</ref> After obtaining his medical degree he interned at the K. G. Hospital in [[Vizag]] (now [[Visakhapatnam]]) in 1951. He then went to the United States for higher studies on a scholarship, where he did his residency at the [[Bronx Hospital]] and completed his MS in radiology from [[New York University]].<ref name=":5">{{Cite web|title=.:Indian Radiology:.|url=https://www.indianradiologist.com/beta/index.php/interview/dr-kakarla-subbarao|access-date=17 April 2021|website=www.indianradiologist.com}}</ref> During this time, he also worked as a night technician at the Bronx Hospital to pay his tuition.<ref name=":5"/> Between 1954 and 1956, he was a special fellow of radiology at hospitals in New York and Baltimore. He cleared the American Board exam in Radiology in 1955.<ref name=":1" />

==Career==

After his residency in the [[United States]], Rao returned to India and worked as a [[Radiology|radiologist]] at [[Osmania Medical College]] and again went back to the [[United States]] to complete his fellowship.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nims.info/kakarla/kakarla.htm|title=Dr. Kakarla's profile}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.radiologyworld.com/interview.htm|title=Dr. Kakarla Subba Rao – a Profile}}</ref><ref name=NIMS>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/2004/07/09/stories/2004070904650400.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040804022515/http://www.hindu.com/2004/07/09/stories/2004070904650400.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 August 2004|title=Dr. Rao formally hands over charge of Director, NIMS| location=Chennai, India|work=[[The Hindu]]|date=9 July 2004}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=24458|title=Tele-Radiology set up of Kakarla Subba Rao Radiological and Imaging Educational Sciences Trust, Hyderabad}}</ref> His decision to move back to the United States was prompted by an incident in 1969 where his house was burnt during the [[1969 Telangana Agitation|Telangana Agitation]]. He joined [[Montefiore Medical Center]] where he completed his fellowship, and went on to become an assistant professor, and later a professor.<ref name=":5"/> He went on to serve as a professor of radiology at the [[Albert Einstein College of Medicine]], a private medical school in the Bronx, New York.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Renowned radiologist Kakarla Subba Rao is no more|url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/variety/renowned-radiologist-kakarla-subba-rao-is-no-more/article34335744.ece|access-date=17 April 2021|website=@businessline|date=16 April 2021 |language=en}}</ref> During this time, he was also a member of the [[International Skeletal Society]] and served as a member of the society's editorial board.<ref name=":5" /> Rao was the founder and first president of the [[Telugu Association of North America]], an umbrella organization for [[Telugu language|Telugu]] speakers in the [[United States]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Past Presidents of TANA|url=http://www.tana.org/?docid=127|publisher=Telugu Association of North America}}</ref>

On the call of late Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister [[N. T. Rama Rao|Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao]], Subba Rao returned to India in 1986 and joined [[Nizams Institute of Medical Sciences|Nizam Orthopaedic Hospital]]. He did much to improve it, making it into a premier medical institution modeled on the All India Institutes of Medical Sciences. It is now called the Nizam Institute of Medical Sciences.<ref name=":5" /><ref name=NIMS /><ref name=":3">{{Cite web|date=16 April 2021|title='Radiologist of the Millennium' Dr Kakarla Subba Rao leaves a legacy behind|url=https://www.siasat.com/radiologist-of-the-millennium-dr-kakarla-subba-rao-leaves-a-legacy-behind-2124868/|access-date=17 April 2021|website=The Siasat Daily|language=en-US}}</ref> In the initial years, he did not draw any salary for his work, while he established changes in the institution. Recalling his experience later, he would note that the hospital had poor equipment and infrastructure and no CAT scanner or pathology labs. From 1985 and 1990, Rao served as its first director, and again between 1997 and 2004, before retiring.<ref>{{Cite web|date=16 April 2021|title=Noted radiologist and former NIMS director Kakarla Subba Rao passes away|url=https://www.thehansindia.com/news/cities/hyderabad/noted-radiologist-and-former-nims-director-kakarla-subba-rao-passes-away-682059|access-date=16 April 2021|website=www.thehansindia.com|language=en}}</ref> His efforts established the hospital as a prestigious medical institute across patient service, education, training and research while focusing on affordability and access.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /> He was also the Chairman at [[SVIMS - Sri Padmavathi Medical College for Women|Padmavathi Medical College for Women]] and had also served as the chairman of KIMS Medical Research Foundation, International Educational Academy, and the Kakarla Subba Rao Radiological Educational Services in Hyderabad.<ref name=":3" /> He had also served as the personal doctor of the former chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, [[N. T. Rama Rao]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=16 April 2021|title=Renowned Radiologist Dr. Kakarla Subba Rao Passes Away|url=https://www.gulte.com/trends/80234/renowned-radiologist-dr-kakarla-subba-rao-passes-away|access-date=17 April 2021|website=Gulte|language=en-US}}</ref>

The [[Government of India]] honoured Rao with the [[Padma Shri]] on 26 January 2000, in recognition of his valuable contributions to the field of [[medicine]].<ref name="Padma Awards">{{cite web|url=http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf |title=Padma Awards |publisher=Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India |date=2015 |access-date=21 July 2015 |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151015193758/http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf |archive-date=15 October 2015 }}</ref>

== Death ==
Rao died on 16 April 2021 in [[Secunderabad]] at the [[Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences (hospital group)|Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences]] due to age-related ailments.<ref name=":0" /> He had been admitted to the hospital a month earlier and was undergoing treatment. He was aged 96.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news|date=16 April 2021|title=Noted radiologist Kakarla Subba Rao passes away|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/noted-radiologist-kakarla-subba-rao-passes-away/article34338970.ece|access-date=17 April 2021|issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

== Books ==

* {{Cite book|last=Subba Rao|first=Dr Karkala|title=A Doctors Story of Life & Death|year=2013|publisher=Prabhat Prakashan|isbn=978-8184301809}}
* {{Cite book|last=Subba Rao|first=Dr Karkala|title=Diagnostic radiology and imaging|date=2003|publisher=Jaypee Bros. Medical Publishers|isbn=81-8061-069-1|location=New Delhi|oclc=601059826}}
* Subba Rao, Dr Kakarla (2019). An Atlas of Hand Radiographs in Pediatrics: Kalajyothi Publishers.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20140606213405/http://nims.ap.nic.in/ Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad]

{{Padma Shri Award Recipients in Medicine}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rao, Kakarla Subba}}
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri in medicine]]
[[Category:1925 births]]
[[Category:Telugu people]]
[[Category:2021 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Krishna district]]
[[Category:Medical doctors from Andhra Pradesh]]
[[Category:Indian radiologists]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian medical doctors]]
[[Category:Andhra University alumni]]

Kakarla Subba Rao - Revision history

CoralRaphael599 at 12:03, 27 March 2026