Raman Viswanathan obtained MD (1931) from University of Madras and MRCP (1930) from University of London, UK. He served as Medical Specialist, Indian Army, II World War; Adviser in Tuberculosis, Government of India; Deputy Director-General, Health Services; Director and Head, Department of Medicine (Tuberculosis, and Chest Diseases) and Dean, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Patel Chest Institute, Delhi (1964-82).

Academic and Research Achievements: Viswanathan was the first to recognize tropical eosinophilia as a separate clinical entity in 1936. He described for the first time the pathology of tropical eosinophilia in 1944 on the basis of autopsy studies and also reported positive leucocyte adhesion phenomenon with M. bancrofit in tropical eosinophilia. He contributed chapters to two books: Non-tuberculosis Diseases of Chest and Dyspnoea (both published by American College of Chest Physicians) and authored three books: Pulmonary Tuberculosis, Diseases of the Chest and Post-Graduate Medical Education (all by Asia Publishing House).

Other Contributions: Viswanathan served as Member, Tuberculosis Association of India and Indian Association for Chest Diseases.

Awards and Honours: Dr Viswanathan received the Eugeno Morelli Prize by National Academy of Sciences, Italy, Forlanini Medal by Italian Tuberculosis Association, Dhanwantari Prize by INSA (1971) and Padma Bhushan. He was elected Fellow of the American College of Chest Physicians and Academy of Medical Sciences.