Dr. S. S. Badrinath, a distinguished ophthalmologist and the founder of Sankara Nethralaya, passed away this morning at the age of 83.
Born on February 24, 1940, in Triplicane, Chennai, Dr. Badrinath was the youngest among seven siblings to S V Srinivasa Rao, an engineer in the State government, and Lakshmi Devi, the daughter of a renowned advocate. Despite a delayed commencement of his education at the age of 7 due to a childhood illness, he excelled in Ophthalmology at Madras Medical College in 1962, securing the highest marks.
His educational journey took him to Brooklyn, New York, USA, where he not only pursued advanced studies but also encountered his life partner, Dr. Vasanthi Iyengar, a pediatrician. They married in 1967 and made the significant decision to relinquish a lucrative career in the United States, opting instead to return to their homeland. Dr. Badrinath\’s dedication to a modest lifestyle, prioritizing people over profits, underscored his commitment to the field of ophthalmology. Over the years, he received prestigious accolades, including the Padma Shri in 1983 and the Padma Bhushan in 1999.
