Dr. P K MUKUNDAN OF CHERUKUNNU

In  1983  whn I was a student at  the erstwhile REC Calicut  my cousin from my father’s side Dr.P K Mukundan joined the Calicut Medical College to do his second MD at the Calicut Medical College.I remember meeting him the morning at the Calicut Medical College the day he joined his MD program.Incidentally he did his MBBS FROM Calicut Medical College and his first MD from the Vallabhai Chest Institute New Delhi. I used to meet him in the PG hostel of the Calicut Medical College often and would also meet some ofhis friends at the hostel few of whom were from Karnataka state. The wife of Dr.P K Mukundan is the neice of KPR Nambiar the Joint Managing Director of BPL.

For good or bad his MD at the Calicut Medical College went into rough weather with some deliberate attempts to fail him and he filing a case and finally winning it on being exonerated by the Courts and the MD degree awarded.It is sad that the system sometimes goes against though un-canningly on deserving individuals.

Recently I happened to meet him in Cannanore Kannur and he is a Professor of Medicine and even visits Mysore as an examiner.

There is an interesting anecdote. Somewhere in 1985 SV Giri  my batch mate at REC Calicut developed some rashes on his skin. This was appalling as it had spread over the whole body. From the hostel office of REC I spoke to Dr.Mukundan and Giri left that evening to the Calicut Medical College taking his reference. He was admitted there. The next morning I visited the Calicut Medical College and found him admitted in the ward.  No sooner Dr. Mukundan came to the ward and said there was nothing to worry and also conferred with the other doctors treating Giri. I think Giri was discharged the next morning.This was a help Dr. Mukundan did. In retrospect the rashes could have appeared because of some water or food related issue.

In many ways Dr.Mukundan is unique in the way he treats patients – less of complicated medicines and a subtle understanding of the disease. Such an approach is characteristic of his approach which has made him endearing to patients.