Dr. Booshanam Vasanthakumar Moses
Dr. Booshanam Vasanthakumar Moses
Dr. Booshanam Vasanthakumar Moses, affectionately referred to as ‘Booshy’ or ‘Booshanam’ was born on 26.07.1941 in Sawyerpuram, Tuticorin District to Mr. Jesudian Moses and Mrs. Thenammal Moses.
His father was the Treasurer of the Christian Mission Hospital, Madurai and it was there, that his parents’ desire for Dr. Booshanam to became a medical doctor crystallized, in their minds and Booshy accepted it.
Dr. Booshanam had brilliant academic achievements in his school G.U.Pope Memorial School, Sawyerpuram, getting the first rank in his SSLC (Secondary School Leaving Certificate) with gold medal. Subsequently, he joined St. Xavier’s College, Palayankottai, for his Pre-University Course.
Dr. Booshanam joined the MBBS Course at Christian Medical College, Vellore in 1959, sponsored by Madurai-Ramanad Diocese of the Church of South India. On completion of his MBBS, he worked as Medical Officer, in the Christian Mission Hospital, Madurai for one year, after which, he joined the Department of Anatomy, Christian Medical College, Vellore as a Tutor. Later, he joined the Department of General Surgery as a Postgraduate (MS) trainee in 1969. On successful completion of his MS in April 1972, he worked in the Danish Lutheran Hospital, Tirukoilur, as its Surgeon and Medical Superintendent, for one year.
He returned to Vellore in 1973 and joined the faculty of the Department of General Surgery and gradually became Professor and Head of Surgery Unit III and the Department. Dr. Booshanam was sensitive to the needs of the Department and the Institution and was always ready to step in to help, and run the extra mile, as and when, a need was presented to him. Thus, when in 1975, the Department of Plastic Surgery did not have a consultant coverage, Dr. Booshanam took charge of it. Again, in 1983 when the Head of Surgery I, went as study leave, Dr. Booshanam moved over as, in-charge of the unit.
Dr. Booshanam was appointed as the Vice Principal, in July 1985 and later as Principal, in July 1987. As Principal of the Medical College, Dr. Booshanam introduced, internes’ orientation programme and postings for undergraduate medical students, in peripheral mission hospitals and the Department of Accident and Emergency. He was keen that, the Department of General Surgery was actively involved in peripheral out reach activities of the Institution and under his leadership, Surgery Unit III was actively involved in consultation and operative guidance to patients at RUHSA, CHAD and LCECU, SLRTC Karigiri and Scudder Memorial Hospital, Ranipet. He also extended his active support to the Christian Academy Medical Sciences of the Christian Medical Association of India as its Chairman.
In memory of the student nurture activities, initiated by Dr. Booshanam, the computer facility in the Medical College Library has been named after him as ‘Booshanam V. Moses Computer Centre’.
In the year 1997, Dr. Booshnam had an opportunity to spend 3 months in the University of Adelaide, Australia, as a Visiting Professor. While in Adelaide, he was able to project the need for training opportunities for younger faculty of the Department of General Surgery. This resulted in next generation of the faculty, having training opportunities in Adelaide and an ongoing relationship between CMC, Vellore and Adelaide.
On completion of his 7 year term as Principal of the Medial College in July 1994, he remained as Head of General Surgery Unit III, till his retirement in July 2001. Under his leadership, Surgery III developed the sub-specialty of Peripheral Vascular Surgery, which later on branched off as an independent higher specialty. In recognition of his contribution to the development of the specialty of Peripheral Vascular Surgery, the Vascular Laboratory in the surgical outpatient block is named as ‘Dr. Booshanam V. Moses Vascluar Laboratory’.
In recognition of Dr. Booshanam Vasanthakumar Moses’s long and active contribution to the academic and professional commitments of the Department of General Surgery, the Department of General Surgery, instituted an award in 2015 for the best dissertation in General Surgery, ‘Dr. Booshanam V. Moses award for the Best Postgraduate Dissertation in General Surgery’.