Dr. KK Aggarwal was a renowned Indian physician and cardiologist who served as the president of the Indian Medical Association (IMA). He was a recipient of the Padma Shri award, India’s fourth highest civilian honor. Dr. Aggarwal passed away on May 17, 2021 due to complications from COVID-19.
Wiki/Biography
Krishan Kumar Aggarwal was born in New Delhi on Friday, September 5, 1958 (he was 62 at the time of his death). He grew up with eight siblings in Hauz Qazi, Old Delhi, where his family lived in a one-room flat. From Class 1 to Class 4, he studied at a Muslim school in Delhi and then attended ASVJ High School in Daryaganj, Delhi. After completing his schooling, he joined Deshbandhu College, New Delhi, where he obtained a B.A. (Honors) in Zoology. In 1979, he completed his MBBS from the Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (MGIMS), Sevagram, Wardha, Maharashtra. In 1983, he completed his MD from the same university. In 1987, he completed his fellowship in non-invasive cardiology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA.
appearance
Eye color: dark brown
Hair color: Gray and white (half bald)
family
Parents and siblings
Dr. KK Aggarwal was born to Qimat Rai Aggarwal and Satya Wati Aggarwal. He is the seventh child of five brothers and four sisters.
Wife and children
Dr. KK Aggarwal’s wife Veena Aggarwal is a gynecologist.
Dr. KK Aggarwal and his wife Veena Aggarwal
He leaves behind two children: son Nilesh Aggarwal and daughter Naina Aggarwal, founder of Talking Point Communications, a New Delhi marketing agency.
Dr. KK Aggarwal and his daughter Naina Aggarwal
Profession
In 1983, he started working at Moolchand Hospital in New Delhi, where he worked under Dr. KL Chopra. While working at Moolchand Hospital, he was promoted to consultant after five months of residency. During his medical career, Dr. Aggarwal was mentored by renowned medical experts including Dr. AN Malviya (who taught him immunology), Dr. Deepak Chopra (who taught him mind-body and medicine), and Dr. Navin C. Nanda (who taught him non-invasive cardiology). In 1986, Dr. Aggarwal founded the Indian Heart Care Foundation and served as its chairman until his death. Through this foundation, he provided support for heart surgeries to many people who could not afford them.
Dr. KK Aggarwal attends Indian Heart Care Foundation event
In 1987, he established the Naveen C. Nanda National Institute of Echocardiography and Heart Research, New Delhi. From April 2005 to March 2006, he served as President of the Delhi Medical Association. In September 2009, he became Chairman of the Ethics Committee of the Delhi Medical Council and served in that capacity till November 2015. From December 2017 to December 2018, he served as President of the Indian Medical Association. From July 1991 until his death, he was Chairman and Managing Director of the IJCP Group, a leading medical communications group in New Delhi. From September 2019 until his death, Dr. Aggarwal served as President of the Federation of Asian and Oceanian Medical Associations.
Awards and Honors
- CPR 10 Gold Medalist and Limka Record Holder
- Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry Healthcare Personality of the Year Award (2016)
- World Hindi Samman (2015)
Dr. KK Aggarwal accepts Hindi Samman
- National Science Communication Award
Dr. KK Aggarwal receives DST (National Science Communication Award)
- Dr. BC Roy Award
Dr. KK Aggarwal receives Dr. BC Roy Award
- Padma Shri (2010)
Dr. KK Aggarwal Receives Padma Shri
die
On May 17, 2021, Dr. KK Aggarwal passed away at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi after battling COVID-19. He had reportedly been on a ventilator for the past few days. After his death, a statement was posted on his Twitter profile which read:
Even during the pandemic, he continued to work hard to educate the masses, reaching 100 million people through a large number of videos and educational programs, saving countless lives. He wanted people to celebrate his life, not mourn him.”
— Dr. KK Aggarwal (@DrKKAggarwal) May 17, 2021
Facts/Trivia
- During his school days, he was a very shy student, hence the nickname “Jhepu”.
- In 1984, he along with Dr KL Chopra became the first in India to perform thrombolytic therapy for acute heart attack.
- In 1987, Dr. KK Aggarwal became the first person to introduce color Doppler echocardiography in India
- In 1991, when Dr. Agarwal organized India’s first Perfect Health Festival and Run for the Heart, the Indian government issued a commemorative national postal stamp.
- In 1993, BBC News named the Talkatora Gardens Perfect Health Festival, organized by Dr. Agarwal in conjunction with the Delhi Government, as Asia’s best event. Later, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of India adopted this model under the National Health Policy.
- Dr. Aggarwal is very passionate about teaching people how to revive after sudden death.
- Dr Aggarwal, who often links Indian mythology with modern medicine, is popular for his Aduait Ramayana.
- He is also known for coming up with concepts such as “Plant-based foods do not contain cholesterol”, “Fever and cough are caused by viruses and do not require antibiotics”, “Any bitter and green food has anti-diabetic properties”, “Keep blood pressure, fasting blood sugar, waist circumference, bad cholesterol level and heart rate below 80” and “If any unusual or unexplained symptoms occur for the first time, do not ignore it”.
- Dr. Aggarwal worked extensively during epidemics of dengue, plague, meningococcal meningitis, leptospirosis and epidemiological oedema in India and mentored many doctors and the public through various seminars and conferences.
- He has organized 11 World Congresses of Cardiology, Medical CME programs and health events in India.
- Dr. Aggarwal is not only a medical doctor, cardiologist, mind-body counselor and a world-class clinical echocardiographer, but he is also an author, presenter, speaker, columnist, health communicator, social worker/activist, educator, conceptualizer, creator, preacher, administrator, consultant, researcher and an exceptional meditation teacher.
- He is also the Editor-in-Chief of the IJCP Publishing Group, which publishes a number of journals, newspapers, and healthcare education products targeting the medical field.
- He has written extensively on community health topics, with Dr. Aggarwal having published over 400 articles in newspapers and magazines.
- Dr. KK Aggarwal is a regular guest on many radio and television health talks. He has also produced and co-directed 52 episodes of the show “Mind, Body and Soul” for DD News; coordinated 102 episodes of the live call-in TV show “Healthy India” for DD Bharti; and coordinated 32 episodes for Lok Sabha TV.
- Throughout his medical career, Dr. Aggarwal was a strong advocate for the introduction of psychiatric medicine in the MBBS curriculum.
- He came up with the idea of bringing together bureaucrats, politicians and celebrities to discuss various health issues in India.
Dr KK Aggarwal posted on Instagram about his Medtalks program
- Dr. KK Aggarwal uses various social media platforms to spread awareness about COVID-19 issues. He often discusses numerous issues related to COVID-19 and its vaccination drive in India on social media.
- As India was hit by its first wave of the pandemic, he invoked pseudoscience to defend Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call to light lamps, claiming that Modi’s call was based on the principles of “collective consciousness” outlined in the Yoga Sutras.
- In January 2021, a live video of Dr. KK Aggarwal went viral on social media. In the video, his wife scolded him for not accompanying her to get the first dose of the COVID vaccine.
Please don’t answer your wife’s call when you are live on social media 😂 Dr. KK Aggarwal, Senior Cardiologist and IMA National President👇#MedTwitter pic.twitter.com/SP2naZqu8F
— Dr. Vikas Padha (Dogra), Orthopaedic Surgeon, J & K (@DrVikasPadha) January 27, 2021
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education