<p>Dr V Shanta, the senior oncologist who dedicated her life to ensure all cancer patients got quality and affordable treatment at the Cancer Institute, Chennai, passed away on Tuesday morning. She was 94. </p>.<p>“The Governing Body and the Staff of the Cancer Institute (WIA), Adyar with deep grief, announce the sudden demise of the Chairman Dr V Shanta on January 19, 2021, at 3 am,” the institute said in a statement. She was shifted to a hospital on Monday night following ill-health.</p>.<p>Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami announced that Dr Shanta will be cremated with “police honours.” </p>.<p><strong>Early life and association with Cancer Institute</strong></p>.<p>Dr Shanta, who joined the then fledgling Cancer Institute in 1954 as Resident Medical Officer, was the chairperson of the hospital that helped lakhs of cancer patients across the country get access to quality treatment. The institute is the go-to centre for lakhs of cancer patients as nearly 60 per cent of the beds were in the general category that came free of cost. </p>.<p>Dr Shanta, who stayed in a room inside the sprawling campus, was instrumental in transforming the institute from a 12-bed institute into a comprehensive cancer centre with over 500 beds, along with Dr S Krishnamurthi. The Cancer Institute, a public charitable voluntary institute, was established by the Womens' Indian Association Cancer Relief Fund under the leadership of Dr Muthulakshmi Reddy. </p>.<p>Born in 1927 in a distinguished scientific family of Nobel laureates C V Raman and S Chandrasekar, Dr Shanta joined the Cancer Institute after pursuing medicine from the prestigious Madras Medical College (MMC). From then there was no looking back for the senior oncologist who went on to dedicate her life for cancer patients. </p>.<p>Dr Shanta was instrumental in ensuring that cancer was declared as a notified disease in Tamil Nadu and it was due to her efforts based on the recommendation of the state government, the Cancer Institute was sanctioned as the state-level apex cancer facility by the Centre, facilitating additional fund and facilities to the institute. </p>.<p><strong>'University in Cancer Education'</strong></p>.<p>Doctors who worked with her said Dr Shanta relentlessly worked towards making quality cancer treatment affordable to all. A senior oncologist, Dr Shanta had published over 95 papers in national and international journals, contributed chapters in oncology books and delivered many prestigious orations.</p>.<p>Dr Shanta was also known for aggressively pushing her case before government authorities to make cancer care affordable for patients. Tamil Nadu Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan, who had closely worked with her, told <em>DH </em>that Dr Shanta had ended her last conversation with government authorities with the words “I do not know how much time I am left with.”</p>.<p>“She had some kind of a premonition. She treated patients till her last breath and lived in a small room inside the Cancer Institute premises. Despite age not being on her side, Dr Shanta would attend meetings and push for things aggressively with the administration for the betterment of people. Everyone who worked with her was amazed at her conviction,” he said. </p>.<p>Terming Dr Shanta as an “inspirational doctor”, Dr Radhakrishnan said the senior oncologist was a “university in cancer education”, and recalled the last public function that he attended with her. "We released the Cancer Registry on November 29 last year and Dr Shanta was at the function. She helped the Tamil Nadu government set up cancer screening centres in Villupuram, Tiruvannamalai, and Pudukkottai."</p>.<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Palaniswami, his Deputy O Panneerselvam, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Opposition Leader M K Stalin, DMK MP Kanimozhi, and leaders from other political parties condoled Dr Shanta's demise.</p>
<p>Dr V Shanta, the senior oncologist who dedicated her life to ensure all cancer patients got quality and affordable treatment at the Cancer Institute, Chennai, passed away on Tuesday morning. She was 94. </p>.<p>“The Governing Body and the Staff of the Cancer Institute (WIA), Adyar with deep grief, announce the sudden demise of the Chairman Dr V Shanta on January 19, 2021, at 3 am,” the institute said in a statement. She was shifted to a hospital on Monday night following ill-health.</p>.<p>Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami announced that Dr Shanta will be cremated with “police honours.” </p>.<p><strong>Early life and association with Cancer Institute</strong></p>.<p>Dr Shanta, who joined the then fledgling Cancer Institute in 1954 as Resident Medical Officer, was the chairperson of the hospital that helped lakhs of cancer patients across the country get access to quality treatment. The institute is the go-to centre for lakhs of cancer patients as nearly 60 per cent of the beds were in the general category that came free of cost. </p>.<p>Dr Shanta, who stayed in a room inside the sprawling campus, was instrumental in transforming the institute from a 12-bed institute into a comprehensive cancer centre with over 500 beds, along with Dr S Krishnamurthi. The Cancer Institute, a public charitable voluntary institute, was established by the Womens' Indian Association Cancer Relief Fund under the leadership of Dr Muthulakshmi Reddy. </p>.<p>Born in 1927 in a distinguished scientific family of Nobel laureates C V Raman and S Chandrasekar, Dr Shanta joined the Cancer Institute after pursuing medicine from the prestigious Madras Medical College (MMC). From then there was no looking back for the senior oncologist who went on to dedicate her life for cancer patients. </p>.<p>Dr Shanta was instrumental in ensuring that cancer was declared as a notified disease in Tamil Nadu and it was due to her efforts based on the recommendation of the state government, the Cancer Institute was sanctioned as the state-level apex cancer facility by the Centre, facilitating additional fund and facilities to the institute. </p>.<p><strong>'University in Cancer Education'</strong></p>.<p>Doctors who worked with her said Dr Shanta relentlessly worked towards making quality cancer treatment affordable to all. A senior oncologist, Dr Shanta had published over 95 papers in national and international journals, contributed chapters in oncology books and delivered many prestigious orations.</p>.<p>Dr Shanta was also known for aggressively pushing her case before government authorities to make cancer care affordable for patients. Tamil Nadu Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan, who had closely worked with her, told <em>DH </em>that Dr Shanta had ended her last conversation with government authorities with the words “I do not know how much time I am left with.”</p>.<p>“She had some kind of a premonition. She treated patients till her last breath and lived in a small room inside the Cancer Institute premises. Despite age not being on her side, Dr Shanta would attend meetings and push for things aggressively with the administration for the betterment of people. Everyone who worked with her was amazed at her conviction,” he said. </p>.<p>Terming Dr Shanta as an “inspirational doctor”, Dr Radhakrishnan said the senior oncologist was a “university in cancer education”, and recalled the last public function that he attended with her. "We released the Cancer Registry on November 29 last year and Dr Shanta was at the function. She helped the Tamil Nadu government set up cancer screening centres in Villupuram, Tiruvannamalai, and Pudukkottai."</p>.<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Palaniswami, his Deputy O Panneerselvam, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Opposition Leader M K Stalin, DMK MP Kanimozhi, and leaders from other political parties condoled Dr Shanta's demise.</p>