M. Krishnan Nair (doctor)

M. Krishnan Nair (doctor) Biography

Padma Shri M. Krishnan Nair is a leading physician and oncologist, who is the founding director of the Regional Cancer Centre, Thiruvananthapuram – one of the leading cancer research institutes of India. He also serves as a director of Sree Uthradam Thirunal Institute of Oncology in Thiruvananthapuram. A professor at the Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences & Research in Kochi, Krishnan Nair has been honoured with Padma Shri in 2001. He has been instrumental in introducing many new techniques in cancer research and treatment in India through RCC. He introduced Community Oncology, Pain and Palliative Care, and Pediatric Oncology for the first time in India. He also introduced for the first time in India, inexpensive Cancer Insurance plan in India called Cancer Care for Life.

An internationally known expert in cancer treatment, his name was dragged into the illegal drug trials controversy – a series of drug trials on 26 patients conducted between November 1999 and February 2000, while Dr. M. Krishnan Nair was serving as the director of RCC. However, an independent enquiry commission set up by the Government of India acquitted Dr Nair, and was very soon honoured with Padma Shri for his outstanding contributions to the field of medical sciences and Oncology. He served as the director of RCC during the period 1981–2003.

He studied Medicine from Thiruvananthapuram Medical College and completed MBBS in 1963. He completed MD (Radiotherapy and Clinical Oncology) from the University of Punjab in 1968 and joined Thiruvananthapuram Medical College as the faculty of Radiology. He also earned a FRCR (Clinical Oncology) from the Royal College of Radiologists in London in 1972, and spent several years in Britain. After returning to Thiruvananthapuram, he singlehandedly developed the small cancer development wing of Medical College to a great institution.

Thus he is one of the founders of Regional Research Centre at the capital city of Kerala, one of the leading cancer centres of the country. Since then he has given outstanding contributions to cancer research and treatment through RCC. He also served as a member of the Expert Advisory Panel on Cancer in WHO for more than a decade.   

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Updated: February 21, 2016