2 weeks Ago By Steffy Thevar
Pune: A renowned paediatrician at the city's KEM Hospital , Dr Anand Pandit , passed away on Friday morning due to an acute cardiac event. He was 82 years old. Dr Pandit is survived by his wife, two daughters and a son.
He had been an active paediatrician for over five decades and saved the lives of thousands of children. Dr Pandit's contributions to paediatrics range from research to accurate diagnosis of paediatric conditions to enhancing outcomes for premature babies and other high-risk neonates over the course of his decades-long practice. He played a key role in establishing the department of paediatrics at KEM Hospital, Pune, in 1967 and the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in 1977, which became one of the most renowned units in India.
As one of a group of senior doctors who worked closely alongside Dr Banoo Coyaji, he witnessed KEM Hospital's transformation from a small facility with limited beds to a fully developed tertiary care hospital. One of the most pathbreaking initiatives in which Dr Pandit played a crucial role was the establishment in 1979 of the TDH Rehabilitation and Morris Child Development Centre, the first of its kind in Pune, devoted to providing diagnostic and therapeutic services for all kinds of developmental and behavioural needs of children under one roof, with an interdisciplinary team approach. A statement issued by the hospital on Friday said, "Dr Pandit's passing leaves a void in the hearts of all those in KEM as well as his many students and patients.
We endeavour to continue upholding his legacy.".
