Tripura’s legendary surgeon Dr. Rathin Datta passed away on Monday morning in his Kolkata residence due to old age ailments.
At the time of his demise, the reputed surgeon was 88.
He was once the director of Tripura health services and special secretary (health) to the Tripura government.
Dr Rathin Datta was the second man from Tripura who received the Padma Shri Award.
Rathin Dutta was born at Mangaldai in Assam’s Darrang district in 1931.
He pursued his education in Shillong and Assam Medical College (AMC) at Dibrugarh in Assam and then went to London for pursuing FRCS.
After coming back from London, Dr Datta had plenty of opportunities to work anywhere in the country and also the best hospitals in India.
But he had chosen Tripura for his work.
He joined the GBP Hospital in the mid-sixties as a surgeon.
Within a short period of time, Dr Rathin Datta got fame for his skill.
Patients from Bangladesh also came to be treated by him.
During the time of the Bangladesh liberation war, Dr Datta’s tireless service to the Indian soldiers and Bangladeshi ‘Mukti-Jodhas’ was saluted by everyone.
He saved countless lives and was recognized for his valuable service by the government of Bangladesh in an international programme at Dhaka.
Having completed a distinguished career as a surgeon, Dr Datta retired in 1992 and in the same year, he was conferred Padma Shri by the government of India.
He was the second person from Tripura to have received Padma Shri.
Following his demise, the people of Tripura, crossing all barriers, have paid tribute to him.
Tripura chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb has expressed his deep condolence at the demise of Dr Rathin Datta.
Dr Datta’s son Rajarshi Dutta is an engineer in the USA. His daughter Sonal Dutta is also now in USA.