India's Father of Angioplasty Cardiologist Dr Mathew Samuel Kalarickal Passes Away at 77
Cardiologist Dr Mathew Samuel Kalarickal
New Delhi: Cardiologist Dr Mathew Samuel Kalarickal, widely revered as the 'Father of Angioplasty' in India, passed away on April 18, 2025, at Apollo Hospital in Chennai. He was 77 years old. His passing marks the end of a transformative era in Indian cardiology, where he played a pivotal role in introducing and advancing interventional cardiac procedures in the country.
Early Life and Education
Born on January 6, 1948, in Kottayam, Kerala, Dr Kalarickal pursued his undergraduate studies at Union Christian College, Aluva. He earned his MBBS from Government Medical College, Kottayam, in 1974, followed by an MD from Stanley Medical College, Chennai, in 1978, and a DM in Cardiology from Madras Medical College in 1981. He began his medical career as a tutor in pediatric surgery.
Global Training and Return to India
Inspired by the pioneering work of Dr Andreas Grüntzig, the Swiss physician known as the father of coronary angioplasty, Dr Kalarickal reached out to him through correspondence. Invited to Zurich on a scholarship, he trained under Dr Grüntzig and later accompanied him to the United States, where he conducted advanced research at Emory University in Atlanta. After gaining international experience, Dr Kalarickal returned to India in 1986 and performed the country's first coronary angioplasty.
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