Dr. K.K. Talwar was born on 30th April, 1946, in Payal, District Ludhiana (Punjab). After his schooling and college education at Payal and Jalandhar in Punjab, he did his MBBS from the Punjabi University, Patiala in 1969. He pursued M.D. (Medicine) and D.M. (Cardiology) from the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh in the year 1973 and 1976 respectively. He received his advanced training in Electrophysiology as WHO Sr. Research Fellow from University of Gotherburg, Sweden.
He joined faculty of the PGIMER, Chandigarh in December 1977 and subsequently shifted to the faculty of AIIMS, New Delhi in 1980. He became Professor of Cardiology in 1992 and took over as Head of the Department in 2002 at AIIMS, New Delhi. In 2004, he joined as Director and Professor & Head, Department of Cardiology at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh.
ACADEMIC AND RESEARCH CONTRIBUTIONS:He established the technique of Endomyocardial Biopsy (EMB) in 1986 at the AIIMS, New Delhi and used this technique to evaluate patients with various tropical heart muscle diseases to understand the pathogenesis and to evaluate newer forms of therapy. His contributions in the tropical heart muscle diseases are well recognised. For the first time in the world literature, he documented, using EMB, the occurrence of inflammatory myocarditis in patients with Takayasu Arteritis resulting in heart failure and demonstrated that this myocardial dysfunction is reversible with the use of immunosuppressive therapy. This work has been recognised at both national and international level. He also published histomorphological analysis in restrictive cardiomyopathies, using EMB, Rheumatic Heart Disease and dilated cardiomyopathies. He has published more than 240 articles and 270 abstracts in both national and international journals of repute and has contributed chapters in various national and international books.
OTHER CONTRIBUTIONS: He is the first in the country to establish the technique and facility of radiofrequency ablation to cure arrhythmic disorders at the AIIMS, New Delhi. He further helped to establish these facilities at other centres in the country. He is again the first in India and South Asian region to introduce the therapy of automatic implantable cardioverter and defibrillator (ICD) in 1995 and this contribution is recorded in the LIMCA Book of Records (1997). In 2000, he introduced the technique of multi-site pacing system as a therapy for heart failure in the country. He is recognised as one of the pioneers in the field of Electrophysiology, Pacemaker and Heart Failure. He was closely involved in the development of Heart Transplant Programme at AIIMS, New Delhi. He is the Patron of the Heart Rhythm Society of India and President of Heart Failure Society of India.
Honours & Achievements:
He is a Fellow of the Indian National Science Academy (INSA), National Academy of Medical Sciences (NAMS) and International Academy of Cardiovascular Sciences.
He is the recipient of various prestigious awards - Dr. B.C. Roy National Award (2000), Basanti Devi Amir Chand Award (ICMR-2003), Norman Alpert Award by International Academy of Cardiovascular Sciences (2005), Ranbaxy Research Award (1997), Goyal Prize for Science from Kurukshetra University (2002), Amrut Mody Unichem Award (ICMR - I993), Prof. Sujoy B. Roy Memorial Investigator Award(CSI-1986), Shyam Lal Saksena Award (NAMS-1988) and Searle Award (CSI - 1987).
He is the recipient of various esteemed orations viz. Dr. K.L. Wig Oration - NAMS (2000-2001), Indian Medical Association - Dr. Menda Oration (2005), Sphere Oration - CSI (1989), Glaxo Oration – NAMS (1996), Dr. Austin Doyle Memorial Lecture (1996), Dr. Devi Chand Memorial Oration - Indira Gandhi Medical College, Shimla (1992), R.S. Tiwari Oration (1999), Dr. R.N. Chatterjee Memorial Oration (2003), Prof. Raman Vishwanath – VPCI Oration, New Delhi (2007), Prof. P.S. Bidwai Memorial Oration – 2007 at SGPGIMS, Lucknow, Indian Doctors Forum - Kuwait Medical Association Oration, Kuwait (2007) and Dr. Ivan Pinto Oration, KEM Hospital, Mumbai (2008).
In recognition of his significant contribution in the field of medicine, he has been awarded Padma Bhushan – third highest civilian award in the country by the President of India in the year 2006.
