Renowned nephrologist and transplant physician Prof. (Dr) Hargovind Laxmishanker Trivedi died on 2nd October 2019 in Ahmedabad after a prolonged illness at the medical institute set up by him at the age of 87 years.
Prime Minister Shri. Narendra Modi tweeted that “Dr. HL Trivedi was a stalwart of the medical world. He made a mark as an excellent doctor, known for his dexterity and compassion. His work in nephrology will ensure better health for several people in the times to come. Pained by his demise. Condolences to his family. Om Shanti”
Dr. HL Trivedi was Founder and Director of Smt. G R Doshi and Smt. K M Mehta Institute of Kidney Diseases and Research Centre and Dr. H L Trivedi Institute of Transplantation Sciences (IKDRC-ITS), Civil Hospital Campus, Asarwa, Ahmedabad, India. He was also founder and first Pro-Chancellor of Gujarat University of Transplantation Sciences (GUTS), Ahmedabad Gujarat, India.
Dr Trivedi was born in village Charadva near Morbi and had early education from Saurashtra. He came to Ahmedabad for his MBBS at prestigious BJ Medical College. After medical graduation he moved to Cleveland Clinic, Ohio, and USA for training in internal medicine and nephrology. Dr Trivedi subsequently moved to Canada where he worked for more than seven years (1969-1977), at McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario. He was program director of Transplant program and was the founder of “Hamilton Organ Procurement Program” (HOPE) in 1974. Dr HL Trivedi left the lucrative career in Canada and moved back to India in 1977, at the call of then Prime Minister Mrs Indira Gandhi. He came back to his alma mater to establish an institute of kidney diseases, initially serving as professor of medicine (Nephrology), at BJ Medical College, Civil Hospital, Ahmedabad.
IKDRC-ITS-, Ahmedabad
The institute, IKDRC and ITS is based on three pillars of service, education and research, catering the needs of all classes of patients with kidney diseases. The institute was established on October 7, 1981 on an auspicious ninth day of Navratri. Institute of Transplantation Sciences was established as its sister institute in the year of 1997. It has 400 indoor beds for Nephrology, Urology and Transplantation. The primary objective of the institute was to establish, operate, promote, run and manage institutions engaged in service, education and research pertaining to the field of Nephrology, Urology, Transplantation, Haematology, Autoimmune and Genetic disorders. The institute is recognized as Institute of National Importance by Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India.
Dr H L Trivedi also established dialysis centre network in district hospitals across Gujarat with the help of the state government now known as Gujarat Dialysis program (GDP). He was a proponent of the fact that every attempt should be made to promote living donor kidney transplantation, discussed and implemented various options to expand living donor and deceased donor kidney transplantation. Team under leadership of Dr. HL Trivedi has completed more than 5800 kidney transplantations including more than 800 deceased donor kidney transplantations, 500 robotic kidney transplantations and 400 kidney exchange transplants at IKDRC-ITS Ahmedabad as of now. IKDRC stands out as the public sector hospital that has done most number of transplantations in India and at present is doing more than 350-400 kidney transplantations including more than 100 deceased donor kidney transplantation every year. IKDRC-ITS Ahmedabad started doing liver transplantation for over a decade and has completed more than 400 deceased donor liver transplantations. Prof. Trivedi has trained more than 200 nephrologists settled across India.
Gujarat University of Transplantation Sciences (GUTS), Ahmedabad
Dr Trivedi's passion for transplantation was not limited to renal transplantation and he believed taking education related to transplantation and allied sciences to a different orbit. He established GUTS in 2015 under the State University Act and was first of its kind in India. The idea of setting up such a University was conceived in 1998 and the seed of its inception was laid down by Prof. HL Trivedi. After crossing all legal and legislative hurdles, the university came into existence in April 2015.
Dr. HL Trivedi was a Pioneer Nephrologist, Immunologist, Transplanter and Stem Cell Researcher of India with the patents on stem cells therapy for transplant tolerance and insulin making stem cells. He has more than 200 research publications to his credit. He was the founder of Indian Journal of Transplantation, Indian Journal of Nephrology, and Indian Society of Organ Transplantation, which has played a pivotal role in development of transplantation as a science in the country.
Recognizing his contribution towards development of Nephrology and Transplantation, he was awarded with HONORIS CAUSA (Doctor of Science) by Chatrapati Shahuji University of Lucknow in 2009. He received numerous awards including Life time achievement award by Indian Society of Nephrology. Indian society of Organ Transplantation (ISOT) has initiated Dr HL Trivedi Oration in 2019 for his contribution to field of transplantation. Dr. HL Trivedi was awarded with Padma Shri for his distinguished service in field of transplantation in India. Prof. HL Trivedi was awarded The Transplantation Society (TTS) recognition award for Mentorship, Education and Training in Transplantation by TTS President Dr. Nancy Ascher and Dr. Mehmet Haberal in 2018.
His autobiography H.L. Trivedi. “Tryst with Destiny” is now motivating the others to follow principles of his life.
The Nation has lost the Father of Kidney Transplantation. His legacy marked by affection for his patients, caring mentor for his students and never-ending thirst to seek solutions to the most deprived in the society, is going to stay through generation of nephrologists and transplant professionals who had walked through and going to walk through the corridors of IKDRC–ITS. Our deepest condolences to Madam Mrs. Sunithaben Hargovind Trivedi who always had been the part of Institute as our beloved “Sir”.
It was his sincere desire to leave the message to the world: “If anyone wants to remember me, it should be as the physician who cared for his patients and a patriot who cared for his country”. Service to patient is service to God.
May his Soul Rest in Peace. Om Shanti.