THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: C.R. Soman, a pioneering public health activist and the former Professor of Nutrition, Thiruvananthapuram Medical College, died at a private hospital in the city on Friday. He was 72.
Dr. Soman was admitted to the hospital on Thursday evening following cardiac arrest. Though coronary bypass surgery was performed soon afterwards, he breathed his last at around 2.55 p.m. on Friday.
He is survived by his wife and two sons.
Dr. Soman, who joined Thiruvananthapuram Medical College in 1956 for MBBS, later completed his MD in Biochemistry in 1966 and joined the institution as a teacher. After completing an M.Sc. in Nutrition from the National Institute of Nutrition in Hyderabad, he returned to take over as the Head of Department of Nutrition in 1976, a post he held till his retirement in 1992.
The 15 years after his retirement, according to him, constituted the most productive period in his life when he passionately pursued various public health issues, with his band of faithful students and colleagues.
The NGO, Health Action by People, was launched formally soon after his retirement, in 1993, along with his close group of students.
Dr. Soman was the first to have launched community epidemiology studies in Kerala, focussing on diabetes. HAP’s first research project in Neyyattinkara taluk had shocking revelations on diabetes prevalence in the community – which led Dr. Soman to set up Pro Life (Population Registry of Lifestyle Diseases).
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