Leader in Pediatric Cardiology: Preface

PROF. SAVITRI SRIVASTAVA

Prof. Savitri Srivastava is one of the most renowned Pediatric Cardiologist in India. Prof. Srivastava is acclaimed as pioneer in developing Pediatric Cardiac Sciences in India. Prof. Savitri Srivastava passed away on June 20, 2022.

We are dedicating the present issue of the Indian Journal of Cardiovascular Diseases in Women to Dr. Savitri Srivastava, teacher of many cardiologists of India and abroad.

Prof. Krishnam Raju, remembering the memories of Prof Srivastava and paying homage to her, he said that she worked as head of the Department of Cardiology in SGPGI, Lucknow, and established that department on a good solid footing. She was the sole author of the text book of echocardiography in congenital heart disease (CHD). She did her fellowship in St. Paul Minneapolis, USA, in mid-seventies. She was a highly respected faculty in international conferences and national meets. She indeed did work in defense services before joining AIIMS as a DM student.

She has many firsts to her name: She established the section of echocardiography and initiated non-coronary interventions at AIIMS, New Delhi, founder member of Indian Academy of Echocardiography as well as Paediatric Cardiac Society of India. In 1988, for the 1^st time in the world, the balloon dilation of the atrial septum was done by her. In 1995, she established the Department of Paediatric Cardiology and CHD at Fortis Escorts Heart Institute and started pediatric cardiology-training program, approved by the National Medical Board. She had 58+ years of experience and expertise in pediatric and CHD, interventional cardiology, and fetal echocardiography.

Dr. Srivastava encouraged, nurtured, guided WINCARS, and attended WCC conference. Prof. Anita Saxena mentioned that Dr. Savitri Srivastav has discipline from the beginning of her life, probably, she worked in the army and contributed the many first achievements and awards in addition to that above.

Till the end, she was very academically sound. The editorial “First percutaneous valvuloplasty – Realization of my dream” which was the last research published of Dr. Srivastava, in June 2022, she remembered her most fateful day of professional life and the long and interesting journey of percutaneous valvuloplasty. Through her journey, she said that the dreams of this journey were unending and now we dream to do more and more hybrid procedures and also attempt to do complex interventions like percutaneous completion of Fontan circuit. All in all this has been a turbulent, exciting, and most satisfying journey of her. Even then she cherished each and every moment of the journey. Moreover, she mentioned that she is very satisfied that many of children have and are continuing to benefit from these procedures.

Prof. Savitri Srivastava is going to continue as an inspirational teacher to all of us.