Venkatesan Sundarajan Rajan (1934 – 15 July 1983) was a Singaporean dermatologist and the medical superintendent of the Middle Road Hospital. He was especially known for his teaching, research, and public health organizational work in venereal disease, especially gonorrhea, as well as dermatology.
Early life and education
Rajan studied at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya. He graduated from the university with a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery.
Career
From 1972 to 1983, Rajan served as the medical superintendent of the Middle Road Hospital. As the superintendent of the hospital, he was instrumental in the establishment of facilities and services for mycology, dermatopathology and immunodermatology, which advanced the field of dematology in Singapore. He was awarded the Pingat Pentadbiran Awam (Gold) in 1980. In 1982, he became an associate professor of dermatology and venereal diseases at the National University of Singapore. He also served as the chairman of the Dermatological Society of Singapore.
From 1970 to 1983, he served on the management committee of the Singapore Indian Fine Arts Society. He was also a member of the Hindu Advisory Board and the Tamil Language Cultural Society. He served as the vice-president of the Indian Education Trust.
Personal life and death
Rajan was married and had a son. He died of a viral infection on 15 July 1983. He was 49.
Following his death, the Dr V. S. Rajan Memorial Scholarship Fund was established in his memory. On the first anniversary of his death, the Singapore Indian Fine Arts Society staged a musical recital in his memory. In 2023, the National Skin Centre named an auditorium after him.
References
- RSM (December 1983). "Professor V S Rajan, Md, FRCP(Ed)". British Journal of Venereal Diseases. 59 (6): 411. ISSN 0007-134X. PMC 1046257.
- ^ "Director of hospital dies of virus infection". The Straits Times. Singapore. 16 July 1983. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
- ^ "NSC names auditorium after Prof Rajan". tabla!. Singapore. 10 November 2023. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
- Goh, Chee-Leok (August 1993). "History of Dermatology and Venereology in Singapore". International Journal of Dermatology. 32 (8): 613–617. doi:10.1111/j.1365-4362.1993.tb05045.x. ISSN 0011-9059. PMID 8407084.
- "Scholarship fund in memory of Dr Rajan". The Straits Times. Singapore. 13 August 1983. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
- "Appeal for donations to Dr V S Rajan's scholarship fund". The Singapore Monitor. Singapore. 12 August 1983. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
- "Concert in memory of Dr Rajan". The Straits Times. Singapore. 13 July 1984. Retrieved 10 December 2023.