Praful Chandarana – A Life Well Lived

I received the news of Praful’s passing with sad resignation that he had succumbed to the cruel ravages of his illness. I recalled my last visit to him and remembered that despite the pain that wracked his body, he talked to me in such hopeful tones. He shared the pictures of his grandchildren. They seemed to be the delight of his eye and darling of his love. I was convinced that he was going to win this battle. But alas, it was not to be.

It is with a heavy heart that we bid farewell to Praful. His untimely and premature passing has not only shortened his life but also left a void that is hard to fill. Our thoughts and prayers must go foremost to his wife, Dilshad and their sons, Shamir and Anuj and their young families. May they find the support and strength needed to bear the cross of what must be a heavy burden. Their grief will hopefully be tempered and lightened somewhat by the incredible mark he has left through his many contributions as a physician, educator, good samaritan and above all, a family man.

We at the Indo Canadian Psychiatric Association were fortunate to have had a small but precious piece of his remarkable and brilliant professional journey. For this we are truly grateful.

We will miss his guiding hand, gentle words of advice, and above all his reassuring presence. The ICPA will especially appreciate him for the following:

When the ICPA was founded and running low in its membership, Praful was one of the first psychiatrists to pay the much higher amount to become a Life Member. He will remain on the list as one of our most illustrious.

He was chiefly instrumental in influencing the Canadian Psychiatric Association to embrace the newly founded association of Indo-Canadian Psychiatry. The first section meeting was held at the Annual CPA Conference in Vancouver, BC. Praful moderated the meeting with aplomb. In his inimitable style, he maintained order, allowed participation, generated discussion, covered the agenda and got the business done.
As Dr. Manohar, Ex Chair described him; he was a moderator, par excellence.

He also recalled that when a fairly large fee was once arranged for his contribution as a moderator, he quietly returned the check to the executive and advised them to deposit it back into the ICPA account. Such was the measure of his unassuming generosity.

On a personal note I will miss his warm smile and ready wit; and his stately bearing. Everything he touched turned into a thing of beauty. Flair and elegance defined him. He thought reflectively, spoke clearly and acted wisely.

Memory being capricious, despite the sadness, I recall with clarity the wonderful times that we shared. For over ten years, my office at Victoria Hospital was directly across that of Praful’s. It was not the long conversations about work, patients or the hospital politics that I recall, but, the gentler ones, wherein we exchanged simple pleasantries and anecdotes that stand out most. Praful loved life completely and lived it fully.

In terms of his several concrete accomplishments two things stand out most. His passion for teaching superseded everything else. He was a gifted teacher, having been honoured with awards for excellence many times over. He was one of the most distinguished directors of post graduate training of the department of psychiatry. Under his tutelage the morale grew, and residents from different cultural backgrounds were given an opportunity to train.

It would be apt to say that he adopted a Socratic-like spirit. In a world often ready to accept the status quo with unexamined cynicism, Praful, with a penchant for asking questions, was concerned not only with knowledge itself but with the obligations incumbent on the knowledgeable to use it, in some small way, for the welfare of our patients. It is this quality that impressed several generations of students who learned the craft of psychiatry from him. They remember him fondly to this day.

He was also the architect of the London Review Course for residents from all over the country. This has become a pre-requisite for their rite of passage through the speciality board examination of the royal college.

His second most enduring accomplishment and legacy is the consultation - liaison service that he originally developed, established, and serviced at the Victoria Hospital. This has become the crucible of teaching and learning, collaboration, and excellence in patient care.

Both of these achievements will live beyond his time.

As Johann Von Goethe said, "In the realm of ideas, everything depends on enthusiasm, in the real world all rests on perseverance"

Professor Praful Chandarana was, is and will be a worthy example of these ideals.

At the end of every day, when we pause to take note, we ask ourselves if we have in some way made ourselves proud by our families, children, grandchildren and yes, by our colleagues. We can say without hesitation that Praful has and much more.

The remains of his day will be part of the hallowed memory of his family, university, the London community, and most certainly the Indo Canadian Psychiatric Association.

May his soul rest in peace.

- Raj Velamoor