Doyen of Veterinary Pathology: Prof. P.K.R. Iyer (1929-2017)
Doyen of Veterinary Pathology: Prof. P.K.R. Iyer (1929-2017)
Iyer (1929-2017)
Pathologist and animal disease diagnostician, former Professor and Head, Division of Pathology,
IVRI, Ex Programme Coordinator and Dean, Animal Science Faculty, Agra University and
Rohilkhand University has passed away on 20-8-2017 at New Delhi. He was founder life
member, Vice President, Secretary, Patron of IAVP and first Editor of Indian Journal of
Rama Chandran was born on 29 January, 1929 at IVRI, Mukteswar. His father Dr PRK Iyer
was an eminent animal disease diagnostian and was posted at Research Officer at IVRI
Mukteswar. After early school education at Chittor and Palaghat, he did BSc. from Bareilly
College, Bareilly and B.V.Sc. from Madras Veterinary College in 1952. He went abroad for higher
studies in 1955 to Royal Veterinary College (Dick), Edinburgh, UK for doing MRCVS.
Pathology, Veterinary College, Mathura. He worked as ADIO (Path) during 1957-63 at IVRI,
Izatnagar. In 1963, he was selected Professor of Pathology by UPSC and worked up to 1984 at
IVRI, Izatnagar. In 1984, he was selected as Head, Division of Pathology in same Division and
served till his superannuation from services in 1989. During this period he also served as
Programme Coordinator and Dean, Faculty of Animal Sciences of Agra and Rohilkhand
slides. Professors from different parts of country visiting IVRI were bringing slides for
consultation with him. During 1960-90, certain Physicians of Bareilly were sending human
biopsies and blood samples for testing as during this period plenty expertise and facilities for
human biopsy diagnosis were not available in city. He was engaged in postgraduate teaching
and guiding M.V.Sc. students in discipline of Veterinary Pathology. He published 165 research
papers in National and International Journals of repute. His several papers have been quoted in
reviews, textbooks and reference literature. He diagnosed a number of rare disease conditions
viz. mammary cancer in buffalo, sheep and goat, goat as natural host of protozoa Nosema
poultry, rare mycotic diseases of skin and lungs of goats and buffaloes, green algae infection in
sheep and rare cancers of laboratory animals and poultry. Professor Iyer had special interest in
pathology of diseases of laboratory animals, He also developed a modified method for PAS
staining and his research replaced cedar wood oil from turpentine oil as clearing agent in
independent panel member to examine tissues of animals and man exposed to Methyl
isocyanate (MIC) gas poisoning occurred at Bhopal in 1986. He submitted his report to GOI,
Indian Buffaloes. He was invited to attend several International and National Conferences,
Workshops and meetings in different countries of world and India. He was awarded Ganti Sastri
Memorial Medal of The Indian Veterinary Journal in 1991 and IAVP Fellowship in 1993. On 9th
December, 1990, he was honoured with Appreciation Certificate for outstanding contributions in
veterinary science on occasion of Centenary Celebration of IVRI by Shri Devi Lal, Union Minister
of Agriculture and Deputy Prime Minister of India. He sponsored two awards in The Indian
Veterinary Journal in name of his father Dr P.R.K. Iyer Memorial Award and second in name of
Professor Iyer is survived by his sons Kumar and Venkatesh and a daughter Chitra and a
number of granddaughters /sons. His demise is a great loss to veterinary profession and in