V. Shanta

Born:11 March 1927

• She is an Indian oncologist and the chairperson of Adyar Cancer Institute, Chennai.
• She is best known for her efforts towards making quality and affordable cancer treatment accessible to all patients in her country.
• She has dedicated herself to the mission of organizing care for cancer patients, a study of the disease, research on its prevention and cure, spreading awareness about the disease, and developing specialists and scientists in various subspecialties of oncology.
• Her work has her won several awards, including the Magsaysay Award, Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Vibhushan, the second-highest civilian award given by the Government of India.
• She has been associated with Adyar Cancer Institute since 1955, and has held several positions, including that of the director of the institute between 1980 and 1997.
• She has served as a member of several national and international committees on health and medicine, including the World Health Organization’s Advisory Committee on Health.
• She is a member of the Tamil Nadu State Planning Commission for Health.
• She is a strong advocate of early detection of cancer and the need to change public perception of the disease, especially the extreme fear and hopelessness associated with the disease.
• She has been particularly critical of the metaphorical usage of the name of the disease to describe a dangerous and uncontrollable situation or one of hopelessness.

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