Lakhumal Hiranand Hiranandani

Lakhumal Hiranand Hiranandani (1917–2013) was an Indian Otorhinolaryngologist, social activist and philanthropist, known for pioneering several surgical procedures which later came to be known as Dr. Hiranandani’s Operations.He was the founder chairman of Hiranandani Foundation Trust which runs two schools in India and was reported to have been active in the social movement against organ trade in India. He was a recipient of the Golden Award of the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, the first Indian and the fifth overall to receive the honour.The Government of India awarded him the third highest civilian honour of the Padma Bhushan, in 1972, for his contributions to medicine and society

Lakhumal Hiranand Hiranandani, born as Lakhumal Hiranand Khiara, was born in September 1917, in Thatta, the Sindh province of British India (presently in Pakistan) in a family of limited financial means. After his early education in Sindh, he accompanied his family which migrated to Mumbai in 1937, and graduated in medicine in 1942 from Topiwala National Medical College, Mumbai. After doing his internship at the King Edward Memorial Hospital and Seth Gordhandas Sunderdas Medical College, he moved to London for further studies from where he secured the degree of FRCS and returned to India to start his career by joining his alma mater, Topiwala National Medical College and Bai Yamunabai Laxman Nair Charitable Hospital, as an honorary ENT surgeon. He served the institution till his superannuation at the age of 58 after which, associated himself with Greater Mumbai Municipal Corporation when they made him an Emeritus Professor and Advisor to the Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck. He also worked as a consultant at Breach Candy Hospital and Jaslok Hospital and continued his association with the Topiwala National Medical College as an Emeritus Professor, till the age of 83.

Hiranandani was married to Kanta and the couple had three sons, Navin Hiranandani, an ENT surgeon and a known medical writer, Niranjan Hiranandani and Surendra Hiranandani, both entrepreneurs and the founders of Hiranandani Group, one of the leading real estate developers with a number of notable developments such as Hiranandani Gardens and Hiranandani Estate. He died on 5 September 2013 succumbing to age-related illnesses at the age of 96, survived by his wife and the two younger sons; Navin Hiranandani having preceded him in death. The story of his life has been documented in a book, Dr. L H Hiranandani – Born To Heal, written by Subhadra Anand.

Hiranandani was a member of the American Society of Head and Neck Surgery, the first Indian to be inducted into the society.When he was selected for the Golden Award of the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, he became the first Indian and the fifth person to receive the award. The Government of India included him the Republic Day Honours list for the third highest civilian honour of the Padma Bhushan in 1972. He received the Danvanthari Award of the Dhanvantari Medical Foundation in 1988, the first time the award was given to an ENT surgeon.He was also a recipient of the SAARC Millenium Award, which he received in 2001.A year before his death, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award in Healthcare from the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry in 2012. Apart from Dr. Hiranandani’s Department of Otolaryngology and Head & Neck at the BYL Nair Charitable Hospital, another institution, Dr. L. H. Hiranandani College of Pharmacy, an institution located in Ulhasnagar, Mumbai, is also named after Hirnanadani. Dr L H Hiranandani Hospital is a 240-bedded multi-specialty hospital built by his sons, in honour of their father.