Renowned radiologist and Padma Shri awardee Kakarla Subbarao passed away on Friday. Born on January 25, 1925, the 96-year-old doctor breathed his last at the KIMS hospital in Secunderabad, said his family. However, the family did not specify what medical condition led to his death, but reports suggest that the veteran died due to age related health complications after a month-long treatment at KIMS.

"It is with deep sadness that we inform you about the demise of our patriarch, Padma Shri Kakarla Subbarao, who reached heavenly abode on April 16, 2021 at 7.20 am," his family members said in their statement.

Subbarao was a well known radiologist both in India and overseas as well. Subba Rao was also the ex-director of Nizam Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) in Hyderabad. During his tenure, Subba Rao was known for his services to the hospital and his efforts to transform the NIMS into a super speciality hospital.

Telugu Desam Party (TDP) supremo and former Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu expressed his sadness over the passing away of Subbarao. "Subbarao was rendering his services overseas and he returned to his motherland on the call from NTR and transformed Hyderabad NIMS hospital into a corporate hospital as its director," said Naidu.

The former Chief Minister and principal opposition leader in Andhra Pradesh said Subbarao was born in an agricultural family and went to win the Padma Shri award.

According to reports, Subba Rao hailed from an agricultural middle class family from a small village, Pedamuttevi in Krishna district in Andhra Pradesh and finished his MBBS in Andhra Medical college in 1950. For his services to the field of medicine, Subba Rao was awarded the Padma Shri in the year 2000 by the Government of India. Dr Rao was also the founder president of Telugu Association of North America (TANA). Condolences have been pouring in for the veteran.

(With inputs from IANS)