Dr. Mathew Kalarickal, India’s Pioneer of Angioplasty, Passes Away at 77

Dr. Mathew Samuel Kalarickal, renowned as the ‘Father of Angioplasty in India’, passed away on April 18, 2025, at the age of 77 in Chennai. Known for revolutionizing heart care in India by introducing angioplasty in 1986, Dr. Kalarickal’s death marks the end of a transformative era in Indian cardiology.

Why in News?

• Dr. Mathew Kalarickal passed away on April 18, 2025, after a brief illness. He was India’s first angioplasty expert and a pioneer who trained hundreds across the Asia-Pacific. His contributions to cardiac care, awards, and leadership roles made him a key figure in modern Indian medicine.

Key Contributions

• Performed India’s first angioplasty in 1986, starting with just 18 patients.
• Introduced and expanded angioplasty procedures across India and Asia-Pacific nations such as,
• Pakistan
• Sri Lanka
• UAE
• Indonesia
• Thailand
• Malaysia

Education & Background

• Born on January 6, 1948, in Kerala.
• Graduated from Kottayam Medical College.
• Trained in the U.S. under Dr. Andreas Gruentzig, known as the Father of Interventional Cardiology.
• Returned to India in 1985, committed to bridging the medical gap in heart care.

Awards & Recognitions

• Padma Shri (2000)
• Dr. B.C. Roy Award (1996)
• Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa) – Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. Medical University (2003)
• Served as President, Asian-Pacific Society of Interventional Cardiology (1995–1997)