In memory of a teacher, neurosurgeon, Gandhian

Once he knew you well, he would email what he thought were articles that may interest you.

- Dr Sanjay Nagral

A one-line introduction 'This may be of interest' and signed 'Sunil' as he urged everyone to call him.

They covered a wide sweep. Last year, I received a review of a new book on whistle blowers in medicine to a piece on what makes the Mumbai neighbourhood of Shivaji Park special. Around August, some of us received a somewhat different email. It was an update on his health in which he described his afflictions. And soon I received a copy of Dr Sunil Pandya's living will.

An excerpt: "I do not wish to exist without a meaningful and productive life. I have been blessed throughout my life with rewards beyond my dreams... In dying I would like to continue doing so by two means. I want to donate whichever of my organs and tissues are suitable for transplantation. I wish to donate my body for dissection and research to the Department of Anatomy at GS Medical college."

Sunil Pandya passed away on December 17. His body was donated to the Anatomy Department of GS Medical. He was a neurosurgeon, teacher, book lover, writer, historian, ethicist and a Gandhian. Such compartmentalisation is necessary for the record but after his death several described him as a man in whose life the gap between what he espoused and the way he lived was the least.