Dr Gita Arjun

Dr Gita Arjun, FACOG

Medical education

• Graduated from Madras Medical College in 1975. o Awarded: G V James Prize in Surgery Ruckmani Gold Medal in Obstetrics and Gynaecology

• Won first prize in Group Discussion at IIT. Won debating and oratorical competitions in college. Postgraduate training

• Residency training in Obstetrics and Gynecology at St Francis Hospital, Evanston, USA from 1976 - 1980

. • Diplomate, American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Current positions

• Director, E V Kalyani Medical Foundation Pvt. Ltd.

• Mentor, Villgro Innovations Foundation Previous position

• Retired in 2013 after 32 years as the Director and Obstetrician & Gynaecologist at E.V.Kalyani Medical Centre, Chennai, India, which celebrates its 72nd year in 2021 as an institution dedicated to women’s health.

• E V Kalyani Medical Centre was one of the first institutions in Chennai to offer ultrasound services.

• E V Kalyani Medical Centre was also one of the first hospitals to provide routine electronic fetal monitoring in the labour room. E V Kalyani Medical Centre is a leading centre for high-risk obstetrics.

• In 1991, E V Kalyani Medical Centre became the first private hospital in Chennai to offer prenatal diagnostic and therapeutic services.

• E V Kalyani Medical Centre is also unique in having allowed husbands in the labour room since 1981. Areas of special interest:

• High-risk obstetrics, prenatal diagnosis and therapy, obstetric ultrasound, endoscopic surgery and preventive health care for women.

• Having been trained in ultrasound in 1980, started Mediscan ultrasound diagnostic services in1982, along with Dr S Suresh.

• Always interested in women’s health issues, focused on promoting women’s awareness of wellness. Started the “Passport to Health” program to inspire women to pay attention to their health. The program stressed the maintenance of good health and a healthy lifestyle by providing an individualized “Health Horoscope” for each woman who took part in the program. Author and contributor

• Co-edited the 3rd edition of Management of Labour

• Chief editor and contributor to A Practical Guide to Obstetrics, 1st edition. Sole author of A Practical Guide to Obstetrics, 2nd edition.

• Co-author of Essentials of Obstetrics, 1st and 2nd editions. It has become an undergraduate staple.

• The best-selling Passport to a Healthy Pregnancy was first published in 2009 to fill the lacuna in India, of a pregnancy book written by an Indian obstetrician for Indian women. It has become the #1 bestseller among pregnancy books in India. The 2nd edition was launched in August 2017.

• The Tamil translation of Passport to a Healthy Pregnancy was released in February 2014.

• Column on women’s health issues called ‘Women and Wellness’ in The Hindu (leading English newspaper) for more than 7 years.

• Regular contributor to the Kumudam group of Tamil magazines, reaching a large number of women readers.

• Wrote a monthly women’s health column for Just for Women, an English monthly. Conferences

• Organizing Secretary for the PROGRESS series of conferences since 1993. These conferences attract 850-1000 delegates from around the country. The conference has also been held twice in Myanmar.

• Invited to deliver lectures and orations all over the country, both for the medical fraternity and the lay public. Personal

• Married to Dr Arjun Rajagopalan, Trustee and Advisor, Sundaram Medical Foundation, Chennai. He retired as Medical Director and Head of the Department of Surgery in 2016.

• Son, Ashvin, is the Director, Piramal Art Foundation, Mumbai. He also runs the Ashvita group, which includes an art gallery, restaurants and design stores in Chennai.

• Daughter Kavita has majored in International Studies at UNC- Chapel Hill, USA and has a Masters in International Education Policy from Harvard. She is currently working with an international education organization, based in the UK.

• Daughter-in-law Sruti is a National Award-winning filmmaker, and recently released Harmony with A R Rahman.