“And departing leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time”
–Longfellow
January 18, 2016, was a sad day in my life and for people and colleagues who knew Dr. (Prof.) Priyavadan C. Shastri personally, as we lost him to eternity. His memories will remain for a long time in the hearts and minds of everybody who was close to him.
I lost in him an affectionate friend and a colleague. His practical advice at the time of my crisis helped me come out as a winner in my life. I lost my wife in 1998. Dr. Shastri was close to us and his advice to me was not to remarry but rather have many friends for emotional support. This advice helped me as my family was not disrupted and I could enjoy my life with friends and colleagues, and have kept healthy, happy, and active till today.
Role Model
I had heard his students talk of him as a person of high academic standards, a keen research worker with leadership qualities, and an orator par excellence. He was an inspiring human being with a special talent and interest in child psychiatry, and a teacher who modelled many young minds by being an example himself and directing young psychiatrists to the developing branch of child psychiatry in India.
Late Dr. Shastri was a person with a high ethical standard of practice in psychiatry. He achieved innumerable awards and honours throughout his carrier. His leadership qualities made him achieve the presidentship of the city, state, national, and international associations in psychiatry.
He proved himself as a fighter to the last and continued working hard even during his illness, something we can all remember and learn from, for our own future.
A Family Man
In spite of his great involvement in academics, research and administrative jobs in many institutions and associations, he remained a caring husband, a loving father and a doting grandfather for his family, and a loving human being for the rest of us.
We will surely feel his loss for a long time.
Footnotes
Conflict of Interest:
None declared.
Declaration
This is my original unpublished work, not submitted for publication elsewhere.
CITATION: Dave KP. Late Prof. P. C. Shastri: A Role Model and Teacher Par Excellence. Mens Sana Monogr 2016;14:1-2.