Nitu Mandke

Mandke went to the United Kingdom and later to the United States and worked with Magdi Yacoub, Dr. Kirklin and Dr. Pacifico. Between 1979 and 1984, he worked at the University of Alabama and thereafter in Germany for some time. In 1985, he decided to come back to India and set up his own hospital that would specialise in treatment of cardiac illnesses. He was consultant cardio-thoracic surgeon in Mumbai. He had treated several VIP patients, including Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray^[2] Mandke was a dexterous surgeon. He was equally at ease while operating upon a 6 month old blue baby as well as a 60-year-old man for coronary artery disease. He taught the finer technicalities of off-pump surgery to many students.

Mandke had established his dream hospital project in Andheri, Mumbai, It is now renamed the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital. The poor patients will get treatment at affordable rates in this hospital.^[3]

Mandke was admitted to the Hinduja Hospital after a mild attack. He died at the same Hospital at 2.30 pm on Thursday 22 May 2003 following a severe heart attack.^[4][5][6]