Every winter, Delhi chokes. Tiny invisible particles seep into lungs, triggering asthma, heart attacks, and COPD. But long before the world noticed, one doctor sounded the alarm. Delhi’s air was not only dirty, it was sending patients straight to the ER.
Born in UP’s Shikohabad in 1941, Jitendra Nath Pande joined AIIMS in 1958, topped his class, and chose to serve in India while many peers moved abroad. At 48, he became one of India’s youngest medicine professors.
Born in UP’s Shikohabad in 1941, Jitendra Nath Pande joined AIIMS in 1958, topped his class, and chose to serve in India while many peers moved abroad. At 48, he became one of India’s youngest medicine professors.
His groundbreaking research revealed a crucial insight. Delhi would see a 20–25% spike in emergency visits for asthma, lung disease, and heart attacks after just 48 hours of high pollution.
This study pushed the Supreme Court in 1998 to ban diesel buses, introduce CNG, and regulate industries in residential areas, giving Delhi a fighting chance against pollution.
With over 170 research papers, Dr Pande served as editor for leading medical journals, and his work continues to shape textbooks worldwide. But it was not only research that Delhi loved him for.
He carried remarkable empathy into his practice. He treated everyone with equal care, from the poorest patients to presidents. No one could jump the line.
In May 2020, the unsung hero succumbed to Covid-19. He was posthumously awarded the Padma Shri, a fitting tribute to a life spent saving lives, advancing medicine, and caring for every patient who walked through his doors.