Abstract
Professor Ashok Mysore Visweswariah was an extraordinary individual who left an indelible mark on the fields of psychiatry, research, and education. He was a dedicated clinician-scientist, a compassionate child psychiatrist, and a remarkable teacher who tirelessly protected his students’ interests. Those fortunate enough to have crossed paths with him will always remember and honor his profound positive impact on them. As a person, Ashok was the best friend you could have. When I relocated to St John’s, his helping hand and inclusivity made me feel at home. He also inspired fierce love and loyalty among his students, fellow faculty, and patients-families. He was always smiling and on the go, brimming with novel ideas yet eminently approachable. He could establish friendly relations even with his critics.
Ashok’s journey in psychiatry began at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, where he completed his MD and Senior Residency from 1986 to 1989 and 1990 to 1993. It was during his registrarship at the Mersey Regional Health Authority in Liverpool, UK, in 1993, that he developed a deep and abiding interest in child psychiatry—a passion that would define his illustrious career. His thirst for knowledge led him to further training in genetic engineering at the Indian Institute of Science in 1996 and molecular genetics at NIMHANS in 1999. During a sabbatical from 2003 to 2005, he worked as a Consultant Psychiatrist with a special interest in Neuropsychiatry at the Sheffield Care Trust in Sheffield, UK, where his fascination with schizophrenia and alcohol dependence blossomed.
In 1994, Ashok joined St. John’s Medical College Hospital, Bengaluru, where he dedicated himself to expanding the Department of Psychiatry. A true champion of education, he strengthened the postgraduate MD program at St. John’s, paving the way for trainee psychiatrists to receive exceptional training. Later, he established a Fellowship Program in Child Psychiatry too. He started an Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning internship at his center, guiding BTech and PhD students and interns. He was nominated as a Global Senior Mentor by the International Society for Autism Research (INSAR) and allocated a mentee from Nigeria. He initiated a 25-session assignment-and-practicum-based Neuroscience Certification Program for MBBS students at St. John’s.
Through his work with various sections of the Indian Psychiatric Society (IPS) and IPS-South Zone from 2011 onwards, Dr Ashok’s advocacy for evidence-based training in psychiatry bore fruit. He held prominent positions such as Chair of the Research Capacity Building Committee (RCBC) and Chair of the Scientific Committee at the IPS-South Zone and IPS-Karnataka Chapter. He was instrumental in developing and led the Brief Course in Psychiatry Research, an online, 25-session psychiatry research training program for faculty members and consultants, which is now in its third year and is widely appreciated.
His contributions to the Indian Association of Child and Adolescent Mental Health and the INSAR testify to his commitment to advancing research and collaboration.
While Ashok was an exceptional teacher, his impact extended far beyond the walls of his institution. He was a mentor, a guide, and a friend who always had his students’ best interests at heart. Approachable, open-minded, and eager to learn from those around him, he guided not only PhD, MD, and Fellowship students but also undergraduates, nurses, and anyone seeking knowledge under his tutelage. Ashok’s students felt comfortable and confident, knowing he would go above and beyond to support and champion their aspirations.
Ashok’s inquisitive mind and tireless dedication to his patients led him to excel as a researcher, interdisciplinary team builder, and scientist-entrepreneur. He constantly sought new ideas and better outcomes, working collaboratively with others and generously sharing his research ideas. His accomplishments included establishing the Indo-Canada Autism Network (I-CAN) and bringing together autism researchers from various cities in India to explore his ground-breaking OPEN (Obstetrics, Placenta, Epigenetics and Neurodevelopment in Autism) research concept. Under his guidance, the I-CAN and OPEN programs at St. John’s facilitated significant advancements in understanding and treating autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Moreover, Ashok’s entrepreneurial spirit led him to spearhead the establishment of the Centre for Advanced Research & Excellence in Autism & Developmental Disorders (CAREADD) at St. John’s Research Institute. Through his tenacity and resourcefulness, he obtained donor funds to support this initiative, with the ultimate goal of creating a comprehensive research and care delivery institution that would serve as a representative clinical database and biorepository for ASD in India. In addition, working with Dr Pratibha Karanth, he vigorously campaigned to bring the Communication DEALL (ComDEALL) program for early autism intervention (
He was deeply invested in helping children, especially those with autism and developmental disorders. Beginning with tool development and clinical studies, his research progressed to neurocognition and the biology of autism. He conducted the first Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)-funded clinical and neuropsychological study on autism in India, developed an early evaluation tool for autism, and roped in experts to build computational models for the diagnosis of ASD that could be used for telediagnosis in India. He dreamed of scaling up screening, diagnostic, and intervention services to reach children with developmental disorders in the remotest public health centers. His ultimate aim was to develop a longitudinal parent training and support program for school-age children, youth, and young adults with autism. He wanted families of “his” children to drive CAREADD activities and oversee his research.
Ashok was blessed with a talented and supportive spouse—Dr Vijaya Raman—and a bright and loving son—Avi. As a dutiful son and son-in-law, he supported his mother and mother-in-law. He was a rock for his friends and family, looking after their health and emotional needs. The hole he leaves in our lives can never be filled.
We pray that his family, friends, and patients get the strength to bear his loss.
(Details of Ashok’s work can be found at
Footnotes
Declaration of Conflicting Interests
The author declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
Funding
The author received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.