Generations of Singapore’s doctors remember Professor Ragunathar Kanagasuntheram (fondly known as Prof Kana) as the exemplary teacher, someone who helped them unravel difficult concepts in the science of anatomy, and whose friendly nature encouraged their learning. His co-authored book, ‘A New Approach to the Dissection of the Human Body’ was deemed a ‘holy grail’ – the iconic guide-book, treasured by many students.
Prof Kana was a keen scientist and researcher, publishing more than 70 papers in renowned international refereed journals. He was one of the few Asians elected as a Fellow of the Zoological Society (FZS) (United Kingdom) due to his research interest in the comparative anatomy of mammals (especially sub-human primates) and his substantial contributions to anatomical sciences.
After his retirement, Prof Kana was appointed the inaugural Emeritus Professor in 1981, the first to hold that title at the National University of Singapore. Prof Kana passed away peacefully on 19 June 2010 at the age of 91 years. His example and memory lives on in the lives of his students and the establishment of R Kanagasuntheram bursary by these grateful students together with his family.
The Bursary is open to Singapore citizen or Singapore Permanent Resident. It will provide living allowances to medical and dentistry students who are in their first year of undergraduate studies.
