At last the last month of the year has arrived. December sums up all the happenings of the year and passes us to a new hope for the coming year with a wave of cold and comfort. Let us all bid farewell to 2021.
“Christmas makes us merry. Let happiness and good health be yours. The year has given some of us joy and some sorrow as is the rule of the NATURE. Let us hope for the best.”
This was Dr. A.A. Kuttappa’s last WhatsApp message I received on 1st December, 2021. From March 2020, he started writing a few lines like the above narrating about the previous month and hoping for better days to come. This was the way Dr. Kuttappa expressed his feelings with his dear ones.
On 1st November, 2021 he wrote:
“The penultimate month of the year NOVEMBER arrived with our glorious KRS being full. What a welcome for the RAJYOTSAVA!
Starting with the celebration of Rajyotsava this month we have a lot of Bright festivals like DEEPAVALI and PUTHARI (a prominent festival for Kodavas). Let all of us pray for bright things to happen and happiness to spread all over, health being the prime concern.”
Before bidding farewell to the year 2021, he bid farewell to all of us. It is unfortunate that two more dental surgeons — Dr. Kurthukoti and Dr. Chengappa — have also left us this year.
Having known Dr. Kuttappa for the last 52 years as a professional colleague and as a friend, I thought of penning a few words about him.
Dr. A.A. Kuttappa (popularly known as Shyam amongst his friends) was the first Dental Surgeon with BDS degree to start full-time private practice in Mysore after completing his studies in Nair Hospital Dental College, Bombay, in the year 1964.
Dr. Thomas Eapen, who was the first BDS qualified Dental Surgeon and Senior to Dr. Kuttappa, was already working in K.R. Hospital but had part-time practice.
Dr. S. Ramachandra, MBBS DMD, the Founder-Principal of the first Government Dental College in Bangalore, had established the Dental Department in K.R. Hospital in the year 1950. Dr. Eapen and Dr. Kuttappa were responsible for the birth of Mysore Branch of Indian Dental Association (IDA) in the year 1969.
Dr. Kuttappa was instrumental in organising a number of Dental Conferences in the State.One such was in Hubli in the year 1985 when he was the President of the Karnataka State Dental Association and it was a memorable one. He was always ready to take lead in organising free dental service camps in Kollegal, Hanur, Chamarajanagar, Gundlupet, Hunsur and K.R. Nagar. His humorous spontaneous jokes would keep us laughing during our journey to and from rural dental camps.
The President and Secretary of the local branch of IDA went on changing every year but the post of Treasurer was always reserved for Dr. Kuttappa. Being Hon. Treasurer continuously for 20-plus years our Association funds were in safe hands, with meticulously maintained accounts.
Though a teetotaller, he was always ready to host dinner meetings of the Association at his home and we enjoyed the hospitality of Mrs. Geetha Kuttappa many times.
Yes, indeed Dr. Kuttappa was a people’s dentist, a gentleman in profession and social life as mentioned in the tributes paid to him in Star of Mysore dated Dec.3, 2021.
We miss you, Kurthukoti, Chengappa and Kuttappa.
— On behalf of Mysore Dental Fraternity by Dr. B.K. Chandramohan, Retired Professor and HoD, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, JSS Dental College, Mysuru
This post was published on December 10, 2021 6:05 pm