Decades of dedication

The Bombay Psychiatric Society honored Prof Dr Dinshaw Rustom Doongaji with a Lifetime Achievement Award for "five decades of outstanding contribution to Indian psychiatry and international medicine as a clinician, teacher and researcher,” as per an e-mail received by Parsiana from Shehrnaz Panthaky. Doongaji received the award at a function on April 26, 2009 at the Taj Land’s End, Bandra.

Dr Dinshaw Doongaji holding citation, with Dr J. S. Apte

Today the senior doctor, who qualified first in general medicine, then in psychiatry and later in psychopharmo-cology (research on medicines used in psychiatry), remains involved with his private practice, he informed Parsiana over the telephone. "I do not conduct research today as it is not feasible… unless something interesting comes my way,” he mentioned, as he is now attached to just one medical institution, the Jaslok Hospital, where he is senior consultant in psychiatry. Doongaji’s daughter Khushnaaz conveyed to Parsiana that the 78-year-old doctor has retired as head, department of psychiatry and associate, department of clinical pharmacology from the King Edward Memorial Hospital and as consultant in psychiatry from the Nanavati, Bhatia, Tata Memorial and B. D. Petit Parsee General Hospitals. With postgraduate qualifications in general medicine, psychiatry and psychopharmocology from the Universities of Bombay, Minnesota and the Royal College of Psychiatrists respectively, the senior psychiatrist has been recipient of numerous awards both national and international. Among these are the Sandoz National Award in 1968 and 1975, the Dr Marfatia Award in 1977, the Merck gold medal in 1977 and 1979, the Dr Desouza Oration Award in 1991, the Dr Vaidya Lectureship Award in 1993, the Dr D. L. N. Murti Rao Oration Award in 1997 and the most recent one, the Bombay Psychiatric Society Lifetime Achievement Award, 2009, as per details of his career received from Khushnaaz.

A Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, American College of Physicians, Royal College of Psychiatrists, Royal Society of Medicine, Indian Psychiatric Society and Indian Academy of Medical Sciences, Doongaji has authored over 100 publications in international journals, textbooks and monographs. The doctor has presented papers at national and international conferences in India, England, Europe and the United States. Who’s Who in the World, International Who’s Who in Medicine and Enduring Legacy: Parsis of the 20th Century, Vol II have listed his achievements and carried his bio data.