In Loving Memory

Dr. Amrit Tewari

Unable to hold myself as I got the message from Dr. Gauba about the sudden demise of our beloved Teacher Dr. Amrit Tewari, blurred vision in teary eyes and the lump in my throat, my thoughts deviated to my reminiscences and tribute to my mentor.

Dr. Amrit Tewari was born on 5th Sept 1938 and was the daughter of Sardar Tirath Singh who was the minister in the Erstwhile PEPSU. Married to Dr. V N Tiwari, Prof of Punjabi, Punjab University and blessed with son Manish and daughter Puneet. In 1984 when Dr. V N Tewari was assassinated her children were young, she brought them up with fortitude. Prof Tewari was member Parliament and Manish Tewari was the minister of Information & Broadcasting, Govt of India.

Dr. Amrit Tewari did her BDS from GDC Patiala and was the first batch student of Pediatric and Preventive Dentistry at GDC, Amritsar in 1963-65. Madam did her MDS under the guidance of none other than Dr. B R Vacher Father of Pedodontics in India. Madam started MDS in Pediatric and Preventive Dentistry at PGI Chandigarh in 1976 and was instrumental in training and guiding students selected from across the country on all India basis and was thus the pioneer of Pediatric and Preventive Dentistry in India. I came in contact with her when I joined PGI Chandigarh in 1978 as Junior Resident and was Blessed to be her student.

In 1978 She formed the Indian Society of Pediatric and Preventive Dentistry (ISPPD) to unite us and because of her, our speciality got widespread base and recognition in India and at International forums. She was destined to be a great Teacher and a dedicated crusader of our speciality in India. She is the Mother of Pedodontics in India as her many students like Dr. E Ramakrishnan, Dr. VVS Reddy, Dr. Usha Rehani, Dr. P B Sood, Dr. Joy Joshi, Dr. Shobha Kuriakose, Dr. SG Damle, Dr. N J Chandranee, Dr. KLGauba, Dr. Ashima Goyal Gauba, Dr. Vinod Sachdeva, Dr. P K Sahoo, Dr. Shambhu Sharma, Dr. Sanjay Chachra, Dr. B Nandlal, Dr. Sandeep Mahajan, Dr. Simrit Grewal Malhi, Dr. Monty Duggal and many other started PG training in different parts of India and Abroad. She was Head of Oral Health Science Centre at PGIMER Chandigarh where PG training is also imparted in the specialities of Orthodontics, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. She was Dean PGI Chandigarh from March 1997 to September 1998 when she retired.

Prof Amrit Tewari was awarded the Padam Shri in 1992 and BC Roy Award in 1993. She was member DCI, President of IDA 1984-85, Syndicate & Senate member Panjab University and Governing Body of PGI. She was on WHO Expert Advisory Panel on Oral Health during 1986-92 & then again till 1996. She drafted the National Oral Health Policy in 1985 and conducted the National Epidemiological Study of Oral Diseases from 1985-88.

Madam Tewari has left us for heavenly abode on 14th January 2018. An era has come to an end, and we all share the brotherhood in similar feelings of grief, lives of each one of us touched by the Doyen in dentistry, she was!

We have no words of consolation. How does one explain this loss? Madam has left behind a huge void. She has left an indelible impact on each of us.

Madam, We will always miss you. You will live in our hearts forever and ever as long as those whose life you have touched exist.

She will be cremated today 15th January at 1 pm at crematorium ground sector 25 Chandigarh.

We pray to Almighty to grant His most benevolent peace to her departed soul, and enough strength to Manish, Nazneen and Puneet to courageously bear this loss beyond the realm of expression.