“My name is Dr. K.V. Shivanand Reddy, and I am the youngest neurosurgeon in the country to have attained a double FRCS in Neurosurgery, along with a fellowship in Pediatric Neurosurgery. There are very few specialists in the country who deal exclusively with neurosurgery for children.
Growing up as an army child, I was exposed to the medical field early on through my father’s close contacts with army doctors. My father was posted in Jammu and Kashmir, where I witnessed a neurosurgeon save a soldier’s life after a bullet injury to the head. This miraculous moment inspired me to become a neurosurgeon. I soon learned that this path is no simple job; it requires hours of training, dedication, and most importantly, passion. This marked the beginning of my journey.
My training began at NIMS Hyderabad, the premier institute of Neurosurgery in the country, where my interest in pediatric neurosurgery began. The emotions attached to pediatric patients are very different from adults, requiring an empathetic and emotional approach from us as doctors.
I have been fortunate to have operated on more than 200 pediatric patients, from 1-day-old infants to 18-year-olds, with great results. One of the first cases that stands out to me is a two-day-old baby with a congenital malformation called Lipomyelomeningocele. This child, born after ten years of marriage, needed immediate surgery. The six-hour operation presented multiple challenges, and the post-operative phase was turbulent. However, after twenty days of intensive care, the child recovered and is expected to lead a normal life. The joy on the faces of the parents was a reward that will stay with me forever.
To further contribute to the community, I founded an NGO dedicated to helping patients with epilepsy and other pediatric conditions. Through this organization, we aim to make a difference in their lives and provide support where it’s needed most.
As I always say, ‘Happy patient, happy doctor.'”