Ramanathan Anandaraman

R. Anandaraman, the youngest of 8 siblings, was born in Bangalore, India in 1933 to A.V. Ramanathan and Sita Lakshmi. His father, known for his just policies, was a minister of industries and law and order, and later Dewan for the State of Mysore under the Maharaja of Mysore and Bharatpur Rajastan State during British rule. 

Graduating from Mysore Medical College in 1956, Dr. Anandaraman pursued a residency in the United States in 1959 in Sibley Memorial Hospital, Washington, D.C. In 1961, he married C. Kalyani, his wife of nearly 60 years. At the encouragement of his father, he worked in the United Kingdom to pursue postgraduate education working in Wales, Scotland, and England and becoming a Member of the Royal College of Physicians (Edin.) with a specialty in cardiology in 1966.  He moved back to India in 1967 where he practiced medicine for three years. At the request of a former instructor, he returned to the United States in 1970 to complete a residency in oncology while serving as an instructor in medicine at Georgetown University, in Washington, D.C. He worked at Glenn Dale Hospital in Glenn Dale, Maryland from 1972-1980, while also continuing to serve part time as instructor in medicine at Georgetown, and working part time at a free clinic in Brandywine, MD. In 1980 he moved with his family to Bonham, TX to work at the Sam Rayburn Memorial Veterans Center, where he served as Chief of Medicine. After working in Bonham until 1993, Dr. Anandaraman went to work at the Waco Veterans Administration Medical Center, where he retired in 1996. In 1995, he was awarded the highest honor of the Royal College of Physicians, a Fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians. In 2018, Dr. Anandaraman and his wife moved to Mitchellville, MD to live with their daughter.

Dr. Anandaraman was loved by his patients for his intense dedication to them and received many awards and accolades for his service over the years. His compassion and passion for humanity are reflected in his activities throughout his career and particularly after retirement, when he became very active in providing service to others, a philosophy expounded by his spiritual guide, Sai Baba. He and his wife were members of the American Cancer Society and he drove patients in small towns to larger cities for chemotherapy or radiation treatments, offering comfort and advice along the way. He also served the homeless and elderly by preparing and delivering food. As part of his volunteer activities with the Red Cross, he conducted wellness calls to check on people and help them recognize when they needed to seek medical attention. 

Dr. Anandaraman was a kind and gentle soul who  took great pleasure in little things like watching the sun set every evening or sharing tea with his family. He was always polite, always a gentleman, and always thankful, serving as a great role model for the children in his family. He enjoyed the sports of cricket and tennis, loved jazz music, and Hindu scripture and devotional music. He is survived by his wife, Kalyani and daughter Neena. In lieu of flowers please send donations to the Michael J. Fox Foundation (https://www.michaeljfox.org).