Chandigarh: The 6th Prof. B. L. Talwar Oration, organised by the Department of GI Surgery, HPB & Liver Transplantation, PGIMER, Chandigarh, brought together faculty, former professors, surgeons, students and delegates to celebrate the enduring legacy of Prof. B. L. Talwar and reflect on the evolving landscape of surgical education. The oration was delivered by Dr. R. A. Sastry, KIMS Hospitals, Hyderabad, on “The Teacher Lives On: Surgical Wisdom from Prof. B. L. Talwar in the Digital Era of AI and Simulation.”
Delivering the oration, Dr. R. A. Sastry reflected on his nearly five-decade association with PGIMER, describing his return to the Institute as “not merely an honour, but a kind of homecoming.” Recalling his formative years under Prof. Talwar, he said, “This institution shaped me. It shaped my worldview, my craft and my character.”
Remembering Prof. Talwar as a demanding yet deeply committed mentor, Dr. Sastry recalled his philosophy of academic freedom. He further described the mentorship that shaped his surgical career, saying, “He let me struggle, but never let me fail. A young surgeon does not need protection from difficulty. He needs protection from catastrophe, and he provided exactly that.”
Dr. Sastry emphasised that the traditional Guru-Shishya Parampara transmitted a form of surgical wisdom that cannot simply be captured in textbooks or technology. “These were not instructions. They were insights. This is tacit knowledge—the kind only a guru can transmit,” he said.
Addressing the growing role of artificial intelligence in medical education, Dr. Sastry acknowledged its potential in simulation, literature synthesis, conceptual learning and skill development, but cautioned against allowing it to replace human mentorship.
“AI can teach technique. It can simulate complexity. It can predict outcomes. But AI cannot teach judgement, courage, compassion, ethics and humility. It can guide the hand, but only a teacher can shape the surgeon.”
Calling for a balanced approach, Dr. Sastry, said, “Technology should not replace the teacher. It should liberate the teacher.” He added, “The future surgeon is not the one who avoids AI, nor the one who blindly embraces it, but the one who uses it as an aid.”
Concluding his address, Dr. Sastry paid tribute to the enduring influence of Prof. Talwar and urged the next generation to preserve the culture of mentorship. “A true teacher never dies. He lives on in every surgeon he trained, in every decision we make and in the culture of the institution.” He called upon students to “seek wisdom, not just information; seek character, not just competence.”
Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Vivek Lal, Director, PGIMER, paid a heartfelt tribute to the Institute’s founding generation and particularly remembered Prof. B. L. Talwar was a legendary surgeon whose humility, commitment to patients and dedication to students continue to define the ethos of PGIMER.
“The glory that we have and that we bask in today is because of these founding fathers. What they gave us as a heritage is something we can never repay; we can only acknowledge it again and again,” Prof. Lal said.
Reflecting on the values of the founding generation, Director PGIMER added, “They loved PGI, they loved their patients and they loved their students. Everything stopped when it came to patient care, and everything came to a halt when it came to educating their students.”
Highlighting Prof. Talwar’s humility, Prof. Lal recalled encountering him standing patiently in a bank queue after retirement. “He was a legendary surgeon, but his greatest virtue was his humility. People who are humble are very strong,” he remarked.
Prof. Lal emphasised that the legacy of such pioneers must be carried forward through action and institutional values. “These orations must be followed in the true spirit of the iconic personalities whom we remember.”
Introducing the orator, Prof. Rajesh Gupta, Head, Department of GI Surgery, HPB & Liver Transplantation, described Dr. R. A. Sastry as one of the pioneers of gastrointestinal and hepatopancreatobiliary surgery in India. He highlighted Dr. Sastry’s distinguished association with PGIMER, where he completed his MS in Surgery and received the prestigious Institute Medal for Excellence, followed by advanced training in laparoscopic surgery and liver surgery and transplantation.
Prof. Gupta noted that Dr. Sastry subsequently established the Department of Surgical Gastroenterology at Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad, where he served as Head and later Dean. Highlighting his academic contributions, he noted that Dr. Sastry has authored more than 60 high-impact international publications, contributed to national and international books and held leadership positions in professional surgical associations.
“Professor Sastry belongs to a generation that established our specialty and shaped its academic and professional foundation. His contributions have influenced the growth of the discipline and continue to inspire successive generations of surgeons,” Prof. Gupta said.
Prof. Sanjay Jain, Dean Academics, PGIMER, appreciated the oration as a meaningful continuation of the Institute’s academic tradition and highlighted the significance of distinguished alumni returning to their alma mater as leaders and teachers.
“Perhaps there is no greater satisfaction for an academic institution than to see its students returning as leaders and teachers in their own right,” Prof. Jain said.
The 6th Prof. B. L. Talwar Oration reaffirmed PGIMER’s commitment to preserving the values of surgical excellence, mentorship, humility, ethical practice and patient-centred care, while embracing the opportunities offered by modern technology and artificial intelligence.
