Dr. I. M. Azizuddin ., Ph.D

Professional Life

Ismail Mohamed Azizuddin (aka. Dr. I.M. Azizuddin) (born February 16^th, 1916 – died. June 15^th, 1954, at the young age of 38 years).

Many Firsts :

 – 1950 : The Youngest Principal of the Madras Veterinary College

– 1950 : The First Principal of Madras Veterinary College with a Ph.D (Edin)

– 1949 : The First Head of Department of Bacteriology, established 1949,  Madras Veterinary College

 – 1948 : The First B.V.Sc (Madras now TamilNadu) to receive Ph.D Doctorate for his research on Bacteriology and Pathology of “Bovine Endometritis” (Edin).

 – 1943: The First B.V.Sc to be directly recruited in 1943, as Lecturer in Madras Veterinary Services.

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– Dr I. M. Azizuddin was also the Member of the Academic Council of the Madras University

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Throughout his career in the country and abroad he earned high praise from the leading members of his profession, for his diligence, abounding enthusiasm and high capacity for scientific research.

Senior members of the profession, who ha the privilege of learning the subject under him will recollect his impressive lecutures and clinics around the wards and his lucid demonstrations specially at the postmortem table and under the microscope.

He was an authority on the subject. A very conscientious and hard worker he was found to be a very pleasant colleague.

As a young Principal he soon shot into the limelight and earned esteem and affection of the staff and students by his abounding enthusiasm and keen interest.

A gifted speaker, spiced with abounding crisp jokes, he always carried off  the laurels whether on stage or in the class room.

Senior members of the profession who had the privilege of learning the subject under him used to recollect his impressive lectures and clinics around the wards and his lucid demonstrations specially at the postmortem tables and under the microscope.

Dr. Azizuddin was a man of wide and varied interests. In spite of his high academic commitments, he was always a favourite of the students on the sports field. A keen enthusiast himself, he was always a friend of the sportsmen.

At the young age of 38 years, he died full of glory and honours,, as a testament of his achievements in the short period.

Education:

1937: B.A.(zoology and botany- optional subjects), The Madras Christian College, Tambaram, Madras

1937-1938 : G.M.Vc:

1938-1942 : B.V.Sc., The Madras Veterinary College, Vepery

1948: Ph.D., University of Edinburgh, United Kingom. 

Professional:

1942: Soon after graduation in College in 1942 he was engaged in research work in Bacteriology and Pathology at the Imperial Veterinary Research Institute, Mukhteshwar.

For one year held the appointment of a Research Scholar in Bacteriology under Government of India.

1943: In 1943, he was recruited to the Madras Veterinary Services and appointed as Lecturer in Medicine at the Madras Veterinary College. The first B.V.Sc to be directly recruited.

1946: In the autumn of 1946, he was deputed for higher training by the Government of Madras for higher studies in Bacteriology in the United Kingdom. During his stay at the University of Edinburgh, he was engaged for over a period of two years in research in the Bacteriology and Pathology of “ Bovine Endometritis”.

On the basis of his thesis was awarded the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in December 1948. He was the first B.V.Sc (Madras) to win this Doctorate award.

The main portion of his work was carried out at the Royal (Dick) Veterinary College, Edinburgh and the Hannah Dairy Research Institute, Ayr.

Dr. Azizuddin also had the privilege of studying diagnostic and research techniques at reputed institutions viz. Veterinary Research Division, Belfast, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries Veterinary Laboratory, Weybridge and Poultry Diseases Research Laboratory, Lasswade, Lister Institute of Preventive Medicine, London.

He made a special study of Trichomoniasis including its serology and tuberculin testing in cattle with special reference to ‘storment method’ in Northern Ireland.

1949: He returned to Madras in March 1949 and took up the post of Lecturer of Bacteriology and Pathology at the Madras Veterinary College.

1949: In June the same year, he was appointed Superintendent of the Veterinary Biological and Research Institute, Ranipet.

1950: In June 1950 he was appointed the Principal and the Head of the Department of Bacteriology of the Madras Veterinary College, the premier institution of its kind in Asia. 

As a young Principal he soon shot into the limelight and earned esteem and affection of the staff and students by his abounding enthusiasm and keen interest.

During this period, in addition to initiating and guiding research in the various departments of the college, he taught Bacteriology to the members of the Medical Profession who were qualifying themselves for the B.V.Sc degree.

He was also a recognized supervisor for post graduate research in the University of Madras, directing the investigation of research scholars working for the M.V.Sc degree in Bacteriology.

Publications:

Books Published:

Authored a book in Tamil titled “Maatu Vaaganan”. A copy of the book was available in the Library of Madras Veterinary College, as recent as 2011.

Scientific Papers presented: (only the ones we were able to locate)

ON INVITATION :

– 1948 : Presented a Scientific Paper on his research before the ‘ National Veterinary Medical Association of Great Britain’ at its invitation

JUNE 1948 :

Attended the ‘ First International Congress of Physiology and Pathology and Animal Reproduction and of Artificial Insemination’ held under the Sponsorship of UNESCO and FAO in Milan, Italy

WRITTEN :

-Paper on ‘ Studies on Bovine Endometritis ‘, published in The Indian Veterinary Journal, IVJ , Vol.XXVII, Issue No.1, July 1950

Click on the link below to read the papers

Publications/Papers

Several other papers published as well.

Obituary :

Genial by temperament, he was always a friend of the needy, he had a kind and generous heart which opened out equally to the rich and poor alike.

The Principalship of the Institution lasted only 4 years , when he passed away full of glory and honours, at an extremely young age of 38 years, suddenly after a brief illness.

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