Fellow

Dr. Sultan A. Choudhury (Deceased)

(Fellow, 1985)

Emeritus Professor Dr. Sultan Ahmed Choudhury was born in Chittagong in 1910 in a family with education atmosphere.

He got his early education in a local Primary School Forhadabad, Roshangiri High School and Chittagong College. Earned MB (Cal.) from Calcutta Medical College in 1935; DTM from Calcutta School of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene in 1937; DPH from All India Institute of Hygiene and Public Health, Calcutta in 1938. Had training in Gas medicine (for medical care and management of gas war victims). Had been in UK for higher training in pediatrics and medicine (1949 - 1951), and got his DCH (Royal College of Physicians, London and Royal College of Surgeons, England) in 1950 from the Institute of Child Health, London.

Dr. Ahmed was House Surgeon, Calcutta Medical College Hospital; Research Assistant in Tropical Medicine and Dermatology, School of Tropical Medicine, Calcutta; Health Officer, Bogra and Rangpur (Temporary). He joined B.N.S. (Upper) in 1939; Senior House Physician, Calcutta Medical College Hospital; Medical Officer, Walsh Hospital; Serampore, Hooghly; Resident Physician, Calcutta Medical College Hospital. Teacher of Medicine, Jackson Medical School, Jalpaiguri; Civil Surgeon, Bogra. Since 1961 he worked as Associate Professor of Medicine and then as Professor of Clinical Medicine, Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Organized and founded the Skin and V.D. Outpatient Department, Dhaka Medical College Hospital and was in-charge. He was Associate Professor of Pediatrics for over 15 years. Founder Director and Professor, Pediatrics, Dhaka Shishu Hospital (from early 1972), Professor Emeritus of  Child Health, since 1972. Consultant Pediatrician, Holy Family Red Crescent Hospital (1972-1978); Hony. Professor and Consultant Pediatrician, IPGMR, Dhaka. Consultant Pediatrician, Medical Centre, Baitul Mukarram. Chairman and Consultant Pediatrician, Free Clinic, BMA, since early 1977. Adviser, Institute of Nutrition and Food Science, Dhaka University.

Dr. Choudhury received a number of awards and Gold Medals in Medical Jurisprudence; Bangladesh Pediatric Association award, 1990, Ibn Sina Trust Award, 1991. In recognition of his glorious contributions to the Medical science and service in the field of Pediatrics, for being the pioneer in the establishment of Dhaka Shishu Hospital (Children Hospital), he received Mahbub Ali Khan Trust Award, 1992. Popularly known as 'Father of Pediatrics' in Bangladesh because of being the first Pediatrician in the country. Founder, Dhaka Shishu Hospital; Skin and VD-Outpatient Department, Dhaka Medical College Hospital. He was a Mohsin Scholar all through his career in Calcutta Medical College. He was Class Assistant in medical jurisprudence and secured a Gold Medal for special proficiency in the subject.

He was Founder of ‘Dr. Sultan Ahmed Choudhury Foundation’ for the advancement of education, particularly science, technology and community health within the country. As a philanthropist and a dedicated supporter of science and technology development (Education), he established in collaboration with BAS: Dr. SAC National Science & Technology Award fund for the best senior scientist for their research and outstanding contribution; Dr. SAC Talent Nurture Fund for junior scientist for their achievements. He donated over Taka five lac for both of these programmes as seed money; In collaboration with four Education Boards, namely Dhaka, Comilla, Rajshahi and Jessore - he has established award funds for the best students in Science, English and Bengali language; In a similar way, he established award for Sciences and Madrasa Education in Bangladesh for the Advancement of Dakhil, Alim, Fazil and Kamil education. For the above two projects he donated about Taka 9.5 lac (nine lac and fifty thousand) as seed money with the permission and concurrence of the Ministry of Education, Govt. of Bangladesh. Besides he donated liberally to the icddr,b Endowment Fund, Bangladesh; Collegiate of Physicians and Surgeon's Development Fund; Alumni Fund; Dhaka Medical College Hospital; Sandhani and many other Hospitals and Institutions for Patient Care and Extra curricular activities.

Dr. Sultan Ahmed published several scientific papers on common childhood problems in the country, specially on nutrition, infection and common skin diseases.

Professor Choudhury regularly participated in clinical conferences organized by the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh and College of Physicians and Surgeons. He presented many papers in professional meetings and conferences.

Dr. Choudhury had been a Fellow/Member of several National and International Bodies as an eminent Pediatrician. As a medical scientist and a social worker and philanthropist, he was associated with many important scientific societies, academic institutions and development programmes. Life Member, Chest and Heart Association Bangladesh; Life Member, Bangladesh Red Crescent Society; Dhaka University Alumni Association; Life Member, Sandhani, Dhaka Medical College Hospital; Founder Member, Bangladesh Association of the Aged; Patron and Life Member, Bangladesh Association for Science Education (BASE); Life Member and Chief Adviser, Chittagong Shishu Hospital; Patron and Life member, Bangladesh Pediatric Association; Member, Board of Governor, Institute of Nutrition and Food Science, Dhaka University for several terms; Member, Executive Committee, Bangladesh Cancer Society; Member, Institute of Herbal Medicine; Member, Swanirvar Bangladesh; Associate Member, Community Health Div., icddr,b, Dhaka. Founder President, Pakistan Ambulance Corps. He was Fellow, International College of Pediatrics, Geneva. Fellow of Academy of Sciences, Bangladesh.

He visited a number of countries, such as, India, Pakistan, Nepal, UK, USA, Canada, Switzerland etc. mostly in connection with professional and academic affairs.

Dr. Sultan Ahmed Choudhury expired at the age of 88 on 10  October 1998.