Alappuzha: Renowned physician, educator, and author Dr. B. Padmakumar has officially assumed office as the 38th Principal of Alappuzha Government T.D. Medical College, bringing with him a distinguished legacy of academic brilliance and over three decades of medical teaching experience. A native of Muthukulam, Haripad, and an alumnus of the same institution, Dr. Padmakumar returns to lead the college where he once excelled as a gold medalist MBBS student.
He was previously the Principal of Kollam Medical College and took over his new post on Wednesday, following a transfer.
Dr. Padmakumar boasts a stellar academic record — first rank in BSc Zoology from Kerala University (1983), MBBS with gold medal from Alappuzha Medical College (1990), and MD with first rank from Aurangabad Medical College (1995). His qualifications further include a PhD in Medicine, a fellowship in Rheumatology from Hyderabad’s Nizam Institute, and advanced training from Cambridge.
He has taught and led departments at medical colleges across Kerala — Alappuzha, Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, and Konni — leaving a strong academic imprint wherever he served.
A prolific writer, Dr. Padmakumar has authored over 30 books in medical science, including the Keshavadev Award-winning title (2010). He has also received the Kerala State Government’s Best Doctor Award and the Children’s Literature Institute’s Award for Best Scientific Book.
Known not just for his medical expertise but also his cultural talent during student days, Dr. Padmakumar is the son of the late K.P. Balasundaram, a former Deputy Registrar, and V.C. Bhanumathi Amma. His wife, Dr. Meera, is a physician at Peroorkada ESI Hospital, and their son, Karthik, is a research scholar in history.
With this appointment, Dr. Padmakumar’s homecoming to Alappuzha Medical College is both symbolic and promising — a leader returning to elevate the institution that once shaped his own future.
