Dr Kotturathu Mammen Cherian is an Indian heart surgeon with distinctions of India's first coronary artery bypass surgery in 1975, first heart-lung transplant, first pediatric cardiac surgery, first TMR-laser heart surgery and India's second heart transplant surgery in 1995. Trained in India, Australia, New Zealand, USA, Birmingham and China Dr Cherian played a pivotal role in making India the leader of Asia in open heart surgery. Treated by many as God he scripted new chapters in Indian minds towards organ donation.

HIS Contribution to Healthcare Landscape in India ;

* Founded Medical Institutes of Madras, Puducherry and Kerala with Super Specialties and Frontline Lifeline Hospitals.
* First Medical SEZ and Medical Science Park in India.
* Charitable Trust running St. Gregorios Cardiovascular Centre, Kerala.
* Educational Trust running International CBSE School "The Study-L'ecole
Internationale" in Puducherry.

Change-Making Positions Held ;

# Honorary Surgeon to the Indian President from 1990-1993.
* 18th World Congress engraved his name in one of the stones of Greece's Kos Island in 2008.
* First Indian President of World Society of Cardio Thoracic Surgeons.
* Member of "Founder Circle of American Association for Thoracic Surgery.

Laurels Brought to Dr K. M. Cherian ;

* Conferred Padma Shri by the Government of India in 1991.
* Harvard Medical Excellence Award in 2005.
* Lifetime Achievement Award by Kasturba Medical College in 2000.
* Doctor of Science Conferred by KGMU, Lucknow.

Helped in Saving Lives and Promoting Organ Donation in India ;

Dr Cherian's perseverance by giving new lease of life to toddlers of 13 months, 2 years old, young and old alike by coordinated team efforts of doctors, administrative structure, civil society, traffic police, transport and media's awareness made beating hearts available from faraway places to patients for transplant in recent times. A central registry for organ donation has come up as a tribute to Dr Cherian's mission to see not a single heart wasted in massively populated India.