Shamsuddin H. Rahimtoola

Dr. Shamsuddin H. Rahimtoola Sc. M.B;B.S. D.T.M.H. F.R.C.P (Edin) (born October 3, 1936) is an Indian physician.
Early life and education
Rahimtoola was born in Poona to a family of Bombay professionals, politicians and industrialists. He initially went to school at . Following the partition of India in 1947 his family moved to Pakistan, and he continued his studies at BVS Parsi High School, Karachi.
Following matriculation in 1951, Rahimtoola proceeded to DJ Science College in Karachi for intermediate education and eventually earned a Bachelor of Science in Zoology in 1956. He was active in student politics during this time and was part of the National Students Federation (NSF).
Rahimtoola entered Dow Medical College in Karachi in 1957 for the M.B;B.S program. He graduated in 1962 and worked as house officer for two years before proceeding to the United Kingdom for further education. In 1965 he completed the D.T.M.H from the University of Edinburgh with a Greig Medal. This prize was specific to the Tropical Medicine department at the University. In the following year he completed the M.R.C.P on first attempt.
Career
Rahimtoola returned to Pakistan in 1966 and took up work at the Civil Hospital in Karachi as Senior Registrar. He also started teaching at the Dow Medical College simultaneously. In 1970 he became Assistant Professor. In 1975 Rahimtoola he became a full Professor in the Department of Medicine at the Medical College. He regularly led two wards, Medical Unit 2 and Medical Unit 4, during his career at the Civil Hospital. In 1984 he was appointed Principal of the Dow Medical College from March to June 1984. During this period he also served as Medical Superintendent of the hospital. He was one of only two in the history of the institution to hold both offices at the same time. Dr Rahimtoola was also credited with initiating the first ICU at Civil Hospital during his tenure. Dr Rahimtoola retired from Dow Medical College and Civil Hospital in 1994 after which he solely focused on his private practice at the Anklesaria Nursing Home.
Dr Rahimtoola was officially made the Physician to the President, Prime Minister, foreign dignitaries and associated persons from 1977 till 1989.
Dr Rahimtoola was awarded the Life Time Achievement Award by the Dow University of Health Sciences (formerly Dow Medical College) in 2013. His citation was read out and key persons who spoke at large included his students and Prof. Masood Hameed Khan , Prof Junaid Ashraf (Principal), Prof. Khalid Mehmood (Chair of Medicine), Prof Elahi Bux Soomro (Former Principal)
Dr Rahimtoola’s grandfather Jafar Rahimtoola was a barrister of Lincoln's Inn and remained Mayor of Bombay from 1909-1910. His father Hoosenaly Rahimtoola was a politician in British India and had also remained Mayor of Bombay from 1934-35. His brother Prof Shahbuddin H. Rahimtoola is also a physician] and researcher in cardiology, and is responsible for the hibernating myocardium hypothesis.

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