India’s first female cardiologist, Dr SI Padmavati, passed away on Saturday night due to Covid-19. She was 103.

Dr OP Yadav, CEO of National Heart Institute (NHI), where she was admitted 11 days ago, said Dr Padmavati developed a severe infection in both her lungs, which caused the death.

Her last rites were performed at the Punjabi Bagh crematorium in west Delhi. The legendary cardiologist led an active and healthy life till her last few days.

Until late 2015, she was working at NHI, which was founded by her in 1981. Such was her contribution that it earned her sobriquet of the ‘Godmother of Cardiology’. She went on to establish North India’s first Cardiac Catheterisation Laboratory at the Lady Hardinge Medical College in 1954.

In 1967, she took over as director-principal of Maulana Azad Medical College and associated Irwin and G B Pant Hospitals. It was here that she introduced the first DM course in cardiology, the first coronary care unit and the first coronary care van in India. Dr S Padmavati founded the All India Heart Foundation in 1962, and the National Heart Institute in 1981, and won the Padma Bhushan in 1967 and Padma Vibhushan in 1992.