Chitranjan Singh Ranawat, MD 1935-2025

It was a cold, damp, early-winter Tuesday morning, but beads of sweat from nervous perspiration made the room feel almost tropical. Nearly 2 dozen residents from the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) anxiously awaited the conclusion of the case presentation regarding a young woman with inflammatory arthritis and disabling neck pain. With his patented turn, pause, and wry smile, the attending surgeon challenged us with the question, “What do you think?” It was our opportunity to show him what we did—or, in many instances, did not—observe. After multiple futile attempts from numerous trainees, we were reminded, “The eyes only see what the mind knows!” Those were the words of Dr. Chitranjan S. Ranawat that I carry forward to this day, some 4 decades later. Chitranjan S. Ranawat was a beloved and admired figure not only at HSS but also around the world. Born in Sarwania, India, Dr. Ranawat received his medical degree from Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College and subsequently underwent surgical training in India, in Canada, and at St. Peter’s Hospital in Albany, NY. In 1966, Dr. Ranawat completed a hand fellowship at HSS under the direction of Dr. Lee Ramsay Straub, with subsequent training on the Comprehensive Arthritis Program Service. In recognition of his truly gifted surgical talents, Dr. Ranawat was asked to join the staff at HSS, where he began his nearly 5-decade journey toward improving the lives of patients with musculoskeletal disorders. The breadth of his knowledge and expertise is legendary. A master anatomist with a profound understanding of biomechanics, Dr. Ranawat was at the forefront of surgical innovations ranging from cervical spine disorder treatments to hindfoot and forefoot reconstruction (and everything in between!). At his core was a unique understanding of the pathoanatomy and pathomechanics of diseased joints. With innumerable classification systems attributed to him, Dr. Ranawat was able to stratify diseased states and, by extension, recommend appropriate steps in treatment. His didactics were often characterized by the outlining and description of 3 unique features of the pathologic state, whether they were features of the degenerative valgus knee, the rheumatic cervical spine, or the inflammatory wrist. His insights and clarity of vision were always logical, practical, and memorable. In addition to his immense scholarly contributions, Dr. Ranawat has had a lasting impact through his innovations. He was instrumental in the design and development of numerous prosthetic devices that have profoundly impacted the lives of countless patients. His collaboration with engineers and researchers should serve as a blueprint for surgeons aspiring to follow in his footsteps. Dr. Ranawat spent the bulk of his career at HSS, where he held numerous positions, including Chief of the Hand Service, and was a leader on the Surgical Arthritis Service. In the mid-1990s, he left HSS to become Chief of Orthopaedics at Lenox Hill Hospital, which he developed into a leading joint replacement center. Years later, upon stepping down as Chief, Dr. Ranawat returned to HSS with his 2 sons, Amar and Anil, both of whom are graduates of the HSS residency program. He remained an engaged and proud member of the medical staff until his full retirement a few years ago. During his career, he held numerous leadership roles, including Founder and President of The Knee Society; President of The Hip Society, the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons, the Eastern Orthopaedic Association, and the New York Academy of Medicine; and founding member of The Journal of Arthroplasty. He also received countless honors over the years, including Lifetime Achievement Awards from The Knee Society, The Hip Society, and the Arthritis Foundation, as well as the Padma Bhushan Award, which is the third-highest civilian award recognized by the government of India. However, his lasting legacy remains his commitment to giving. He established the Ranawat Orthopaedic Conference, held annually in India, where he helped to train and mentor dozens of Indian surgeons who now collectively perform almost half of the hip and knee replacements in India. His commitment to education in the U.S. is noteworthy in his establishment—with his good friend, Dr. Richard Rothman—of the Hip Society Rothman-Ranawat Traveling Fellowship in hip reconstruction. Chit Ranawat was a truly special person who will be forever remembered as an outstanding physician and surgeon, and, perhaps more importantly, as a loving husband and father, and a friend to many. I will miss him dearly. D.E.P.

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