62-year-old former national president of the Indian Medical Association and eminent cardiologist Dr KK Aggarwal succumbed to COVID-19 at 11.30 pm on Monday. The Padma Shri awardee who had contracted the virus was admitted to AIIMS and had been on ventilator support for a week.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal described his death as a "setback for the whole nation". "Passing away of Dr KK Aggarwal is a setback for the whole nation. He acted all his life for the health rights of common people especially the poor, deprived n marginalized. A great human being. RIP! (sic)," he wrote on Twitter.
— Dr K K Aggarwal (@DrKKAggarwal) May 17, 2021
Aggarwal had consistently posted videos raising awareness about the coronavirus on his Twitter handle. Even while he was hospitalised, his team at the Heart Care Foundation of India kept uploading videos about COVID-19.
"My heartfelt condolences at the passing away of former Indian Medical Association president, Padma Shri Dr KK Aggarwal. His services as a doctor shall always be remembered. May God give strength to his family members to bear this loss. May his soul rest in peace," tweeted Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.
Dr Aggarwal, who also headed the Heart Care Foundation of India, had taken both shots of the vaccine. in February he had posted a video addressing misconceptions around the vaccine.
On April 30, he posted a video on his Facebook account in which he can be seen saying, "I'm having Covid pneumonia which is progressive," he had said in the video that is going viral. 'But even then remember Raj Kapoor's words - 'picture abhi baaki hai... the show must go on.'"
In January, Aggarwal's banter with his wife during a live session on a social media platform had left netizens in splits. In the video, Aggarwal's wife was heard scolding him for going to take the anti-COVID vaccine shot alone and not taking her along. The former IMA president is survived by his wife Dr Veena Aggarwal, son Nilesh and daughter Naina. Aggarwal's name was mentioned in the Limca Book of Records for training the maximum number of people in the lifesaving technique of hands-only CPR at one go.
Aggarwal was born in Delhi on September 5, 1958. He completed his MBBS from MGIMS, Sevagram under Nagpur University. "Dr K. K. Aggarwal was a true legend was an iconic figure in mass education and awareness. He served millions of lives and his services proved a guiding torch to all of us even during the pandemic... IMA is poorer by the loss," the IMA tweeted.
-- With PTI inputs
