There were surgeons, and then there was Dr. Bharat Patel - courageous, meticulous, swift and aggressive. At the Orthopaedics Department of the K. E. M. Hospital in Parel, there are stories of how Dr. Patel, with sheer skill and a dare-devil attitude, once bailed out a colleague who was a victim of an untoward incident while on the operation table.

Whether it was total knee arthroplasty, spine surgery or complex elbow arthrofibrosis, Dr. Bharat would wield his magic and how! His surgeries had exceptional results. A pioneer of the Lateral Position Intertrochanteric fracture fixation technique, he could fix the most comminuted and complicated fractures with skill and ease. He was a very keen observer, with a sharp clinical mind, impeccable clinical judgement and a wonderful sense of humour.

Dr. Bharat Patel is probably the only Orthopaedic surgeon from the city of Mumbai who holds the distinct honour of having done a cameo in a major Bollywood film.

An Honorary Professor at the K. E. M. Hospital, Dr. Patel also served on the Council of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Mumbai. He ran a very busy private practice at two clinics in Bandra and Santacruz and was associated with the Nanavati and Lilavati hospitals in Mumbai.

His untimely departure from this world was a great loss to his colleagues, students and patients alike. Many of his students are highly indebted to him for passing on his legacy of surgical skills to them.