An urban legend famous amongst the residents at the K. E. M. Hospital in Mumbai, back in the 1940s was that when Dr. A. K. Talwalkar took an incision to fix a patient's fracture, the soft tissues would automatically move to make way for him to reach the bone.

Such was the brilliance and surgical finesse of this man, who did not attend regular school until the X Std, but was home tutored. He would manage most orthopaedic surgeries with a forceps, a knife, and a sponge.

Having completed his FRCS & M. Ch. from England working under Dr. McMurray, he was the first Indian surgeon to perform the Smith Peterson nailing and the Austin Moore hemiarthroplasty.

He was the first Indian to attend the A. O. Courses and not only propagated the correct internal fixation techniques to Indian surgeons, but also helped manufacture indigenous implants, like the bipolar hemiarthroplasty prosthesis with the help of Inor Orthopaedics.

He would attend every clinical meeting of the Bombay Orthopaedic Society and make meticulous notes of every case presented. At the subsequent meeting, he would enquire with the presenter about the patient's wellbeing. His Saturday clinics at the K. E. M. Hospital were legendary and these would go on for one and a half to two hours, where he would teach the Residents with zeal and fervour.

Recognising his contribution in the field of Orthopaedics, the Bombay Orthopaedic Society instituted the 'Prof. A. K. Talwalkar Symposium' as a plenary trauma symposium at its annual meeting each year.

Dr. A. K. Talwalkar's orthopaedic legacy has been passed on to his son, Late Dr. C. A. Talwalkar and his grandsons Dr. Sumedh & Dr. Nilesh, who are practising orthopaedic surgeons.