Ashok Kumar Mahapatra

Ashok Kumar Mahapatra was born on 29 December 1952 in Puri district, Odisha, and grew up in a rural environment. He completed his schooling at Biranarasinghpur village and his intermediate science studies at SCS College, Puri.

He enrolled at MKCG Medical College in Berhampur in 1970 and earned his MBBS in 1975. He then went to AIIMS New Delhi for an MS in surgery, followed by an MCh in neurosurgery in 1982.

Mahapatra joined the department of neurosurgery at AIIMS New Delhi as a faculty member in 1983. He became a professor in 1996 and a senior professor in 2004, headed the neurosurgery department and served as the institute's dean of research before retiring.

From 2006 to 2009 he was director of the Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences in Lucknow. In 2012 he became the founding director of AIIMS Bhubaneswar, where he played a central part in developing its academic, research and clinical services. He later served as vice-chancellor of Siksha 'O' Anusandhan University in Bhubaneswar, and after his term continued there as principal adviser for health sciences.

In 2017 he led the AIIMS team that separated Jaga and Kalia, craniopagus twins from Kandhamal district of Odisha, in a two-stage operation that was regarded as a landmark in Indian medicine and was recognised by the Limca Book of Records in 2020.

He was credited with about 870 research publications, 16 books and more than 140 book chapters, guided 12 PhD scholars and worked on more than 20 research projects. He was a founder of the Neurological Surgeons Society of India and the Indian Society of Peripheral Nerve Surgery.

Alongside medicine, Mahapatra was active in social, cultural and spiritual work. He wrote books on the relationship between medical science and spirituality and spoke often about compassion, human values and ethical conduct in healthcare. Details of his family life have not been widely reported.

Mahapatra was first admitted to SUM Hospital in Bhubaneswar after complaining of severe head pain. As his condition deteriorated he was taken to AIIMS New Delhi on 2 October 2026, accompanied by a specialist medical team. Reports said he was being treated for a serious brain illness; Argus News, citing sources, said he had glioblastoma.

He died at AIIMS New Delhi at 9.15 pm on 2 November 2026. Based on his reported date of birth he was 73, although most outlets gave his age as 74. Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik paid tribute.

Mahapatra is remembered as one of the most respected figures in Indian neurosurgery, both for the Jaga and Kalia separation and for building institutions, above all AIIMS Bhubaneswar. Over his career he received about 75 awards, delivered 17 orations and was a fellow of the National Academy of Sciences. His honours included the C.V. Raman Award for Scientific Excellence (2022) and the Padma Shri (2025).