Professor Meharban Singh, born on October 14, 1937 in Rawalpindi, Punjab, British India, is widely regarded as one of the founding fathers of neonatology in India. His career has been a landmark in pediatric and newborn care, marked by visionary leadership, clinical excellence, and deep commitment to medical education.
Dr. Singh began his medical journey at Punjab University, where he earned his MBBS degree in 1959. He then pursued postgraduate studies in pediatrics, earning his MD (Pediatrics) from AIIMS, New Delhi, in 1966, one of the earliest batches of the institute. His academic brilliance and interest in neonatal medicine led him to undertake advanced training in neonatology and perinatal medicine in Australia and the United Kingdom, where he was exposed to cutting-edge care models that he would later adapt to Indian settings. These global academic experiences shaped his scientific approach and policy contributions in India.
Dr. Singh served for over three decades at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, where he eventually became Professor and Head of the Department of Pediatrics. Under his stewardship, the Division of Neonatology was established and nurtured into a center of national and international prominence. It later became a WHO Collaborating Centre, shaping newborn care policy across South-East Asia.
His department was instrumental in pioneering newborn intensive care units (NICUs) in India and setting protocols that are still in use today.
From 1979 to 1983, Dr. Singh served as Director of the Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health in Kabul, Afghanistan, a role in which he expanded pediatric services in a conflict-stricken region.
He returned to India and continued his leadership roles—serving as Secretary-General and later President of the National Neonatology Forum (NNF), and in 1993, as President of the Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP). His presidency focused on training pediatricians in rural India, increasing awareness about newborn health, and strengthening the public health framework.
As a consultant to the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Singh played a pivotal role in shaping newborn care standards across developing countries, especially in the South-East Asia region. His expertise helped influence major national health initiatives, including:
Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health (RMNCH+A)
Integrated Management of Neonatal and Childhood Illness (IMNCI)
India Newborn Action Plan (INAP)
Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC)
He also mentored hundreds of pediatricians and neonatologists who continue to carry forward his vision of equitable neonatal care.
Dr. Meharban Singh is a prolific medical writer and educator. He has:
Authored 10 medical books,
Written 40 textbook chapters,
Published 5 monographs, and
Contributed over 325 peer-reviewed scientific papers.
His book Care of the Newborn is considered a standard reference text by pediatricians and postgraduates across South Asia. His work has been cited globally for its practical insight into neonatal care in low-resource settings.
In 2018, Dr. Singh was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 45th Institute Annual Convocation of AIIMS, New Delhi, presented by President Ram Nath Kovind. This recognition celebrated a life devoted to improving the health outcomes of the most vulnerable—newborns.
Dr. Meharban Singh continues to practice pediatrics and neonatology at Kailash Hospital, Noida, where he remains a source of inspiration to the medical community.
MSM/SE