Tarakad Ramachandran

Dr. Tarakad Ramachandran, 72, passed away peacefully on October 9, 2020, surrounded by his family. He was the sixth of nine children born to Mrs. Alamelu and Mr. Tarakad Subramaniam in Aylam, Kerala and was raised in Erode and Chennai in Tamil Nadu, India. He excelled academically and at the age of just 14, his brilliance earned him admission to Stanley Medical College, Chennai, where he thrived. He went on to obtain board certifications in internal medicine from the Royal College of Physicians, London, which also awarded him a fellowship. He earned additional fellowships from the Royal Colleges of Physicians of Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Ireland. He completed his residency in neurology, and served as chief resident at SUNY Upstate Medical Center, Syracuse, New York. He then completed his subspecialty training in neuromuscular disease in Boston.

A life long learner, Dr. Ramachandran earned board certifications in more than ten additional medical specialties. He was Professor of Neurology and Psychiatry at SUNY Upstate Medical University, and Chief of Neurology and Director of Stroke Medicine and Rehabilitation at Crouse Hospital, Syracuse. Dr. Ramachandran was world renowned and highly-published in neurology. He served as President of the World Neurology Foundation, and made lasting contributions to international neurology education. He also served his country as a Major in the United States Army Reserve and later as the Director of Ambulatory Neurology at the Veterans Affairs hospital in Syracuse.

Professionally, Dr. Ramachandran was best known for his clinical excellence, supreme teaching ability, ever-present compassion, and highly analytical mind. He was often the "doctor's doctor" and diagnostician of last resort for cases that would otherwise remain unsolved. His numerous teaching awards are testament to his commitment to medical student and resident education.

Despite his many medical accomplishments, Dr. Ramachandran was proudest of his family. In 1980, he met his beautiful and beloved wife, Dr. Melanie Dhanda Ramachandran at SUNY Upstate Medical University Hospital. Together, they brought up their three sons. Manoj, the oldest has trained as a mathematician, lawyer, and serves as financial analyst at a major hedge fund. Their two younger sons are following in their father's footsteps — Arun as a neurologist, and Devan as a budding radiologist.

In addition to his wife and three sons, Dr. Ramachandran is survived by his daughters-in-law Sarika, Sari, and Chelsey, and his seven most prized grandchildren Navya, Silas, Lola, Arjun, Aero, Roman, and Luxman.

Dr. Ramachandran will always be remembered as the rock of everyone's world, and for his beaming smile, steady and confident personality, shrewd diagnostic abilities, most kind spirit, and exquisite culinary skills. The world has lost a bright shiny star. "Tara" will be sorely missed, but his rich legacy lives on.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, a memorial service for friends and well-wishers to remember and celebrate Dr. Ramachandran will be held on October 9, 2021,at 2pm at the Everson Museum the first anniversary of his death.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Dr. Tarakad Ramachandran Neurology Scholarship Fund at Upstate Medical Alumni Foundation, 750 East Adams Street, Syracuse, NY 13210, (315) 464-4362.