Healthcare Community Mourns the Demise of Visionary Oncologist and Global Cancer Control Pioneer Dr. R. Sankaranarayanan
Mumbai, India – August 4, 2025 – Dr. Rengaswamy Sankaranarayanan, a globally recognised pioneer in cancer control and a visionary oncologist, passed away on 3rd August 2025. He was the Director of Preventive Oncology at Karkinos Healthcare and former Chief of Cancer Screening at the International Agency for Research in Cancer (IARC), WHO.
Dr. Sankaranarayanan’s distinguished career was fundamentally dedicated to the early detection and prevention of cancer worldwide. His long and impactful tenure at the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in Lyon, France, began in 1993. There, he led crucial initiatives as the Chief of the Cancer Screening Group and Special Advisor on Cancer Control.
His work had a significant global footprint. Dr. Sankaranarayanan provided technical support for developing national cancer programs in over 75 countries and travelled to more than 100 nations to advance the cause of public health. He was a trusted advisor on cancer prevention to numerous governments, including the states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala in India, as well as nations across Latin America, the Middle East, Asia, and Africa.
A prolific author and researcher, Dr. Sankaranarayanan published more than 260 papers in international peer-reviewed journals. His manuals on the early detection of cervical cancer have been translated into numerous languages, reflecting their worldwide utility and impact. His contributions were consistently recognized, including by Stanford University, which ranked him among the top 2% of scientists of Indian origin in the field of Oncology.
Dr. Sankaranarayanan held an M.D. in Radiation Oncology and completed post-doctoral training in Pittsburgh and Cambridge. His life’s work focused on creating efficient, accessible, and affordable cancer health services, a legacy that continues to inspire cancer control programs worldwide.
His unwavering belief was that geography should not determine the outcome of a cancer diagnosis, a principle that guided his life’s work. He is remembered by colleagues and the global health community as a leader, mentor, and compassionate physician. Deepest condolences from his well-wishers in this moment of grief.Â
About Karkinos Healthcare
Karkinos Healthcare, a step-down subsidiary of Reliance Industries Limited, is a technology-led, purpose driven oncology platform, enabling discovery through delivery of care. Using hub-and-spoke and further spoke model Karkinos has pioneered Distributed Cancer Care Model that addresses cancer prevention, early detection, diagnostics, care delivery and research cutting across the patient care continuum.
Through a network of world class advanced molecular diagnostic and research labs, collaborations with leading academic and healthcare institutions in India and abroad and a technology-led platform approach Karkinos delivers quality cancer care in India and beyond. Karkinos is on a mission to provide end-to-end cancer care solutions where no person is deprived of care, for lack of access or affordability.
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