CHITRANJAN S. RANAWAT, MD (1935-2025)

Dear Members, Colleagues, Friends,

It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Chitranjan S. Ranawat, MD.

Chitranjan Singh Ranawat was born in Sarwania, in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh in 1935, and did his early medical education at Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College, Indore and his schooling from The Daly College, Indore before moving to the US for advanced training. There, he worked at St. Peters Hospital, Albany and Albany Medical Center and received certification as an orthopedic surgeon by the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery in 1969.  Later, he moved to Lenox Hill Hospital where he became the chairman and director of the Orthopedic department. He has also served as a professor at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University and as a visiting faculty at other universities. Dr. Ranawat and Albert Burstein of the Hospital for Special Surgery, also in New York City, invented a hip replacement implant marketed by Biomet.

In 1986 he founded the Ranawat Foundation, a philanthropic organization, and in 2001 he received the Padma Bhushan, the third highest Indian civilian award. Dr. Ranawat founded The Knee Society and served as its inaugural President in 1983 and 1984.  He also served as The Hip Society’s President in 2010.  He was President of AAHKS and a number of other professional organizations in orthopaedics.

Each year at its Open (Specialty Day) Meeting, The Knee Society presents the "Chitranjan S. Ranawat, MD Award" and two other awards for the best research papers that year.  And The Hip Society is honored to continue Dr. Ranawat's legacy through the prestigious annual Rothman-Ranawat Traveling Fellowhship.

Dr. Ranawat received a Lifetime Achievement Award from The Knee Society in 2011, and from The Hip Society in 2014.

Our thoughts are with Gudrun, Amar, and the Ranawat Family during this most difficult time.