OBITUARY

Prof. Iftikhar Ali Raja
(1940-2006)

It is a great loss for neurosurgery in Pakistan and the international neurosurgical community. On July 10, 2006, unexpectedly, in an airplane crash disaster, died our highly estimated colleague, professor of neurosurgery in Pakistan and member of numerous international professional organizations, Prof. Iftikhar Ali Raja. It is difficult to enumerate all significant contributions to the development of neurosurgery in his own country and through his international participations, they are so many. After his graduation in the United Kingdom, he dedicated his professional life to the neurosurgical patients, research and the training of junior neurosurgeons. Through all his life he worked for the improvement of neurosurgery in his own country Pakistan and established excellent environment for international neurosurgical scientific and educational exchange in Asia. He developed the Neurosurgical Departments in Lahore and Multan, where he continued working until the end of his life.
He was one of the founders of the Asian Conference of Neurological Surgeons, promoting higher standards of neurosurgical care closer to the Asian patient. He actively participated in the work of this organization for the improvement of training of Asian neurosurgeons. His contribution and wise advice will be missed by all of us. His name will remain inspiring the younger colleagues for generations.

Tetsuo Kanno