Ashok Kumar Mahapatra: key obituary facts
Is Ashok Kumar Mahapatra dead? Yes. Ashok Kumar Mahapatra died on November 2, 2026, at age 74.
Cause of death: Ashok Kumar Mahapatra's cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.
What was Ashok Kumar Mahapatra known for?
He was an Indian neurosurgeon and academic.
More about Ashok Kumar Mahapatra
Born: 29 December 1952.
Gender: male.
Nationality: India.
Awards: Padma Shri in Medicine.
Occupations: Neurosurgeon,, academic.
Known for: Neurosurgery,, craniopagus surgery,, academic leadership.
Ashok Kumar Mahapatra, an Indian neurosurgeon and academic known for craniopagus surgery and academic leadership, died November 2, 2026, aged 74.
Born in Odisha, he built a career spanning complex neurosurgery and senior roles in medical education and administration. At AIIMS New Delhi, he headed the Department of Neurosurgery and led complex operations.
One of his most prominent achievements was leading a 16-hour operation to separate craniopagus twins Jaga and Kalia at AIIMS Delhi; the procedure was described as the first of its kind in India. Mahapatra also served as founding director of AIIMS Bhubaneswar and as director of the Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences in Lucknow. His academic leadership included service as vice-chancellor of Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan University. He later held the position of Principal Advisor (Health Sciences) at the university in Bhubaneswar. In recognition of his work in medicine, India conferred on him the Padma Shri in 2024, the country’s fourth-highest civilian honour. His career combined surgical practice with leadership at major public medical institutions and a university, reflecting the breadth of his work in neurosurgery and healthcare administration.