Ramalingam Balamohan

On Saturday, January 16, 2021, the Balamohan family lost their dear husband, father, and grandfather. R. Balamohan, known affectionately as “Bala” to all that knew him, passed away due to Covid-related complications.

Bala was born in Chidambaram, a small town in India, on October 15, 1947. As a child, his farmer father encouraged him to pursue a career in medicine so he could help others. He never lost sight of this dream, graduating from Madras Medical College in 1970, then doing his residency and cardiology fellowship in New York.

An invitation to visit Caylor-Nickel Clinic in Bluffton, Indiana, for a full-time cardiology position changed his life. Knowing nothing about the Midwest, he followed his hunch that this job would be a good fit for him. He moved with his wife, Chandrika, to Bluffton in 1977, and he began a career that would last 43 years at the same place, even after moving to Ft. Wayne some years later.

Bala’s true passion was his job. He subscribed to numerous medical papers and journals, reading about new developments almost every single night. He worked 6 days a week for much of his career because he wanted to ensure good patient care over the weekends as well. Bala’s patients numbered in the thousands, but even more dear to him were the hundreds of third generation patients he cared for since arriving in Bluffton. Outside of work, Bala enjoyed being with his family, especially his cherished grandsons, and visiting dear relatives in India.

Bala is survived by his wife, Chandrika; his daughters Sumitra (Dipen) and Preetha (Niraj); his son, Sanjeev; and his grandsons, Avinash and Shayen. Due to Covid-restrictions, family members will hold a private service for him.