Remembering Dr V. Shanta and Her Groundbreaking Crusade Against Cancer Dr Shanta jumpstarted affordable cancer care in India and was the first to establish a cancer research and treatment centre in the country. Dr V. Shanta was an oncologist of many firsts. Photo: YouTube video screengrab It was a different world when Dr V. Shanta joined the newly founded Adyar Cancer Institute as a medical resident in 1954. The institute had two doctors including herself, and about 12 beds. The Madras â indeed the India she was a part of â had many other things on its mind, including staggering poverty, deadly communicable diseases, regional tensions with neighbours, illiteracy and, of course, a newfound independence. Perhaps it was this optimism fuelling her generation â or perhaps it was the fact that her family had a strong academic pedigree, ranging from C.V. Raman to Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar â that propelled Dr Shanta to pursue a career in a little-known field called medical oncology and cancer research. Either way, we are thankful.