Dr C. Thomas, a senior plastic surgeon and the first Malayali to practise plastic surgery in Oman, passed away on Sunday at his residence in Wattayah, Muscat. He was 84. He had been receiving treatment for illness for some time.
Dr Thomas was a native of Kaippattur, Konni, in Pathanamthitta district. He completed his graduation and post-graduation in general surgery from Trivandrum Medical College. He later underwent higher surgical training in plastic surgery at the Oxford Group of Hospitals in the United Kingdom and received further training at medical institutions in the UK, the United States, Australia, Italy, Switzerland, Germany and Japan.
He arrived in Oman in 1971 and played a key role in establishing plastic surgery services in the country. Dr Thomas initiated the plastic surgery department at Khoula Hospital in Muscat and served as its head for several years. The department later became the largest plastic surgery unit in the Sultanate. He also served at Aster Royal Al Raffah Hospital in Muscat.
In 1991, in recognition of his contributions to Oman’s medical sector, the late Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said granted him Omani citizenship and conferred on him the Sultanate’s highest civilian honour, the “Order of Oman”. He was the first Indian national to receive both distinctions.
Dr Thomas received several professional honours during his career. He was awarded the Distinguished Alumni Award by Trivandrum Medical College in 2007 and received a lifetime achievement award during the college’s platinum jubilee celebrations in March 2025.
Alongside his medical work, Dr Thomas was active in community service. He served as president of Indian Schools in Oman from 1986 to 1991. He was a founding member of the Indian Orthodox Church in Oman, now known as Mar Gregorios Orthodox Maha Edavaka, Muscat and also served as president of the Eastern Episcopal Churches and St Thomas Church in Oman.
Dr Thomas was known for his long service to healthcare and the Indian community in Oman.