CHITRANJAN S. RANAWAT, MD (1935-2025)

Dear Members, Colleagues, and Friends,

It is with profound sadness that we share the news of the passing of Chitranjan S. Ranawat, MD, on September 26, 2025. A visionary leader, pioneering surgeon, and compassionate mentor, Dr. Ranawat was the Founder and first President of The Knee Society, and one of the most influential figures in modern orthopaedic surgery.

Born in Sarwania, Madhya Pradesh, India, in 1935 to Bhairon Singh and Udai Kumari Ranawat, he completed his early education at The Daly College and Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College in Indore before continuing his surgical training in India, Canada, and Albany, New York. He joined the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) in 1966 as a hand fellow and became the institution’s first arthroplasty fellow on the Surgical Arthritis Service. In 1969, he was appointed Attending Orthopaedic Surgeon at HSS, where he served for over five decades, ultimately becoming Chief of the Service, Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at Weill Cornell Medical College, and Chairman of the Ranawat Orthopaedic Center.

Dr. Ranawat’s contributions to joint replacement surgery are legendary. He co-invented several implant systems, including a hip replacement design marketed by Biomet, and was instrumental in advancing surgical techniques that transformed patient outcomes worldwide. His career was defined by innovation, excellence, and a deep commitment to education. Over the years, he trained hundreds of fellows and residents, many of whom became leaders in orthopaedics across the globe.

His leadership extended far beyond the operating room. In addition to founding The Knee Society (serving as its inaugural President from 1983–1984), Dr. Ranawat also served as President of The Hip Society (2010), the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons (AAHKS), the Eastern Orthopaedic Society, and the New York Academy of Medicine. He was a founding member of the Journal of Arthroplasty and contributed to numerous editorial boards and professional societies.

Dr. Ranawat received countless honors throughout his distinguished career, including Lifetime Achievement Awards from The Knee Society, The Hip Society, the Arthritis Foundation, the American College of Rheumatology, the International Society for Technology in Arthroplasty, the Asia Pacific Arthroplasty Society, and the Indian Arthroplasty Association. In 2001, he was awarded the Padma Bhushan, one of India’s highest civilian honors.

His philanthropic work was equally remarkable. Through the Ranawat Orthopaedic Foundation, founded in 1986, and the Ranawat Orthopaedic Conference, he supported education, research, and access to care globally. He facilitated the donation of over $10 million in orthopaedic implants to hospitals in India and personally trained more than 75 Indian surgeons who now perform nearly half of all hip and knee arthroplasties in the country.

Dr. Ranawat’s enduring legacy is honored through the Chitranjan S. Ranawat, MD Award, presented annually by The Knee Society for excellence in research, and through The Hip Society’s Rothman-Ranawat Traveling Fellowship, which continues to inspire and educate future generations. He received Lifetime Achievement Awards from both societies—The Knee Society in 2011 and The Hip Society in 2014.

Dr. Ranawat is survived by his beloved wife, Gudrun (“Gudi”), his children Dr. Amar S. Ranawat and Dr. Anil S. Ranawat, both distinguished surgeons at HSS, and Karen, as well as his grandchildren and extended family around the world. He was predeceased by his son Chet.

Our thoughts are with Gudrun, Amar, Anil, Karen, and the entire Ranawat family during this most difficult time. Dr. Ranawat’s vision, mentorship, and humanity will continue to shape our field and our lives.

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