TJ DANARAJ

• Name: TJ Danaraj
• Birth place: Ipoh, Perak
Biodata
• Educational Background:
Attended Anglo Chinese Boys’ School when he was 15 years old. (1929)
Taught at the Teluk Anson Methodist Boys’ School in Perak as he was too young for
medical school admission. (1930)
Started attending the King Edward VII College of Medicine in Singapore. Donated blood
to earn his tuition fees and books. Suspended for a term during his 4th year in medical
school for not being able to pay the fees. (1932)
Became one of the two students (among 20) who graduated within the minimum period
of six years. Worked at the pathology department of the General Hospital in Singapore to
receive a monthly salary of $75. (1938)
Served as a medical officer in Butterworth Hospital, Penang. (1941)
• Diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Progressed from having trouble walking to using a
cane, then a walker, and finally, a wheelchair. (1992)
• Stopped teaching. (1993)
• Passed away at the age of 82, on March 19. (1996)

• His research was especially in the field of Tropical Eosinophilia for which he was awarded
a Master of Medicine by the University of Malaya
 Reasons and Contributions
• In 1962, he proposed that the Medical Faculty should have its own
hospital. He wanted the medical students to have the best possible
environment to train to be good competent doctors. And in turn a centre
of excellence to inspire the students to greater heights besides serving the
public with the resources of the medical faculty. University Hospital
(UMMC) is the result of this decision
• In 1989 T. J. Danaraj was the first receiver of the joint medal of the Royal
College of Physicians of London and the Academy of Medicine of Malaysia.
The aim of the joint medal of the Royal College of Physicians of London and
the Academy of Medicine of Malaysia is to encourage young doctors in
Malaysia to pursue research in clinical medicine. Danaraj received the
award in recognition of his record in research and his encouragement of
research activities.
Significance/ implications of this person’s
research/discovery/ contribution to society
• In 1962, he proposed that the Medical Faculty should have its own
hospital. He wanted the medical students to have the best possible
environment to train to be good competent doctors. And in turn a
centre of excellence to inspire the students to greater heights besides
serving the public with the resources of the medical faculty.
University Hospital (UMMC) is the result of this decision
• Personally I owe much to his teaching methods for I found them
useful for solving (diagnosing) many political, economic and social
problems throughout my career as prime minister of Malaysia. His
passing away was a great loss to the country”
 Awards
• awarded the title “Tan Sri” by the King of Malaysia in recognition of his
contribution to the country
• He was also honoured as Emeritus Professor of Medicine by the University
of Malaya
• His research was especially in the field of Tropical Eosinophilia for which he
was awarded a Master of Medicine by the University of Malaya. His special
fields of interest were neurology and cardiology. He did the work on
primary arteritis of the aorta – Takayasu’s disease – together with his wife,
Dr. Hee-Ong Wong, who was his co-author.
• In 1989 T. J. Danaraj was the first receiver of the joint medal of the Royal
College of Physicians of London and the Academy of Medicine of Malaysia.
• Danaraj received the award in recognition of his record in research and his
encouragement of research activities.
 Challenges and Obstacles

• “Prof Danaraj also fought against all opposition and succeeded in incorporating a separate and easily
accessible library in the new faculty building,” she says, adding that no other faculty had its own library.
• Due to the shortage of doctors in the country (back then), it was decided a faculty of medicine needed to be
set up in UM,” she says, adding that the first batch comprised 64 students.
• She recalls how hard he worked planning the curriculum, recruiting staff and planning the structural building
of the faculty when it was just a plot of land on a barren hill.“The plans took into consideration the methods
of teaching and research and what was expected of students and staff.”
• TJ was very organised, he kept very meticulous notes. Following these logical steps to arrive at a diagnosis
was crucial in an era without CT (computed tomography) scans and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)
machines. Medical training in those times placed great emphasis on using the five senses to make a
diagnosis.“This is equally if not more important these days with advancements in technology, which should
be used to assist and confirm the clinical diagnosis (not make the diagnosis). Sadly, this is now a dying art,”
Dr Wong says.
• Donated blood to earn his tuition fees and books. Suspended for a term during his 4th year in medical school
for not being able to pay the fees during his study in the King Edward VII College of Medicine in Singapore
 Why is this person inspirational?
1. Strict disciplinarian - “He’s quite fiery and appears very stern to most
people who first meet him, but the students really were his life. Without
them, he would have been completely lost. And when you got to know
him, you would see that he only had their best interest at heart. Deep
down, he had a really soft heart,” says Dr Wong
2. Caring - He was a caring man, who wanted all his students to achieve
their full potential and contribute to society in general, and medical
education in particular,” he says.
3. High determination - “TJ said he couldn’t wait, he was really in a hurry.
He said we needed medical schools, that we didn’t have enough doctors
in the country,” says Dr Wong – build library
 References
• https://tjdanaraj.wordpress.com/about/
• https://undermywhitecoat.com/tribute-t-j-danaraj/
• https://www.thestar.com.my/lifestyle/books/news/2012/05/01/testa
ment-to-tj