NEW DELHI: Dr. Jitendra Nath Pande (79), a veteran pulmonologist of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) died of COVID-19 on Saturday. He was the former director of the Pulmonology department at AIIMS Delhi and had tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this week. He and his wife tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday and decided to remain in home isolation, said AIIMS director Dr. Randeep Guleria. He further added that "We were following up and he said he was improving. On Friday after going to bed, he passed away in sleep, possibly because of an acute cardiac event."

Dr. Sangita Reddy, joint managing director, Apollo hospitals group tweeted, "Deeply saddened to hear that today COVID-19 claimed its most illustrious victim, Dr. JN Pande, Director and Professor of Pulmonology, AIIMS, New Delhi. A stalwart of the medical world, his work in pulmonology will continue to ensure better health for many. My Condolences to his family."

Dr. Pande's contribution to the hospital is immense and he had authored hundreds of papers on respiratory medicine. He had treated various popular personalities. He served as Pulmonology department HOD for many years. Dr. Randeep Guleria who is the director of AIIMS is one of the students of Dr. Pande. Dr. Guleria said, "Knowledge and humility can co-exist and Dr. Pande was an epitome of that. He was an excellent human being and it is a great loss to the medical fraternity. AIIMS family will miss him the most because he joined AIIMS as an MBBS student and retired as the head of the department of medicine."

After retirement from AIIMS, Dr. Pande was practising at Sitarama Bharatia Research institute. Many doctors and health care workers have been infected with COVID-19 in Delhi and it is one of the worst-hit states in the country.