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Padmavati Dua

Top radiologist Padmavati Dua dies after long battle with Covid

Chinna Dua is survived by Vinod, and her daughters Mallika Dua, an actor and comedian, and Bakul Dua, a clinical psychologist.

Chinna dua newsOn social media, Chinna Dua was known for her exquisite and enviable saree collection, and myriad talents such as singing and cooking. (Instagram/@Chinnadua)

Radiologist Padmavati Dua, wife of journalist Vinod Dua, died on Friday after a prolonged battle with Covid. She was 61. Padmavati, known popularly as Chinna Dua, and her husband had both been admitted to Gurgaon’s Medanta Hospital on May 14.

Vinod, who was discharged on June 7, confirmed the news on Facebook. “Chinna no more,” he posted at 10:26 pm. Three days ago, on June 8, he had posted, “Chinna is not over the hump as yet.”

Dua worked as a radiologist until 2019, including 24 years (from 1992 to 2016) at Diwan Chand Aggarwal Imaging & Research Centre. On social media, she was known for her exquisite and enviable saree collection, and myriad talents such as singing and cooking. She is survived by Vinod, and her daughters Mallika Dua, an actor and comedian, and Bakul Dua, a clinical psychologist. A Tamilian, her nickname ‘Chinna’ meant “small” — she was the youngest of four sisters.

Shortly after being admitted to Medanta, she had shared two updates on her social media accounts: “Hi all, day before on May 13, I started having difficulty breathing. My doc by listening to my voice said that I was going into cytokine storm and need monitoring. We were admitted to St Stephens’ Hospital on May 13 but my condition progressed, requiring ICU but bed wasn’t available there. Last night we got admitted to Medanta. Vinod is in the room on 5 litre intermittent oxygen. I am on 15 litre and breathless. It will take some time to recover. Need all good wishes, blessings and prayers of all.”

In her last update on May 22, she wrote: “Good day. Hope you all are fine. At this stage we would all love miracles… Shraddha and saburi i.e. faith and patience is the only way to tide over. So stability and status quo are to be thankful for which is how it is right now. There are samples taken in the middle of the night. Sleep is disturbed for medicines, sponging, meals and what nots leaving one exhausted at times… Please continue with your prayers.”

Four days later, she was put on ventilator. “Chinna on ventilator, sedated and very precarious. I am on oxygen in isolation,” Vinod posted on Facebook on May 26.

Mallika, who had also tested positive for Covid, also posted regular updates on her parents’ health. She had informed on May 31 that her mother was on part ventilator and part ECMO, and asked people for their continued prayers and good wishes.