Nirmal Singh Mann

Obituary for Nirmal S. Mann, MD, MACG, MACP, FRCP, FRCPE, FRCPC

It is with a heavy heart we announce the passing of Nirmal S. Mann, MD of Davis, California on October 24, 2016 at 4:35 PM at the University of California-Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, CA. He was well regarded as a professor, physician-scientist, and mentor but touched our lives as a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, poet, author, and most importantly, a friend and neighbor. He was a life long student of science and medicine as a career academician, yet his greatest passion was passing on his knowledge to others, taking the true definition of doctor (docere) to heart as not only a healer, but also a teacher.

After obtaining a Bsc (Biology and Chemistry) he graduated from the Christian Medical College in Ludhiana, Punjab. He then completed his Residency training in Internal Medicine and Fellowship training in Gastroenterology/Hepatology at Northwestern University School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois.

He spent his entire medical career in academic medicine, publishing 337 papers, abstracts, and book chapters. Additionally, he served as a faculty member at the Northwestern University School of Medicine, University of Alberta School of Medicine Edmonton, University of Louisville School of Medicine (where he obtained academic tenure as Associate Professor), Texas A&M University College of Medicine (where he was promoted to Full Professor), and finally the University of California-Davis School of Medicine. More importantly, he also had 38 years of service dedicated to our veterans, serving as Chief of Gastroenterology-Hepatology at V.A. Medical Centers in Louisville, Ky, Temple, Tx, and Martinez, Ca.

He was proud of his research and scholarly activities, and had many fellowships, including Fellow, Royal College of Physicians Edinburgh, Fellow, Royal College of Physicians, London, Fellow Royal College of Physicians, Canada; he was the only gastroenterologist in the nation to have obtained Masterships in 3 national organizations (American Board of Hospital Physicians, American College of Physicians, American College of Gastroenterology).  

Yet despite the accolades and titles, he will be best remembered by those he mentored along the way as a role model who always put the welfare of his patients first; he always made time for his patients. He firmly believed that one cannot be an excellent teacher, researcher, and academician unless one is also an ethical, well-trained, empathetic clinician. Additionally, he was always ready to guide his trainees in worthwhile teaching and research projects, winning several excellence in teaching awards along the way; many of his trainees have gone on to become distinguished clinicians, teachers, researchers, and academicians themselves.

Just the day before his illness and subsequent prolonged hospitalization he was doing what he loved doing best – practicing the art of medicine. His spirit will now live on in our hearts, breathing freely again. He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Dr. Surinder K. Mann, his daughters, Dr. Neel K. Mann and Sheel K. Seidler, his granddaughters, Sadhana K. Seidler, and Shanti K. Seidler, son-in-law, Peter Seidler, his brothers, Surinder S. Mann and Ranbir S. Mann.

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