Fondly known as Dr Aru to his peers, his journey from a simple childhood to becoming the country’s first neurosurgeon and a transformative figure in the field is one to honour.

The story of neurosurgery in Malaysia began in 1962 with the arrival of Dr Roy Clifton Selby under the USA Care/Medico programme.

Tasked with establishing the country’s first neurosurgery unit at Ward 25 of the Kuala Lumpur General Hospital (GHKL), Selby facilitated neurosurgical training in the United States for five Malaysian doctors annually, laying the groundwork for a new era of medicine.

Of the first batch, only three returned to serve the nation, and the first among them was none other than Arumugasamy in 1969.

His medical aspirations took root at the University of Malaya, where he earned his MBBS in 1960.

In 1963, while serving as a medical officer at GHKL, he was chosen by Selby as Malaysia’s first neurosurgical trainee.

Backed by a government scholarship, Arumugasamy underwent rigorous training in the US, beginning with a neurophysiology fellowship at the University of Wisconsin, followed by neuropathology at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, and finally a residency at Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago.

Despite lucrative offers to stay abroad, he returned to his motherland to take over as Head of Neurosurgery at GHKL in 1970, following Selby’s departure.

“In 1969, he became the first Malaysian neurosurgeon to be certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery,” said Dr Fadzli Cheah Abdullah, a fellow neurosurgeon.

Fadzli, who succeeded Arumugasamy as the second president of the Neurosurgical Association of Malaysia (NAM) in 2003, was full of praise for NAM’s first president: “His leadership and advice were most vital during the early formative years of NAM. Dr Aru’s enthusiasm and zest knew no bounds.”

As the sole neurosurgeon in Malaysia at the time, Arumugasamy shouldered immense responsibilities. “He was inundated with clinical work, administrative duties, teaching, and research,” Fadzli recounted.

“Dr Aru practically had to do everything himself. In essence, he was a neurosurgeon, neurologist, neuroradiologist, neurophysiologist and neuropathologist all moulded into one. He was truly a complete neurosurgeon.”

Under his stewardship, neurosurgery in the country flourished. In 1970, he spearheaded the establishment of the Tunku Abdul Rahman Institute of Neurosciences (Iktar), a groundbreaking facility housing neurology, psychiatry, and neurosurgery under one roof.

Officially opened in 1975, Iktar was hailed as a premier neurosurgery centre in the Asean region during its prime years under his leadership.

“He was the most senior and influential neurosurgeon in Malaysia. Throughout his career, he was tireless in promoting and developing neurosurgery in his home country,” Fadzli said.

Through the Neurosurgical Foundation of Malaysia, which he founded, Arumugasamy raised RM1.8 million to equip Iktar and advance neurosurgical services nationwide.

And he didn’t stop there – Arumugasamy also addressed the acute shortage of neurosurgeons by training the next generation, with a handful of senior trainees cherishing the privilege of his personal mentorship.

Despite his many commitments, Arumugasamy demonstrated that being a doctor went beyond wielding a scalpel, publishing over 60 groundbreaking research papers.

“What really amazed many of us is that Dr Aru still managed to find time for research, society work, and community service,” Fadzli remarked.

In fact, Arumugasamy’s publications even resulted in his treatment protocol being generally adopted in Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong and Indonesia.

And the world recognised his impact on neurosurgery – he was a fellow, and council member of countless international professional societies and NGOs.

“Dr Aru has always been a forceful and powerful figure – he had an absolute conviction of what is right and wrong,” Fadzli added.

In recognition of his immeasurable contributions, Arumugasamy was conferred the Darjah Sultan Ismail Johor (DSIJ), which carries the title Dato, and the Johan Setia Mahkota (JSM) in 1980.

He passed away on Dec 19, 2003, at age 69.

Fadzli said: “He has blazed the trail for neurosurgery in this country and has left a legacy we Malaysians are forever grateful for.”