From being concerned for social welfare to a man knowing the importance of brilliance, he owes it all to his parents. The pioneer in cardiology was born on 26 November 1952 to Jameela and O.S. Yusuf in a small village of Kerala, Kottarakara. He was the eldest among three siblings and has been a role model for many in his family. His father, a graduate of science and law, had a deep sense of social commitment that Salim inherited. At a time when rarely did Muslim women went out of their houses, his mother became an exception! She went to a university 50km away in Trivandrum and graduated in chemistry. In fact, she was one of the first women in her community in Kerala to receive a university degree.
Salim simply didn’t go along with the tide; neither did his parents wanted him to. Back in the time, engineering and medicine were considered the only two viable professions. His parents were eager to see him qualify as a doctor but he was too young to understand it. Although he wasn’t quite sure, he accepted his father’s guidance as was prevalent in those times. But once decided, he worked hard and graduated as a doctor. However, his father passed away before he could see him do much more than that!
He completed his initial schooling in Bombay and Calcutta but ultimately completed his senior secondary education from Central School in Kochi in 1969. With a humble smile, Salim shares, “Good fortune and hard work helped me get admission to St. John’s Medical College, Bangalore. It was the stepping stone towards my career.” Studying medicine was hard, especially in the first year but once he did well, he persisted in working hard with full dedication to continue to taste success. He also played sports, especially field hockey, and was active in other extracurricular activities. He received several awards for academic excellence but the most notable was the Pope Paul Medal of the college for being the best all-round graduate from his class.
Capturing the different turning points
He notes various turning points in his career, but it was in 1976 when his career actually took off. He was one of the two Indians to receive the Rhodes scholarship in 1976. He shares, “The Rhodes scholarship came most unexpectedly. It was hard to believe when I received it. All other candidates were gold medallists and many were additionally outstanding athletes and anyone of them could have just as easily received it. It, however, was a great opportunity and I worked with two terrific scientists: Prof. Peter Sleight, the head of cardiology, and Prof. Sir Richard Peto, one of the world’s best-known epidemiologists and clinical trials experts. Our work was to find ways to help improve the methods of recovery after a heart attack. Oxford was a terrific university, which not only furthered my academic interests but gave me an opportunity to interact with other students from around the world. I played hockey for my college here and was a member of the second cricket team, which together helped me secure social links. I became the secretary of the senior common room at St. John’s College, Oxford.”
The hidden support
Salim and Wahida, a sociology graduate from St. Teresa’s College in Ernakulam, got married on 24 June 1979. Her uncle had suggested the proposal and their first meeting was arranged by their parents. He chuckles as says, “We were given one evening to decide if we liked each other and would want to get married”. As he was still completing his D.Phil., she took up an administrative job in the Oxford City Council.
He continued to stay in England after his doctorate and completed his clinical training to become a cardiologist. He also earned the membership of the Royal College of Physicians of the UK. In 1984, he got the opportunity to join the US National Institute of Health, USA, and resumed a full-time career in clinical research.
Finally, in 1992, Salim landed in Hamilton, Canada, where he joined McMaster University as the head of cardiology. The broad team he formed did world-class research besides providing high-level care in cardiology which became a benchmark in the past more than three decades in Hamilton. With his team’s support, the university ranks among one of the top 100 global universities. His research group is one of the few that have made a major impact on improving the prevention and treatment of people with cardiovascular diseases worldwide.
The humanitarian aspect
Salim is not just a medical expert but is also involved in social and humanitarian activities. He concedes, “I enjoy reading, but don’t do it enough, although I read poetry, biographies, philosophy and magazines like The Economist.” However, things have changed now. “I enjoy outdoor activities. Walking and hiking are our family favourites. We fish, we boat... We all enjoy family time. For winters, we like cross country skiing or snowshoeing. As a family, we have bonded well on trips and vacations to places like Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Egypt, China, Thailand, Japan and parts of Africa, Europe, North America and, of course, India.”
He doesn’t make tall claims of whatever he does. He needed to be coaxed to divulge some information, “Years ago, some of my colleagues and I received a substantial amount from the sale of a patent on one of our discoveries. We used this amount to create scholarships for the talented young South Asians to train in Canada. We also donated for the creation of a chair for health and peace and another one in diabetes research.” He also raised a significant amount of funds to construct the Research Institute Building. His modesty, however, doesn’t allow him to call himself a philanthropist. It’s a matter of heart, he says. On a personal level too, Wahida and he donate to several causes like UNICEF, International Red Cross, orphanages for girls in Kochi and for local causes in Hamilton, such as the education of immigrant children.
For his contribution to medicine, he was named an Officer in the Order of Canada in 2014. He is also an elected fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. In 2014, he was awarded the Canada Gairdner Wightman Award and was inducted into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame. In November 2020, he received the McLaughlin medal of the Royal Society of Canada and many other accolades.
The couple are blessed with three children, daughters, Zaheera and Shireen, and son, Arif. Zaheera is a paediatrician based in Ireland and is married to Peter Coffey, her classmate, who is a general practitioner. They have two children, Tadhg (6) and Arya (4). Arif is a gastroenterologist and is married to Kanan, originally from Mumbai. They have two children, Maitreya (4) and Dhara (6 months). The youngest, Shireen, is living and studying in Burlington. The senior Yusufs have always been proud of their three children and their achievements. Indeed, Wahida has largely been responsible for raising their children when he was busy working as a researcher and cardiologist. Both Wahida and Salim are close to both their extended families.
Salim feels that though he has experienced many wonderful moments in Canada, his childhood days are the best of his life. “Childhood wasn’t perfect but memorable. We lived in Mumbai but never felt deprived because we had a warm and loving atmosphere at home.”