Anil Abraham: Kerala doctor who blends medicine with humour

A visit to a skin clinic in Bengaluru may not usually come with laughter, but with Dr Anil Abraham, it often does. A senior dermatologist and trichologist, Dr Abraham combines decades of medical practice with a parallel life in theatre and stand-up comedy. He uses humour as a lens to reflect on society and everyday life.

With over 30 years of teaching experience and a long tenure as Head of Dermatology at St John’s Medical College, Bengaluru, Dr Abraham, now retired from academia, is known for a compassionate and contemporary approach to medicine. He currently practises at the Abrahams Skin & Hair Clinic in Bengaluru. “I love being a doctor,” he says, “but I don’t believe a profession should confine a person to rigid labels. Creativity is not a distraction; it is part of being human.”

Dr Abraham trained abroad and has been associated with academic institutions in the US and the UK, including a stint as a Rotary Exchange Fellow at Queen’s Hospital, Birmingham. He was a fellow of Stanford University, where he trained under Prof Farber.

His interest in theatre and comedy dates back to his school years. “Humour,” he says, “is often the sugar coating that helps people engage with difficult truths.”

Over the years, his foray into stand-up comedy and theatre has found an audience both in India and overseas. On social media, his short, humorous videos, often drawing from everyday social and cultural observations, have attracted a wide following. For Dr Abraham, creative engagement is central to well-being. “People who nurture their creative side tend to be more grounded,” he says.

His comic personas, including Kuppuswamy, Simple Sudha, and Coconut Oil Keshavan, are familiar to his online audience. He is also vocal about the importance of civic engagement and public discourse. He cites contemporary Indian stand-up comedians such as Zakir Khan, Vir Das, Munawar Faruqui, and Azeem Banatwalla as artists who use humour to reflect social realities.

Academically, Dr Abraham has authored chapters in medical reference books, published papers in international journals, and has been a regular speaker at global conferences. In 2023, he received the L K Bhutani Award for Teaching and Clinical Research in Dermatology from the Indian Association of Dermatologists, as well as the Patrick Yesudian Oration Award in Tamil Nadu for his work in the field of hair loss.

At Manorama Online’s Techspectations, Kerala’s flagship foresight summit on technology, capital, and innovation, Dr Abraham will be in conversation with journalist and entrepreneur Faye D’Souza. Scheduled for February 27 in Kochi under the theme “Crystal Balling 2030,” the session is expected to be one of the highlights of the event. Speaking about the interaction, Dr Abraham said he was looking forward to the conversation, describing D’Souza as a journalist who has “redefined public engagement with news through courage and clarity.”