Kottayam: Dr M I Joy, a pioneer of dermatology in Kerala and former Deputy Superintendent of Kottayam Medical College, passed away on Friday. He was 94. Dr Joy established the Dermatology Department at Kottayam Medical College. He had also served as Diwan of the Royal Court under the late Sultan of Oman, Qaboos bin Said Al Said.

Belonging to Mazhavanchery Parambath Valiyaveettil in Cherai, Dr Joy was residing at Mount Wardha, Kanjikuzhi, in Kottayam. He began his medical career at the ESI Hospital in Udyogamandal and later worked as a tutor at Kozhikode Medical College.

Dr Joy went on to pursue higher studies in dermatology at AIIMS, New Delhi, on a Rockefeller scholarship, becoming the first Malayali to earn an MD in the speciality. Dr Joy served in government medical colleges in Thiruvananthapuram and Alappuzha. He worked at Manganam, Mandiram, Puthuppally and Paret hospitals in Kottayam.

Known for his service-oriented approach, Dr Joy treated patients at his residence without charging any fee. He held several key positions, including branch president of the Dermatology Association of Kerala, secretary of the Kottayam branch of the Indian Medical Association, and president of the Kottayam Rotary Club. He was also chairman of Century Hospital at Mulakuzha in Chengannur.

Prayers will be held at his residence at Mount Wardha at 11 am on Saturday, followed by funeral rites at St Ignatius Jacobite Church, Pallom, at 1 pm.

Dr Joy is survived by his wife Saramma of Kallan Home, Puthenpurakkal, Alappuzha, and children Rekha Arif (Bengaluru), Ravi Kurien (Director, Kanam Latex Industries) and Dr Anjana Kurien (Head of Department, Al Azhar Dental College, Thodupuzha). His daughter-in-law, Rebecca Ravi Joy Uppoottil, and sons-in-law, the late Ibrahim Arif (Ooty), and the late Ranjith John Kurien (Kunnankkara, Kurichy).