Onkar MEHROTRA Obituary

my great thanks to this man, who enabled the life I have lived, much love to his family

I still remember the first time I witnessed a Z-plasty as a callow housesurgeon in 1982. It was Onkar Mehrotra and when he corrected the flexion contracture of the patient´s burnt elbow, it seemed like surgical magic. Sirens screamed in my subconsciousness. I was hooked and wanted to aspire to Onkar´s enthusiasm `one day you will know it all Mike´. His passion for plastic surgery was infectious. His surgical craftsmanship fast and effortless. He would digest the NZ Herald during his LAOP lists in the Casualty waiting for the next patient to show up. Every surgical manoeuvre deliberate, efficient and magical. `you can do it Mike, I know you can do it. Just put in a little local and you can do it in the Casualty´. The many trainees of Onkar´s long career 1965-1996 have an indelible touch of his surgical DNA. He cajoled, inspired, encouraged, shared and supported. There was no finer surgical teacher. There will not be another like him and I truly value the fact that I kept in touch until early 2023. The Red Team was the best team and we have lost another legend of New Zealand plastic surgery. Thank you Onkar Nath Mehrotra and rest in peace.
Mike Klaassen

sincere condolences to the family - I'm another one of the Plastic Surgical team at Middlemore when Onkar was one of the consultants .....lovely memories of a mischievous twinkling smile....such a skilled surgeon with a gift of humility

Dear Kusum, Rina and Pancho,
I was out of Auckland and unaware that Onkar had died on the 10th of August. Glenn Bartlett kindly phoned me to tell me.
My sincere condolences to all of you.
Onkar was a legend at Middlemore. Nothing phased him. He would take on the biggest operations with aplomb. He was my mentor as a plastic surgical registrar in 1974 and later as a consultant we shared an office. His desk would be covered with astute papers he was writing.
He impressed Sir William Manchester with his esoteric knowledge of anatomy and took up microvascular surgery when it came in. In fact he was right hand man for WMM for many years and kept him from coming in on call.

Unfortunately I will be on a golf tour in Australia at the time of his funeral and will not be able to attend it but I did go to his farewell from Middlemore and spoke at it.

Mention of golf reminds me that when I was doing a ward round with him at the top of the Galbraith block we would look out over the Middlemore golf course and reflect on when we were retired we would play more golf. He joined the Akarana Club where I did play a round with him and Graham Lister who was a visiting professor from Louisville.

He will remain in my memory always as a kind helpful plastic surgeon who was full of encouragement for green plastic surgeons.

Kind regards,

Stephen Gilbert

My thoughts and prayers go out to all. I worked with Onkar for many years at idd,rmore