From nj.com:
COLUMBUS, Ohio — A leading New Jersey neurosurgeon and his wife, also a doctor, were killed today when their single-engine plane crashed into an Ohio cornfield and burst into flames shortly after takeoff, authorities said.
Viswanathan Rajaraman, the 54-year-old pilot, and Mary J. Sundaram, his 50-year-old wife and the only passenger, were attempting to take off from Rickenbacker International Airport in Columbus when the incident happened just before 9 a.m., according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
The couple was returning to Essex County Airport in Fairfield, which they flew out of on Friday afternoon, according to the aviation website Flight Aware. It was not clear why they were in Ohio for the weekend. The couple lived in Franklin Lakes.
Rajaraman was one of the top doctors in New Jersey, specializing in brain and spine cancer. His loss was mourned today by staff at Hackensack University Medical Center, where he was co-chief of neuro-oncology at the hospital’s cancer center.
“Dr. Rajaraman treated countless cancer patients and saved lives daily,” Robert C. Garrett, the hospital’s president and CEO, said in a statement. “He offered patients innovative surgical techniques and exceeded medical, social, and emotional expectations. Our hearts go out to his family, his patients and our team who will miss him tremendously.”
The doctor, known to colleagues as Vishy, was also the head of neuro-oncology at Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, according to the website for his practice, the North Jersey Brain and Spine Center. He was a clinical assistant professor at University Hospital in Newark, organized an annual neurooncology symposium and was involved in educating neurosurgeons in the developing world.
Sundaram was reportedly also a physician, but stopped practicing to raise the couple’s daughter, Kaavya Viswanathan, now 24. She recently graduated from Georgetown University’s law school, according to The Columbus Dispatch, which also reported that her parents had visited her before arriving in Columbus.
Vishy and Mary are the two nicest people in the whole world. It was a pleasure to work with Vishy. I thank God for giving me the opportunity to know Vishy. He was a great surgeon. R.I.P.
Matt Reddy, M.D.
Dr. vishwanathan is a amazing human being..He operated on my brain in last september..I remember when i was diagnosed with brain tumor, i was devasteded .my husband and i went to many neuro- surgeons for opinion and dr. rajaraman was the only one who our mind at ease..i am very lucky to have him as my surgeon…he gave us such emotional support to my family which i cannot describe..beside being such an efficient surgeon he also was a warm and loving human being. he always took time to listen to our questions and never rushed us..he always had a smiling
face which gave us new hope .
whenever i went to visit him he always enquired about my family in india about whom i had once asked a opinion.
he will be truly missed…we have lost a wonderful and caring person .
smita patel
I had the privilege of working with Vishy since he was a resident at Hackensack University Medical Center. We did many spine cases together and, as was said in so many rememberances I have seen, he was a masterfull surgeon. He was also a great human being with a delightful sense of humor who exhibited intense fatherly pride in his daughter and her accomplishments and great pride in his wife and hers. Staff, patients and colleagues all loved him. I will miss his enthusiasm, humor and expertise and, above all, his friendship.
Bernard P. Newman M.D.