Ramalingam ‘Dr. Bala’ Balamohan

Born in a small town in India, Dr. Ramalingam Balamohan dedicated his life to a small town in Indiana thousands of miles away.

Dr. Bala, as he was known, was a cardiologist for 43 years in Bluffton after immigrating to the United States in 1970.

He often worked six-day weeks, caring for thousands of patients, sometimes including three generations of one family. He shared his love of reading, sports and video games with his three children and two grandchildren.

As COVID-19 hit, his family urged him to retire, but he refused.

In fall 2020, before vaccines were available, Balamohan contracted COVID-19. He appeared to be recovering a few months later but then took a turn for the worse. He died on Jan. 16, 2021, at age 73.