Centenary of glucagon discovery and birth centenary of a pioneer in diabetology in India

Abstract

Dear Editor, We are very happy to present a special issue of the Journal of Diabetology (JOD) which is dedicated to the centenary celebrations of two major events. The year 2023 marks the birth centenary of Prof. M. Viswanathan, considered the “Father of Diabetology in India.” 2023 also marks the centenary of the discovery of the enigmatic hormone, glucagon. To mark these two very special occasions, JOD is proud to present a special tribute to Prof. M. Viswanathan, written by his two sons, Dr. V. Mohan and Dr. Vijay Viswanathan, and his son-in-law, Dr. A. Ramachandran, all of whom were personally mentored by Prof. M. Viswanathan. We dedicate this issue to Prof. M. Viswanathan whose contributions are legendary. He is credited with starting the specialty of Diabetology in India. This year also marks the centenary of the discovery of glucagon, the pancreatic hormone produced by the alpha cells of the islets of Langerhans. To commemorate the centenary of glucagon, we invited specialists from different parts of the world to contribute articles for a special issue dedicated to glucagon. This includes historical aspects, including its discovery, and goes on to describe its increasing role today in the management of both diabetes and obesity. We are very grateful to the authors who have contributed articles for the special issue of JOD at short notice. We do hope you will enjoy reading about this oft-forgotten, but important, hormone, glucagon. Financial support and sponsorship Nil. Conflicts of interest There are no conflicts of interest.