Former Laudium resident, Professor Llewellyn Padayachy, recently won the National Science and Technology Forum (NTSF) Clinician-Scientist Award – known as South Africa’s ‘Science Oscars’ – for his groundbreaking work on brain tumours. Llewellyn, formerly of Himalaya Street, graduated at Himalaya Secondary School and is the son of highly respected teachers, Felicia and Santham Padayachy.
Prof Padayachy wins at South Africa’s ‘Science Oscars’ A Local Story of Global Impact
Professor Llewellyn Padayachy recently won the National Science and Technology Forum (NTSF) Clinician-Scientist Award — known as South Africa’s ‘Science Oscars’ — for his groundbreaking work on brain tumours.
He credits his achievements almost entirely to an upbringing guided by his mother’s warm wisdom and continued guidance, driving a strong value system, discipline, and respect.
A true product of the Laudium schooling system, he is a graduate of Himalaya Secondary School and the son of highly respected teachers, Felicia and Santham Padayachy. Having grown up in the family home on Himalaya Street in Laudium, the warm memories of a community supported childhood hold a special place in his heart.
Prof Padayachy’s ground-breaking research has helped develop non-invasive ways to examine the pathway between the eyes and the brain. These techniques allow doctors to detect increased pressure in the brain sooner – an important advantage because early diagnosis can significantly improve outcomes, particularly for children with
brain tumours. Surgical treatment of brain tumours has been the focus of Prof Padayachy’s work for nearly two decades and this work has subsequently led to several international collaborations with some of the world’s leading academic centres, positioning it as amongst the most influential in the field.
Professor Padayachy is currently Professor and Head of the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Pretoria (UP) and Steve Biko Academic Hospital. He is also the director of the Brain Tumour and Translational Neuroscience Centre (BTC@UP), at UP, a unit he has been instrumental in building to a world class department over the last few years. His story is a powerful inspiration to young students and scholars, underscoring the fundamentals of a strong value system, discipline and commitment to a chosen path.
In a world of fleeting distractions, stories like his reaffirm the value of hard work and dedication. “Serendipity favours the well prepared, so always be the best version of yourself.”