Professor Purkayastha qualified in 1969 and obtained a Masters Degree in general surgery, before working as a Specialist General Surgeon; in India and then Iran until 1979. He then settled in the UK, gaining significant experience and training in orthopaedics along with two Fellowships from The Royal Colleges and a further Masters Degree from London University. Other than general orthopaedic surgery, his special interest lies in lower limb surgery. This includes arthroscopies, replacement of ankle and toe joints and correction of various deformities of the foot. It gives him enormous satisfaction to see the physical and emotional changes these procedures bring to his patients. He also practice paediatric orthopaedicscand devotes a considerable amount of his time to teaching and training (both in the UK and abroad) undergraduate/postgraduate doctors, GPs and paramedic staff. He has a great passion for poetry which he has been reading and writing since childhood. He and his wife also share a love of travelling.