PENANG: Ikigai, a Japanese term which means live life with a purpose, is the formula for Tan Sri Dr T Deveraj to be a centenarian.

“You have a purpose in life, then life will take care of you,” he said.

A founding member of the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) and once the association’s elected president, and Chairman of Penang Hospice Society he founded in 1992, Dr Deveraj turned 100 years old on 21 June last year.

MMA celebrated Dr Deveraj’s birthday at the soft launch of a scientific congress in Penang graced by Deputy Chief Minister II Jagdeep Singh Deo on 16 February.

The celebration is more than a centenarian milestone as it is also a testimony of living a meaningful life by dedication, service and creating a lasting impact on the medical fraternity and society at large.

Penang MMA Chairman Dr Divagar Varatha Raju described Dr Devaraj as “a truly remarkable individual whose unwavering commitment to healthcare and palliative care has touched countless lives”.

“Reaching 100 years is an achievement, but doing so with such distinction, grace, and influence is truly extraordinary,” said Dr Divagar.

“You have a purpose in life, then life will take care of you.”

Beyond clinical practice, Dr Devaraj also played a crucial role in shaping medical governance and ethics in Malaysia.

Recognising the need for palliative care in Malaysia, Dr Devaraj championed the hospice movement in the early 1990s and later set up hospice services in Penang in 1992.

His dedication extended to cancer awareness, serving as vice-chairman of the National Cancer Society (Penang branch), and as a board member of the National Cancer Society Malaysia.

Through these efforts, he has significantly improved the quality of life for countless patients and families, reinforcing the importance of palliative care in the healthcare system.

Dr Deveraj retired as a physician from the Ministry of Health in 1979.

He was a visiting consultant at the Adventist Hospital for several years and an elected MMA president in 1983.

In 1990, he helped begin hospice services at the homes of patients in Penang, and has been involved in its development in Malaysia since then.