Ravivarma Marthanda Varma was an Indian neurosurgeon, one of the pioneers of Indian neurosurgery and the founder director of the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS). He was the originator of a new surgical procedure for treating Parkinson's disease which later came to be known as Varma's Technique. He was a former Deputy Director General of Health Services, Government of India and an honorary surgeon to R. Venkataraman, former president of India. He was honoured by the Government of India in 1972 with Padma Shri, the fourth highest Indian civilian award.