Paul Kalanithi was an American neurosurgeon and writer who gained widespread recognition for his memoir, When Breath Becomes Air. Born in 1977, Kalanithi pursued a career in medicine after completing degrees in English literature and human biology at Stanford University. He later received a master’s in the history and philosophy of science from the University of Cambridge before obtaining his medical degree from Yale University. Kalanithi was highly regarded as a neurosurgeon and a scholar, and his career was marked by a deep understanding of both the sciences and the humanities.

Kalanithi’s memoir was written during the final stages of his battle with metastatic lung cancer, offering a profound reflection on life, death, and what it means to find purpose in the face of mortality. His work was published posthumously in 2016, shortly after his death at the age of 37, and it has since inspired readers worldwide. His ability to intertwine medical expertise with literary finesse made When Breath Becomes Air a lasting testament to his life’s journey and his intellectual and emotional depth