Born on September 13, 1925, in Rawalpindi (then part of pre-partition India), Dr. Suri grew up as one of five children in a family committed to public service. His father, Major J.R.D., served in the Indian Army Medical Corps (IAMC), which meant young ML Suri spent his early years studying in cities like Rawalpindi, Peshawar, and Abbottabad—places rich with culture and tradition.

Driven by an early passion for learning, he completed his intermediate education at Gordon College, Rawalpindi, graduating on November 1, 1943. His journey toward becoming a physician continued when he earned his MBBS degree in October 1949 from Punjab University, studying at the renowned Amritsar Medical College.

His dedication to medicine and service led him to join the Army Medical Corps through a short service commission from 1950 to 1954.

Committed to furthering his skills, he traveled to Edinburgh, Scotland, where he trained extensively before successfully completing his MRCP (Membership of the Royal College of Physicians). He also spent a formative month at the world-renowned Queen Square in London, specializing in Neurology.

Returning to India, he rejoined the Army under a permanent commission in Jun 1959 In pursuit of advanced knowledge, he took a special two-year leave in 1967–68 to become one of India’s first two DM Neurology students at AIIMS, New Delhi, under the legendary Professor Baldev Singh—his fellow coursemate being the distinguished neurologist Dr. Gourie Devi. Thus he became the First Certified Neurologist of the Indian Armed Forces.

In 1975, he was honored with a Fellowship from the Royal College of Physicians of Edinboriugh all, a prestigious recognition of his excellence. After achieving the rank of Full Colonel in the Indian Army, he opted for premature retirement in 1979 to devote himself fully to patient care and teaching.Colonel Suri, was appointed Honorary physician to the president of India 1983.

Following his military career, Colonel Suri joined Sir Ganga Ram Hospital (SGRH) in New Delhi, where he developed the Department of Neurology. Under his leadership, and with the continued work of neurologists like Major P.K. Sethi and Dr. C.S. Aggarwal, the department became a hub for neurological excellence.He also served as Consultant Neurologist in Escorts hospital, VIMHANS, Saint Stephen’s Hospital post retirement

, Dr. Suri remained a vibrant member of the Delhi Neurology Association, the American Academy of Neurology, and the Indian Academy of Neurology.He was given membership to FIMSA (Fellow of the international Medical Sciences Academy) in 1981-1982.
His special interests included research into stroke, epilepsy, and pioneering work on frostbite-induced peripheral neuropathy—he published one of the first scientific papers in 1962.
He was deeply committed to teaching the next generation of doctors and promoting cost-effective medical care. (The author of this Monograph was working under his guidance in Delhi after postgraduation as a classified specialist in Medicine and was motivated and encouraged by Col ML Suri to pursue futher super specialisation in Neurology.)
His lifelong vision is carried forward today by the Dr. Colonel ML Suri Family Foundation, whose mission is to ensure high-quality, affordable healthcare reaches all sections of society.