This year’s Padma Shri Awards honored ‘On-Ground’ doctors

New Delhi: This year one of the highest civilian awards ‘Padma Shri’ for Medicine has been given to such doctors who were connected to the ground, bringing impact in society and in the lives of the people. The new trend is seen this year as the doctors from the corporate sector have been set aside and those working closely with the people have been awarded.

This year, one doctor gets Padma Vibhushan while eight conferred Padma Shri in the category of medicine.

One of the grounded public health experts, Dr. Chandrakant S. Pandav has conferred Padma Shri this year. He is a former Professor & Head of the Department – Centre for Community Medicine, (AIIMS), New Delhi. He completed his MBBS and later MD in Community Medicine from AIIMS, New Delhi and M.Sc from McMaster University Hamilton, Canada with specialization in Health Economics, Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics. Dr. Pandav is also an alumnus of the Department of Human Nutrition, at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London (UK). Presently, he is a Member of National Council on India Nutrition Challenges under Poshan Abhiyan which is chaired by Vice-Chairman of NITI Aayog, President of Association of Indian Coalition of Control of Iodine Deficiency Disorders (ICCIDD), Regional Coordinator for Iodine Global Network (IGN) South Asia and Chairman of Coalition of Food and Nutrition Security, India.

He is also known as the ‘Iodine Man of India’ for his relentless efforts and unwavering commitment towards bringing to light the dire consequences of Iodine Deficiency on health.

Elated on Receiving the Padma Shri, Dr Chandrakant S Pandav, former Professor & Head of the Department – Centre for Community Medicine, (AIIMS), New Delhi, President of Association of Indian Coalition of Control of Iodine Deficiency Disorders (ICCIDD) said, “I am very happy on receiving this honorary award which is presented for the exceptional work done for the services in the public health sector and bringing change to the society at large. I extend my sincere thanks to the award-giving bodies for recognizing my genuine work done in the public health sector.

Another AIIMS doctor on the list, late Dr Jitendra Nath Pande has been also conferred Padma Shri (Posthumously). He was an eminent pulmonologist and former Head of the Department of Medicine, AIIMS, who had succumbed to COVID-19 last year. He joined AIIMS as an MBBS student and retired as the head of the Department of Medicine. His team’s study on outdoor air pollution and emergency room visits at a hospital in Delhi in 1997-98 was referred to by the supreme court of India in its judgement banning diesel buses in Delhi in 1998. His research focused on high altitude physiology, lung mechanics in health and disease, exercise physiology, and intestinal lung disease (a group of diseases that affect the interstitium or the network of tissues that supports the air sacs).

Philanthropist, Dr Krishna Mohan Pathi – the retired professor from Orissa has been also conferred the Padma Award. He is known as a messiah for the poor and tribals in the area of Ganjham. He has been providing free healthcare services to tribals in the area for more than three decades. An Orthopaedician by profession, the 83-year-old Dr Pathi runs a charitable organisation Bharadwaj Gurukul Ashram.

Dr Dilip Kumar Singh is the oldest entry in the list of doctors for Padma Shri this year. This 92-year-old still goes to practice every day. Dr Singh, who is known as the ‘God Father’ of the Indian Medical Association, Bhagalpur has been at the forefront of establishing a strong village practice and providing medical care. He was working round the clock when in 1953 cholera spread in many blocks of Bhagalpur, while also being an important contributor to the treatment of polio in the country.