Delhi Government Shortlists Medics For This Year’s Padma Awards

The Delhi government on Saturday shortlisted COVID-19 warriors for this year’s Padma awards.

The Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal while hailing the contribution of health workers in fight against COVID-19 announced the shortlisted names.

The list includes names of doctors including S K Sarin, Suresh Kumar and Sandeep Budhiraja.
Kejriwal in an online briefing asserted that medics and other paramedical staff have played an important in saving human lives amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and the country recognises their contribution.

This year the Delhi government had announced that only doctors and paramedics will be recommended for the awards. It had sought public opinion on the recommendations.

A total of 740 names of doctors, paramedics, and other healthcare professionals were recommended by 9,427 people for the awards out of which three names were shortlisted by the committee headed by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, Kejriwal said.

The shortlisted names are -- ILBS vice chancellor Dr S K Sarin who established the first plasma bank and genome sequencing facility of Delhi government; LNJP Hospital's Medical Director Dr Suresh Kumar and Group Medical Director of Max Healthcare group Dr Sandeep Budhiraja, he said.

"It was extremely difficult to narrow down the names as all the people whose names were considered have done an exemplary job in fighting the pandemic. The rest should not feel that their contribution is any less,"Kejriwal said.

In fact, these three doctors will in a way represent the contribution made by all the doctors, nurses and paramedic staff of Delhi, he said.

The Padma awards are one of the highest civilian honours of India announced annually on the eve of Republic Day.

The awards are given in three categories: Padma Vibhushan (for exceptional and distinguished service), Padma Bhushan (distinguished service of higher order) and Padma Shri (distinguished service).

The awards seek to recognise the achievements in all fields of activities or disciplines where an element of public service is involved. (With PTI inputs)