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Dr Devi Shetty
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Dr Devi Shetty, Chairman, Narayana Health Group was awarded with an honorary doctorate degree of ‘Doctor of Science’ for his contributions and commitment to the field of medical science. The doctorate was conferred upon him with the consent of the President of India to the proposal made by Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-M). The Honorary Degree was bestowed by Prof Bhaskar Rammurthi – Director, IIT- M as part of 51st convocation at a ceremony in Chennai.
Receiving the award, Dr Shetty said, “A tribute to a person is always an acknowledgment of his ideologies, efforts and the purpose to which that person has devoted his life. It has been our constant endeavour at Narayana Health to bring down the cost of healthcare and make quality healthcare accessible to all sections of society. Thus, I share this award with all those who have also dedicated themselves for this cause.” He also added, “Consolidation is the only way to reach out to a larger level, for which it’s important to partner with multiple stakeholders, including academia.”
Dr Shetty is also the recipient of the prestigious civilian award, Padma Bhushan for his contributions in the field of healthcare, especially heart care.
After completing his graduate degree in Medicine and post-graduate work in General Surgery from Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, he trained in cardiac surgery at Guys Hospital in the United Kingdom. He performed the first neonatal heart surgery in the country on a 9-day-old baby. In Kolkata, he operated on Mother Theresa after she had a heart attack and subsequently served as her personal physician. Dr Shetty founded Narayana Hrudayalaya (now Narayana Health) in 2001, which is one of the largest multispeciality hospital chains in India with 26 hospitals across 16 cities.