Dr Ravi Kannan on being conferred with Padma Shri: The award is to the spirit of the community of this valley

It was a moment of pride for the entire Barak Valley as renowned Oncologist and Cachar Cancer Hospital Director Dr. Ravi Kannan was announced as one of the recipients of Padma Sri by the government on Saturday.

On the eve of Republic Day complete list of Padma Awards were announced. Along with Dr Kanan, other recipients of India’s fourth-highest civilian honour from Assam included Dr Kushal Konwar Sarma (Medicine), Jogendra Nath Phukan (Literature and Education), Lil Bahadur Chettri (Literature and Education), Indira PP Bora (Assam).

An image tweeted by Government-owned Channel DD News, mentioned him as the “Medical Messiah for Cancer Patients in Remote Barak Valley”.

Dr Ravi Kannan, who can be termed as a legend in the medical field, quit his job in Chennai and shifted to Silchar in 2007 seeing the poor cancer treatment facilities in the valley. Over the years, his drive to provide the best medical treatment to patients irrespective of their socio-economic status has witnessed several innovative measures. Some of these include ‘Home Visits’ and ‘Satellite Clinics’ that bring medical care to the doorstep of patients, who are mostly daily wage workers. As a matter of fact, Dr Kannan has treated around 70,000 cancer patients free of cost till now.

Expressing his gratitude at receiving the honour, Dr Kannan said that the achievement is not only his but rather a large group of people who are dedicated to the Hospital. In an exclusive conversation with barakbulletin.com, the 55-year-old doctor said, “The hospital is not about only one man or an institution. So many people have contributed to it and the award is rightly to the spirit of the community of this valley. It was only possible together. The achievement is not only mine but all my colleagues in the hospital from top to bottom, and also the society who supported us.”

When mentioned that he did make numerous sacrifices to shift base to service people of Barak Valley, Dr Kannan smiled to say, “What sacrifices? There are people who are out to sacrifice their life, while their family waits back home. I am doing what I like. I have also found a lot of friends and happiness here. I don’t consider it a sacrifice.”

Dr Ravi Kannan was also felicitated by Cachar District Administration on Sunday, during the occasion of 71st Republic Day.