SGPGIMS Director Dr. RK Dhiman Conferred with Padma Shri in Medicine

New Delhi: Dr. Radha Krishnan Dhiman is one of the recipients of Padma Shri awardees this year in the field of Medicine. He is known for his various contributions including the eradication of Hepatitis C in 22 districts of Punjab, Covid management in Lucknow, and starting organ donation campaign by setting up SOTTO.

Currently, he is working as the Professor of Hepatology and Director at Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS) Lucknow. He also holds the post of Director at Kalyan Singh Super-Specialty Cancer Institute, Lucknow, India. While he has been serving as the SGPGIMS Director since 2020, he got the additional charge of Kalyan Singh Super-Specialty Cancer Institute on 17th September 2021.

Speaking to Medical Dialogues, Dr. Dhiman said, "I feel really honoured and I personally feel that this award is conferred to the teamwork," Dr. Dhiman told Medical Dialogues.

He added, "The credit goes to my parents and then to my wife. My father was a school teacher and my mother was a housewife. The discipline that I practiced in life started from my home. I was lucky to be married to Dr. Praveena Dhiman, who is a paediatrician. She contributed a lot to my career. If I am the director of SGPGI today, all of this is because of her."

After completing his school education at a Government school, Dr. Dhiman obtained his MBBS and MD Degrees from King George's Medical College during the years 1978 -1988. He pursued specialist training from Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences and obtained the DM Degree in Gastroenterology in the year 1989-1991.

Thereafter he got the Membership of the National Academy of Medical Sciences (MNAMS) back in the year 1998. He also obtained the Fellowship of Americal College of Gastroenterology, USA in Gastroenterology and Hepatology in 2001, and the Fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians, Edinburgh, and London in Gastroenterology in the year 2015. Thereafter, he became a fellow of the American Association for Study of the Liver (FAASLD) in Hepatology back in 2015.

Previously, he served as the Additional Charge of Vice-Chancellor of King George's Medical University (KGMU) from 13 July 2020 to 10 August 2020. He was also the Professor and Head of the Department of Hepatology at SGPGIMS from 16th February 2023 to 10th February 2023. Before that, he was the HOD of Hepatology at PGIMER, Chandigarh till 7th February 2020. At this institute, he served in the posts of Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Additional Professor, and Professor in the Hepatology Department starting in 1993. Currently, he is the Director of both SGPGIMS and Kalyan Singh Super-Specialty Cancer Institute, Lucknow.

Dr. Dhiman has made numerous contributions to the field of medicine in this country. He was instrumental in starting a Liver ICU and a new super-specialty course (DM) in Hepatology in PGIMER, Chandigarh for the first time in India. Apart from these, he also started successful Liver transplantation programme at PGIMER, Chandigarh. 

The credits for creating the new Department of Hepatology, and new upcoming Departments of Infectious Diseases, Head and Neck Surgery, and Pediatric Endocrinology at Sanjay Gandhi PGIMS, Lucknow also lie with Dr. Dhiman. He also played a major role in the creation of the Tele-ICU project in Uttar Pradesh.

His contributions and efforts for the elimination of Hepatitis C in India and the promotion of Organ Donation for Organ Transplantation are also well-known.  With all his efforts, the "Pledging for Organ donation" on driving license in Chandigarh UT became a reality in 2013. Chandigarh UT is the 2nd state/UT in India to have this honour.

Dr. Dhiman was conferred with Dr. BC Roy National Award back in the year 2008 and the Harold O Conn award by American Association for the study of Liver (AASLD) back in 2012. He is also the recipient of four ICMR awards including "Basanti Devi Amir Chand" (2009), "Amrut Modi Unichem" (2007), "Shakuntala Amir Chand Award" (1998) and "Dr DV Datta Memorial Oration Award" (1996) for his contributions in hepatology, Portal hypertension etc.

The Indian Society of Gastroenterology conferred him with "Olympus Mitra Endoscopy Award" back in 2003 for promoting education in the field of endoscopy. He also received several other honours such as "Young Investigators' Award", "Hoechest Om Prakash Memorial Award" etc.

Dr. Dhiman is the new President Elect of the Indian National Association for the Study of Liver (2024-2026). He held several important positions including the post of President at the International Society on Hepatic Encephalopathy and Nitrogen Metabolism (ISHEN). Further, he held several important positions in the State and Union Government as well. He was the Chairman of National Action Plan (NAP) for Viral Hepatitis, Govt. of India, Injection safety project, The State of Punjab, and the Injection safety under National Action Plan on Viral Hepatitis, Govt. of India

He also acted as the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Clinical & Experimental Hepatology (JCEH) from Jan 2011. Dr. Dhiman has altogether 410 publications and 14,627 citations.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that on the occasion of Republic Day, the Union Government announced the Padma Awards and 13 eminent persons have made it to the list for their varied contributions to the field of medicine.

Three doctors have been conferred the 'Padma Bhushan' for distinguished service of high order while 10 have been conferred 'Padma Shri' for distinguished service in the field of medicine.

Also Read: Padma Awards in Medicine 2024: 3 doctors get Padma Bhushan, 10 conferred Padma Shri