Coimbatore doctor bags BC Roy Award for second time

COIMBATORE: City-based gastroenterology and laparoscopic surgeon Dr C Palanivelu received the prestigious Dr. B. C. Roy Award from the Indian President, Pranab Mukherjee, under the ‘Eminent Medical Person’ category, on Tuesday. Hailing from an agricultural family, Palanivelu once worked as a labourer and completed his school education only at the age of 21.Now the chairman of GEM Hospital, he is the fourth doctor from South India to win the award for the second time. He had received the award in 2005 under specialty development category for laparoscopic surgery.Speaking to TOI, Palanivelu said, “I was the first to introduce laparoscopic surgery in South India in 2001 and instrumental for developing it into a specialty including minimal access surgery. The award is also a recognition to keyhole surgery and it's benefits to society. I took up keyhole surgery just when it was introduced in the late 90s, and ensured it reached everyone right from the poor labourer to the rich,” he said.Keyhole surgery has benefited farm labourers and factory workers in Coimbatore, who want fast recovery so as they can return to work, the doctor said. “Today, it has become a standard way of treating not only gastroenterological problems, but cancer too. The surgical method has been adopted as standard in Korea and Japan too,” Palanivelu added.