Bihar-origin doctor gets Queen's honour

PATNA: A native of Bihar and noted orthopaedic surgeon, Dr Ashok Pathak, has brought laurels to the state. He has been appointed a Member of the British Empire (MBE) in the Queen's New Year's Honours List recently for his outstanding contribution to medicine in Yorkshire and India.Speaking to TOI from Yorkshire, Dr Pathak said, "I amextremely proud to be a Bihari and would consider it my honour to contribute inwhatever small way I can to my state. I feel immense affection for the people ofmy state, which I visit at least thrice a year."Talking about thehonour, Pathak, who has spent 30 long years in UK, said "I am both delighted andhumbled by this recognition."Meira kumar, Speaker of Lok Sabha, hascongratulated the doctor on the occasion and said: "He has not only contributedto the world of medicine in Yorkshire and India but has also touched innumerablelives by practising the highest standards in medical profession. I congratulatehim on his success and wish him all the best for his futureendeavours."This Bihar-born doctor currently manages a non-profittuberculosis hospital built by his late father, Dr Munishwar Pathak, nearDehri-On-Sone. Numerous medical facilities have been extended to the communitythrough various medical camps organised by him.Dr Pathak, travellingextensively in the Indian subcontinent has also trained many local doctors touse the modern evidence-based surgical techniques in conjunction with a team ofaccomplished UK-based consultant surgeons.During the floods in North Bihar in 2008, Pathak led a team from the BBC, the media house, highlighting the poor state of affairs, that proved immensely effective in raising fund for the cause in UK. Relief to these areas have been continued via Prayas and Bihar Foundation, two other NGOs in which Dr Pathak is actively involved.In Yorkshire, Pathak while acting as chairman of the negotiating committee of British Medical Association, helped mitigate job insecurity caused by the government reforms recently and is well known as Overseas Mentor for doctors in this largest county of northern UK.Besides excelling in the medical profession, the doctor has been an accomplished cricketer as well. He was captain of Patna University's cricket team and also a member of Ranji Trophy team. Pathak also served as an expert analyst for BBC World Service during the coverage of two cricket World Cups. Apart from inviting players of the calibre of Dilip Vengsarkar andSaba Karim to play club cricket at Yorkshire, he has even sponsored players fromunderprivileged backgrounds to come and play club cricket there.Itwas the connection between cricket and charitable work that led Dr Pathak toinvite the charitable side Lashings, featuring international superstars, to playin an exhibition match in Hull in July 2009. The event was a massive success andculminated in sizable profit for disabled children interested in playingcricket.