Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], January 27 (ANI): Dr Tejas Madhusudan Patel, who has been conferred the Padma Bhushan Award for his work in interventional cardiology, said on Saturday that the recognition is a huge deal for the medical fraternity.

Dr Tejas Madhusudan Patel from Gujarat, a well-known cardiologist, is known for his pioneering work in the field of interventional cardiology.

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Speaking with ANI, Dr Patel said, "I have been in the field of cardiology since 1991. I have seen many ups and downs. Being one of the 17 people in the country with a population of 140 crores who have been conferred the Padma Bhushan, I feel blessed that they felt I was worthy of it. It is a huge deal for the medical fraternity as well, especially when pandemics and other situations cause fluctuations in the image of the medical fraternity.."

Six Gujaratis have made it to the list of Padma recipients this year. Dr Tejas Patel, a renowned cardiologist and Padma Shri recipient, is the only person from the state to receive a Padma Bhushan this year.

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There are 132 names on the list of Padma Awardees this year, including two duo cases (in a duo case, the award is counted as one), as per the list below. The list comprises five Padma Vibhushan, 17 Padma Bhushan, and 110 Padma Shri Awards.

Thirty of the awardees are women, and the list also includes eight persons from the categories of foreign non-resident Indian (NRI), person of Indian origin (PIO), overseas citizenship of India (OCI), and nine posthumous awardees.

The Padma Awards, which were instituted in 1954, are one of the highest civilian honours of India and are announced annually on the eve of Republic Day.

The awards are given in three categories: Padma Vibhushan (for exceptional and distinguished service), Padma Bhushan (distinguished service of higher order), and Padma Shri (distinguished service).

The award seeks to recognise achievements in all fields of activities or disciplines where an element of public service is involved.

The Padma Awards are conferred on recommendations by the Padma Awards Committee, which is constituted by the Prime Minister every year.

The Awards Committee is headed by the Cabinet Secretary and includes the Home Secretary, the Secretary to the President and four to six eminent persons as members. The recommendations of the committee are submitted to the Prime Minister and the President of India for approval.

Last year, the government announced 106 Padma Awards, including three duo cases. The list then comprised six Padma Vibhushans, nine Padma Bhushan, and 91 Padma Shri Awards.

Nineteen of the awardees were women, and the list also included two persons from the category of foreigners: NRI, PIO, OCI, and seven posthumous awardees. (ANI)

(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)