BS RAWAT

NEW DELHI: The World Health Assembly has awarded Prof. Balram Bhargava, director general of the Indian Council of Medical Research, for his global achievements as a clinician, innovator, researcher and trainer.

World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced the ‘Dr Lee Jong-wook Memorial Prize for Public Health’ for Prof. Bhargava at a session of the assembly in Geneva.

Prof Bhargava led a major study to discover that, when chewed, tobacco causes constriction of the coronary arteries and may lead to heart attacks.

Prof. Bhargava has a strong desire to reach vulnerable people. For instance, he led a big study of the cardiovascular health of bus drivers in New Delhi.

Prior to his appointment at ICMR, he was a Professor of cardiology at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi.

He is a fellow of the National Academy of Sciences, India, Fellow of the American Heart Association, Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences, Fellow of the National Academy of Medical Sciences and a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology.