Chandigarh: The National Academy of Medical Sciences celebrated its 66th Foundation Day on 21st April, 2026. During the award ceremony PGI professors were awarded three of the nine recognitions of academic excellence (RAE) awards. All three made a presentation of the work during the CME organized on that day.
Prof. Aman Sharma, from the Department of Internal Medicine, has been awarded the prestigious RAE General Amir Chand Award for his transformative contributions to the study of non-communicable diseases. The award recognizes Prof. Sharma’s extensive work in the field of systemic vasculitis—a group of rare diseases involving inflammation of the blood vessels that can lead to organ damage if left untreated.
Prof. Sharma’s research has brought global attention to how these complex conditions manifest specifically in Indian patients. His team’s work on DADA2 (Deficiency of ADA2), a rare genetic inflammatory condition, is now recognized as the largest clinical experience of its kind in the world.
Beyond the laboratory, Prof. Sharma has focused on practical solutions for the Indian healthcare landscape. He successfully led the initiative to create the first data-driven Indian Guidelines for ANCA vasculitis, specifically designed with local economic considerations in mind to ensure that life-saving treatments remain accessible to more patients.
“Our goal has always been to bridge the gap between high-level research and the actual needs of patients in our clinics,” said Prof. Sharma. “By refining how we use imaging to differentiate these diseases from more common conditions like tuberculosis, we can provide faster, more accurate care.”
The impact of this work is being felt globally: His team’s findings on the use of PET scans for evaluating rare cartilage inflammation (relapsing polychondritis) have been integrated into the world’s leading medical resources, including UpToDate.com and a Textbook of Rheumatology.
Prof Naveen Kalra from the Department of Radiodiagnosis got the RAE Dr Khandelwal award for intervention radiology. He presented extensive body of work done in the field of locoregional treatment of liver cancer. He highlighted the new techniques which were done for the first time at PGI including cryoablation and irreversible electroporation. The use of hybrid angio CT in the treatment of liver cancer was also elaborated upon. Prof Kalra has been a leading researcher in this field and has held various leadership positions in task forces formulating guidelines for liver cancer.
Prof Sonu Goel from the Department of Community Medicine and School of Public Health was awarded R V Rajam award for community health. He shared his community level experience of 25 years especially in the field of tobacco control. He further elaborated upon International Public Health Management Development Program sponsored by the Ministry of External Affairs, which is first of its kind program in Asia where senior policy makers from 97 countries have been trained on public health.
