By IANS
Chennai/New Delhi : In recognition of his outstanding contribution to the diagnostic and healthcare industry in India, G.S.K. Velu, managing director of the Trivitron group of companies, was Friday conferred the Rajiv Gandhi Shiromani Award, 2007.
The award was presented at the India International Centre, New Delhi, to commemorate the birth anniversary of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi which was on Monday.
“It is important to understand the circumstances under which Dr. Velu has received this citation. The award comes in recognition of his tireless effort towards indigenisation of medical technology,” said G. Narotham Rreddy, vice-president, the Apollo Hospitals Group, congratulating Velu.
“This also comes as a shot in the arm for the Indian medical industry, which is on the threshold of taking on competition from the international players,” he added.
Velu, a bio-medical engineer from BITS, Pilani, has a doctorate in pharmacology from IBAM, Kolkata. He guided and shaped the dynamics of the diagnostic and health care industry in India for two decades.
Velu has pioneered a leading international corporate chain of diagnostics laboratories, the Metropolis Health Services, in India. Recently, his Metropolis Health Service has also ventured into a couple of Gulf countries and presence in Sri Lanka.
Besides Chennai, Metropolis has several major hubs, including in Mumbai, Delhi and Noida that offer pathology, radiology and wellness services. Velu has over 18 laboratories and 250 sample collection centres across the country,
The Rajiv Gandhi Shiromani Award is conferred to select individuals of the country in recognition of their outstanding contributions and achievements in the field of industry, business, public life, administrative, social, educational and cultural services.