Eminent cardiologist and educator Dr BM Hedge has been conferred with the George Fernandes Memorial Award, named after the late socialist leader and former defence minister.
The award has been instituted by the Jayashreekrishna Parisara Premi Samiti, an NGO founded under the leadership of Thonse Jayakrishna A Shetty in the year 2000 for the development and pollution free of coastal Karnataka districts of Udupi, Mangalore and Kasargod.
Dr Hegde, a recipient of the coveted Padma Bhushan, is a visiting faculty at many universities and has also served as vice-chancellor of Manipal University. Dr Hegde was awarded for his outstanding contribution in the field of medicine and healthcare over the past 50 years.
Dr Hegde recalled the achievement of George Fernandes and said that the legendary leader was an inspiration to others.
Shetty proposed naming the Mangalore International Airport or Mangalore Railway Station in the memory of Fernandes. Maharashtra minister of state for finance, planning and home Deepak Kesarkar and leader of Opposition in Karnataka Legislative Council Shrinivas Poojary were present. The function coincided with the 89th birth anniversary of George Fernandes on June 3.