SHILLONG, Nov 20: The Chief Medical Officer of Nazareth Hospital and a prominent surgeon, Dr Gordon Rangad, has been honoured by his alma mater, Christian Medical College, Vellore.
At the convocation held recently, Dr Rangad was bestowed with the Paul Harrison Award.
The Paul Harrison Award was instituted to honour alumni of CMC Vellore, who, through their outstanding and selfless contribution in the field of healthcare, have upheld the motto of the institution — “Not to be ministered unto, but to minister” — through a lifetime of service.
An excerpt from the citation reads: “Dr Rangad trained in general surgery in CMC Vellore, standing first and receiving the U Mohan Rau Prize from the University of Madras. He then joined a small mission hospital of the Church of North India in a village in upper Assam, catering to tea garden workers and a rural population. In 1982, he joined the KJP Synod Hospital, Jowai, Meghalaya, as medical superintendent for six years. In 1988, Dr Rangad moved to Shillong, and two years later, joined Nazareth Hospital as consultant in surgery.”
Moreover, Dr Rangad has been awarded an honorary fellowship by the Association of Minimal Access Surgeons of India for his contributions to laparoscopic surgery and training, especially in the Northeast. He is also an elder of his church and, with his passion for music, has led the Laban Presbyterian Church Choir, which has toured in India, including visiting CMC Vellore twice.
In recognition of his outstanding contribution to the health of the most disadvantaged and marginalised in India, particularly in the Northeast, the Christian Medical College, Vellore, is proud to bestow the Paul Harrison Award for 2022, the citation read.
Apart from surgical practice and hospital administration, Dr Rangad has led postgraduate education programmes and research at Nazareth Hospital. Under his leadership, the hospital offers postgraduate training and prepares doctors for the National Board of Examinations in medicine, surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology and anesthesia. He contributes much to the civic life and serves on several committees including the Board of Martin Luther Christian University.
