Oncologist receives highest civilian award

Guwahati: Renowned oncologist Tapan Kumar Saikia was bestowed with the Assam’s highest civilian award — “Asom Baibhav” on Friday while the second highest civilian award “Asom Sourav” was presented to five distinguished personalities, including Commonwealth Games 2022 gold medallist Nayanmoni Saikia and third highest civilian award “Asom Gourab” to 15 personalities for their remarkable contributions to various fields.
Assam governor Gulab Chand Kataria presented the awards to the awardees at an event here in Guwahati on Friday. The awards were announced on January 4.
Saikia was awarded with the highest civilian award for his enormous contribution to the field of healthcare (cancer care) and towards generating awareness and early detection of cancer in Assam and other northeastern states for over four decades. He is the second to receive the state’s highest civilian award after Tata Trusts Chairman Ratan Tata, who was bestowed with the honour last year.
Tapan Saikia worked at Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai, from 1981 to 2004. He is one of the patrons of Deepsikha Foundation, a trust for cancer care.
Thanking the state government for considering him for the prestigious award, Saikia said, “I didn’t expect it. I am grateful to people of Assam who had faith in me. The award is recognition of collective work with many doctors, nurses, administrators and other healthcare workers in guiding innumerable patients.”
Footballer Gilbert Sangma and scientist Binoy Kumar Saikia are among those awarded with the Asom Saurav award.