Navin Shah, a practicing urologist, a president of the Medical Staff and a board member of the Doctors Community Hospital in Lanham, Maryland, received the Sushutra Award May 22.

Shah, also trustee of the Maryland State Medical Society, was given the award for his philanthropic activities for the last 25 years both in the US and India.

The award was presented at the 2005 IAUA convention and scientific meeting attended by over 250 Indian urologists from the US, India, Europe and other places.

The urology organisation was founded by Indian American urologists 30 years ago, according to its current president Nick Shroff.

Shah was also instrumental in initiating the setting up of the Chakraborty Fellowship, which brings one urologist from India to the US to observe and learn modern advancements in American institutions. From this year, the IAUA proposes to offer this fellowship to two candidates.

IAUA now has a programme for a US scholar to visit Indian centres of urology and participate in the annual meeting of the Urologic Society of India (USI).

Shah worked from 1980 to get recognition for Foreign Medical Graduates (FMG), including testifying in Congress to publicise the overt and covert discrimination against FMGs. His activities culminated in the enactment in 1992 of a law prohibiting discrimination against FMGs.

In 1980, Shah and a few regional Indian Medical Association leaders came together to set up the American Association of Physicians of India (AAPI), where he served as first vice president and then subsequently as president.

Since then, Shah has returned to India annually for a month at a time and been involved in multiple projects to improve healthcare in India. 

He worked with the Indian government on compulsory Continuing Medical Education degrees and periodic renewal of medical license, advised on emergency medical services with trauma centres in Mumbai and donated medical equipment to medical colleges and hospitals in India.

Shah has in the past received the Gandhi National Award, Most Distinguished Service Award from AAPI and Outstanding Physician from the American College of International Physicians and Maryland State Medical Society.