Prof. Vinjamuri honoured in UK

One more feather has been added to Prof. Sobhan Vinjamuri’s cap — he has been honoured with the prestigious British Nuclear Medicine Council's (BNMS) President's Medal, 2020, for his exceptional contributions to the field of Nuclear Medicine.

He is the first Indian to receive the honour, and it adds further value to his already long list of achievements.

The prestigious award came as a huge surprise, he says. “Honestly, I wasn’t expecting it, but to be recognised in a niche area like Nuclear Medicine is very gratifying. All the hard work has paid off.” Fifty-two-year-old Prof. Vinjamuri was born in Vijayawada and raised in Mumbai. He moved to the UK in 1994. As an expert in Diagnostic and Therapeutic Nuclear Medicine, he leads one of the largest Nuclear Medicine Departments in the UK, at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital. The department has been framing policies and guidelines for specialised areas during the current pandemic.

“We are currently working on the recovery and exit strategy for COVID-19, and we are trying to come up with policies that address the people’s predicaments,” says Prof. Vinjamuri, who was the President of BNMS in 2016-2018, the firstever medic of that capacity.

With more than three decades of experience in Nuclear Medicine, he is a highly respected international expert in radiation training. He has represented the International Atomic Energy Agency. Heavily involved in clinical research and teaching; he has published many papers.

“But let me tell you, I have only become humble and wiser with experience. Nothing can teach you more than working with diverse people across the globe,” he said, adding, “I was able to make so many friends from several countries apart from understanding various cultures. I realised that though there’s diversity among people and cultures, they are emotionally rooted.”

He feels it is imperative that people stay within the system to bring about democratic change. “You have to first be the change you want to see and then apply it to others. This could be in any sphere of life,” he said. He also expressed the view that people management skills are key to excellence. “Work without expecting any rewards; that will lead you to the path of glory,” is his advice.

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