(16 March 2010)

A pioneer of emergency medical care who taught at the University of Leicester has been honoured at an international ceremony for his distinguished services to medicine. Dr Gautam Bodiwala, honorary graduate, former member of Council, clinical teacher and examiner at the University of Leicester, has been awarded the title 'Distinguished Non Resident Indian’ Award from the Vishwa Gujarati Parishad (Global Gujarati Conference). Shri Morari Bapu presented award to Dr Gautam Bodiwala. More than 1,000 Gujarati delegates from 20 countries attended the event.

Dr Bodiwala, from Oadby in Leicestershire, said: “I was truly surprised, honoured and humbled to receive this award from the hands of Shri Morari Bapu.” Dr Bodiwala is the founder and first elected President of the International Federation for Emergency Medicine. It aims to bring together nations where emergency medicine is a developed specialty and those wishing to develop emergency care. Its membership has grown from eight to more than forty national organisations since he became president.

Dr Bodiwala has helped to establish emergency care worldwide, including in India, Hong Kong, Singapore, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa and Bulgaria. He was the first consultant appointed in 1977 to the Leicester Royal Infirmary as a specialist in developing emergency care. He remained Head of the Department there for 25 years until his retirement, contributing to the development of emergency care training for doctors, nurses and paramedics. In honour of his work, the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust named the department “Gautam Bodiwala Emergency Department” in 2005. This is the only emergency department in the world named after someone.