This year, 118 people have been awarded the Padma Shri for their contributions to the arts, sciences, and various other fields.
Among these distinguished individuals is Yogi Aeron, an 82-year-old plastic surgeon from Malsi, Dehradun. According to New Indian Express, he has been treating underprivileged people with burnt faces for free for the last 25 years.
On hearing news of the award, he said,
That’s fine but I have thousands of patients in my waiting list. I hope some help will arrive for them too.
Aeron has been running a 2-week camp twice a year since 2006 where patients below the poverty line are treated for disfigured lips, cheeks, nose, and other facial disfigurements.
500 surgeries are done during the camp, which is assisted by 15 other US-based doctors. In order to finance this project, Aeron is helped along by NGOs as well as his friends.
Aeron also owns a 4-acre campus which doubles as both a science park for kids to learn as well as a treatment facility for patients.
With over 10,000 people on his waiting list, Aeron has his work cut out for him. However, with the spotlight that this award will bring to his work, Aeron might find more funds and his patients might have more hope for a speedy process.