Patna: A faculty member of AIIMS Patna has been honoured with a national award for his contributions to public health and community medicine. Dr Santosh Kumar Nirala, associate professor in the department of community and family medicine, has received the Presidential Appreciation Award 2026 (Faculty Category) from the Indian Association of Preventive and Social Medicine (IAPSM).
The award was presented during IAPSMCON 2026, the organisation’s flagship national conference held at the NAMO Medical Education and Research Institute in Silvassa, located in the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu. Dr Ashok Kumar Bhardwaj, president of IAPSM, conferred the honour in recognition of Dr Nirala’s dedication to academic leadership and his contributions to the field of community medicine.
Officials at AIIMS Patna congratulated Dr Nirala on the achievement, describing it as a reflection of the institute’s commitment to promoting research and innovation in public health. The institute’s executive director said the recognition highlights the importance of strengthening preventive healthcare and advancing community-oriented medical education.
Dr Nirala has been actively involved in research, training programmes and public health initiatives aimed at improving awareness and preventive practices at the community level. His work has focused on bridging the gap between medical knowledge and the healthcare needs of communities through education, field engagement and academic collaboration.
Faculty members at AIIMS Patna regularly participate in continuing medical education programmes, workshops, research collaborations and community-based learning initiatives. Such efforts, the institute said, contribute to strengthening healthcare services and enhancing professional excellence in the field of public health.
