Dr. Pravat Kumar Dash
Born on 30 August 1955 in Kahal, Puri, Odisha — a small village in one of India's most spiritually rich districts — Dr. Pravat Kumar Dash chose medicine not as a career, but as a calling.
He completed his DM in Cardiology from the prestigious SCB Medical College, Cuttack under Utkal University in 1990 — the highest postgraduate qualification in his field. From that year forward, he has not paused. Over three and a half decades, he has practiced cardiology in its fullest possible sense: clinical, interventional, pediatric, electrophysiological, and vascular — a combination that places him in a very rare category of physicians in India.
What distinguishes Dr. Dash from his peers is not merely technical mastery, but the values he brings to every consultation. Patients from the most remote corners of Odisha — and from West Bengal, Sikkim, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh — travel specifically to receive his care. They do so because they trust him, and because he treats every patient — regardless of their economic status — as he would treat a family member.
"Each patient is treated optimally as per cardiology guidelines with less expenses. Each one gets equal attention and importance. The work flow goes relentlessly till the last patient is seen."— Dr. Pravat Kumar Dash, Padma Shri Nomination
A teacher as much as a clinician, he has shaped the careers of five DNB Cardiology gold medalists during his tenure at SSSIHMS Bangalore. As Director of Cardiology & CTVS at PGIMER and Capital Hospital, Bhubaneswar — a government institution serving millions — he continues to build systems, mentor doctors, and extend his reach to underserved communities through free cardiac camps and government screening programmes.