Prof. M. Ashraf Ganie honoured with National award for excellence in Medical Research

RK Online Desk
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24 Apr 2026

Srinagar, April 24, 2026: Prof. M. Ashraf Ganie, Director of SKIMS and Ex-Officio Secretary to the Government, has been awarded the prestigious “Recognition of Academic Excellence (RAE)” by the National Academy of Medical Sciences (NAMS). The award acknowledges outstanding contributions in medical science, research, and academic leadership.

Prof. Ganie received the Achanta Lakshmipathi RAE 2026 in the field of Maternal and Child Health, Women’s Health, and Community Nutrition. The recognition highlights his work in endocrinology and metabolic disorders, particularly his research on Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and related non-communicable diseases.

As part of the award ceremony, Prof. Ganie delivered the National Recognition and Foundation Day Oration at the 66th Foundation Day of NAMS in New Delhi on April 21, 2026. His lecture, titled “PCOS as a Central Driver of NCDs Epidemic in India,” focused on the growing burden of metabolic diseases among women and their long-term health impact. The session was attended by senior medical experts, including Dr. K. K. Talwar, Dr. N. K. Ganguly, and Dr. Sanjeev Sinha.

The award was presented by Dr. P. K. Mishra, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister of India, and included a citation plaque and a gold medal.

Prof. Ganie also served as the National Chief Coordinator for the ICMR PCOS Task Force Study. The multi-centre study, supported by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), involved 18 centres across the country and generated one of India’s largest datasets on PCOS.

Published in JAMA Network Open, the study found a strong association between PCOS and increased risk of diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular disease. It also highlighted that PCOS in mothers may contribute to early onset of non-communicable diseases in their children, including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, coronary artery disease, and fatty liver disease.

Researchers say the findings may help improve early diagnosis and support the development of better risk prediction tools, including AI-based models, for Indian women.

In addition to his clinical and academic work, Prof. Ganie leads the M.P.-PCOS Society as its President, working to build a national database by integrating metabolic health data from multiple sources.

Under his leadership, SKIMS recently hosted the 6th Annual International Conference of the M.P.-PCOS Society (MOOD-2026) in Srinagar, bringing together experts in reproductive and metabolic health from across the world.

Prof. Ganie has earlier received more than 25 national and international awards and has published over 255 research papers in reputed medical journals.

SKIMS said the recognition reflects both his individual contribution and the institution’s ongoing focus on medical research, advanced care, and academic excellence.