'Officer of the Order of Canada' go to Indian origin scientist

by D.S.Rajput | January 1, 2010 at 08:59 pm

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New Delhi: Indian origin scientist Shrawan Kumar has been awarded the 'Officer of the Order of Canada', country's top civilian honour for his pioneering research on workplace and spinal injuries. He is among 57 Canadians chosen annually from diverse fields like arts, education, music, politics, public service and health.
Born in Allahabad, Shrawan Kumar joined the faculty at the University of Alberta 30 years ago.
Born in Allahabad, Kumar is an alumnus of Allahabad University where he did his masters in zoology. After his higher studies in Britain, he worked from 1971 to 1973 at the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences where he set up the first biomechanics laboratory. Before landing in Canada in 1974, he was an assistant director at the Central Labour Institute in Mumbai. Kumar is among 57 prominent Canadians who have been given the nation's highest civilian award for their excellence in various fields. Bestowing the highest Canadian award on Kumar, Governor General Michaelle Jean said he has been honoured for 'his contributions to the field of rehabilitation ergonomics, in Canada and abroad, notably in his research and teachings on the causation, prevention and treatment of musculo-skeletal injuries'. Kumar, who joined the faculty at the University of Alberta in Edmonton in 1977, has done path-breaking research, published and taught on ergonomics, occupational health and lower back pain for three decades. He retired from the Canadian university two years ago and moved to Fort Worth in Texas to join the faculty at the University of North Texas.

The Order of Canada was established in 1967 to mark the centenary of the formation of the Canadian Confederation. Over the last 40 years, more than 5,000 people, including many Indian-Canadians, have been given this honour. Recipients will be formally given the honour at a special ceremony in Ottawa later.

'I feel honoured as well as humbled by the award. It is Canada's highest honour...the feeling has not yet sunk in,' Kumar told IANS on phone from Texas. 'I am an inter-disciplinary scientist and my research covers various disciplines from engineering to medicine to biology. My work involves orthopaedic research, occupational health, rehabilitation health etc,' he said. Kumar said he was looking forward to his February visit to India where he is to deliver talks at the Lucknow Medical College and the Defence Institute of Physiology and Applied Sciences in Delhi.

New appointments to the Order of Canada were announced yesterday by Governor-General Michaëlle Jean. The award recognizes lifetime achievement, dedication to community, and service to the nation. Since its creation in 1967, more than 5,000 people have been named to the order. Officers Michael J. Audain: contributions to visual arts, volunteerism and philanthropy

Clark Blaise: author, essayist and teacher

Pierre Boivin: entrepreneur, current president of the Montreal Canadiens

Paul Georges Buissonneau: director of the La Roulotte and Quat'Sous theatres.

Mel Cappe: former deputy minister, clerk of the Privy Council and secretary to the cabinet.

Burton Cummings: musician, fundraiser

Clémence DesRochers: comedian, entertainer, volunteer

Gary Filmon: former Manitoba premier

John F. Hamm: former premier of Nova Scotia

Peter Hinton: director, playwright, teacher and theatre administrator

Yves Jacques: comedian

Philippe Kirsch: president of the International Criminal Court in The Hague

Shrawan Kumar: researcher on musculoskeletal injuries

Mario Lemieux: hockey player and charity organizer

Jonathan Lomas: health researcher

Alexa McDonough: former NDP leader

Pierre Nadeau: journalist

James Orbinski: Médecins sans frontières president

Gordon W. Perkin: co-founder of the Program for Appropriate Technology in Health and head of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation's global health program

Bruce Phillips: journalist, former privacy commissioner of Canada

Guylène Proulx: for contributions to fire safety research with the National Research Council of Canada

Ivan Reitman: film director and producer

Carol L. Richards: for contributions to physiotherapy

Carol Stephenson: for contributions to the telecommunications industry and business school education

Neil Young: musician, supporter of educational and charitable organizations.

Members

Murray Angus: for building awareness and respect for Canada's native people

Jean Augustine: educator and politician

Elsie Charles Basque: educator, advocate for seniors and aboriginal peoples in Nova Scotia and the United States

Émile Bouchard: Montreal Canadiens captain, 1948-56

Tantoo Cardinal: screen and stage actress

Joan F. Clark: author and arts activist

Renée Claude: singer

Calixte Duguay: writer, composer and singer

Janet C. Gardiner: executive and volunteer

Judy Gingell: first aboriginal appointed commissioner of Yukon

Joan Glode: work on the social welfare of aboriginal families in Nova Scotia

John C. Godel: contributions to pediatric health care in remote northern communities and abroad

S. Larry Goldenberg: prostate cancer researcher

Bernard S. Goldman: cardiac surgeon

Patrick J. Gullane: head and neck surgeon

Dan S. Hanganu: architect and teacher

Jean-Claude Labrecque: film director and director of photography

Louise Lévesque: researcher in geronto-geriatrics

Jeffrey C. Lozon: health care management

Margaret Lyons: broadcaster and volunteer

Patricia Parr: pianist

David K. Pecaut (deceased): civic leader and volunteer

David Adams Richards: author and screenwriter

Bruce Sanford: geologist

Roméo Savoie: painter, sculptor, architect and author

Joseph A. Sealy: actor, musician and composer

Robert W. Slater: federal public servant

Raoul Sosa: pianist, conductor and professor

John Stanton: founder of the Running Room, supporter of charitable groups

Wayne Strongman: founding artistic director of Tapestry New Opera Works, long-time volunteer choral director for the Regent Park School of Music

Réjean Thomas: prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted infections and HIV-AIDS