ORTHOPAEDIC surgeon Kodali Prasad has been presented with six awards on a New Year trip to India.

The honours include the prestigious Sword of Honour, presented by the NRI Society of India to select individuals.

These decorations are the latest for the award-winning staff grade orthopaedic surgeon at Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr Tydfil, who last year attended numerous prize-giving ceremonies in India, Thailand and London.

Dr Prasad dedicated the awards to the memory of his mother Kodali Jagadamba and father Kodali Venkateswara Rao.

He added: “It is a great honour to play a small part in the re-emergence of the image of India and I am very pleased to contribute to the positive image of Prince Charles Hospital on the world stage.

“These award ceremonies are also an opportunity to contribute to the progress of trauma and orthopaedic surgery and are an inspiration for future achievements in this exciting field.”

Dr Prasad collected the Sword of Honour at the ceremony on the eve of India’s Republic Day at a congress in New Delhi in January.

He had earlier been presented with the Hind Rattan and the Jewel of India by the India International Friendship Society in New Delhi.

Dr Prasad also accepted three awards – the Bharat Seva Ratna, the Viswa Seva Ratna and the Seva Chakra – from the All India Economy Survey Award Council. They were presented by MP Baishnab Charan Parida and the Parliamentary Secretary to the chief Minister of Delhi Parwinder Singh Marawaha.