Jayalalithaa congratulates Dr V Shanta on being conferred Padma Vibushan

CHENNAI: Congratulating eminent cancer specialist Dr V Shanta for being chosen for the prestigious Padma Vibushan, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa today said it recognised her "dedicated and selfless service."

"This richly deserved award appropriately recognises the decades of dedicated and selfless service that you have rendered to the cause of preventing and curing cancer," the Chief Minister said in a letter to Shanta, Chairperson of the Adyar Cancer Institute.

Several lakhs of patients and their families had benefited from Shanta's service, Jayalalithaa said in the letter, which was released by the government.

"Above all, you have been an institution builder, making the Cancer Institute in Chennai a nationally recognised organisation," Jayalalithaa said, adding that Dr Shanta had done the state proud.

"It is a matter of great happiness that the state government's recommendation to confer the Padma Vibhushan on you has been accepted by the Government of India," she added.