Sat Jan 25 22:15:43 IST 2025: ## Eminent Cardiothoracic Surgeon Dr. Jose Chacko Periapuram Awarded Padma Bhushan
**KOCHI, January 25, 2025** – Renowned cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Jose Chacko Periapuram has been awarded the Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian award, for his distinguished service. Dr. Periapuram, Head of the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the Lisie Heart Institute in Kochi, expressed his surprise and gratitude, dedicating the honor to the people of Kerala and India.
With over 35 years of experience, Dr. Periapuram is credited with performing Kerala’s first successful heart transplant and India’s first heart retransplant. He has also been instrumental in establishing the ‘Beating Heart Bypass’ programme and ‘Arterial Bypass’ project in Kerala. He cited Kerala’s exceptional healthcare system as a key factor in his success and chose to remain in the state despite opportunities abroad. Dr. Periapuram, also an acclaimed medical author, previously received the Padma Shri in 2011. He expressed his thanks to the doctors, nurses, and healthcare staff who supported him throughout his career.
First Piper 