By Amit Sarwal and Jitarth Jai Bharadwaj
Dr Shailja CHATURVEDI has been awarded OAM of the Order of Australia in the General Division for service to medicine, and to the community.
Dr Shailja Chaturvedi founded the first private psychiatric practice in Penrith in 1982 and at present is the Founder of ChildCan Cancer Foundation (India). She is a past President of the Australian Indian Medical Graduate Association (AIMGA) and has also served as a part-time member of the New South Wales (NSW) Mental Health Review Tribunal for well over 25 years, until 2016.
As an Executive Committee Member of the Global Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (GAPIO), and through her involvement in the educational activities of undergraduates and local general practitioners, Dr Chaturvedi continues to contribute to her profession. She is also the author of Reflections of a Psychiatrist (2021) and Raising a Child (2019).
On 26 January, Governor-General David John Hurley, AC, DSC, FTSE, announced 2023 Australia Day Honours and Awards for 1047 Australians. This includes awards in the Order of Australia (General and Military Divisions), meritorious awards and recognition for distinguished and conspicuous service.
On this occasion, Governor-General Hurley awarded 736 recipients of awards in the General Division of the Order of Australia (6 AC, 47 AO, 177 AM and 506 OAM). He said:
“Congratulations to the outstanding Australians recognised in today’s Honours List. The recipients have had a significant impact at the local, national and international level and are, quite simply, inspiring.”
There are 736 awards in the General Division of the Order of Australia, with 48 per cent for women and 45 per cent for service to local communities. With 354 awards, this is the highest percentage of female Order of Australia recipients in an honours list since the introduction of the Australian honours system in 1975.
