Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

British-Indian oncoplastic surgeon gets global honour for breast cancer research

S Neeraj Krishna

A GLOBAL non-profit organisation has named a British-Indian oncoplastic surgeon as ‘Outstanding Young Person of the World 2020’ for her research on breast cancer.


The Junior Chamber International (JCI) selected Dr Jajini Varghese, a consultant in oncoplastic breast surgery at Royal Free Hospital and University College London, for the award from among 10 UK nominees under the ‘Medical Innovation’ category.

Every year, JCI honours 10 “incredible leaders and innovators of the future” under the age of 40, after shortlisting nominations from 110 countries, covering various fields such as business, politics, academics, culture, child welfare, world peace, medical innovation, and scientific advancement.

According to the announcement made last week, Dr Varghese Previous will receive a citation and plaque at the JCI annual congress in Japan next month.

Notably, she will join JCI’s hall of fame of past award recipients, including John F. Kennedy, Henry Kissinger, Gerald Ford, Howard Hughes, Nelson Rockefeller, Anthony Robbins, Benigno Aquino, Jackie Chan and Elvis Presley.

Dr Varghese, a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in Plastic Surgery and member of the Royal College of Surgeons, is also on the board of examiners for the MSc in Plastic Surgery at University College London.

After receiving a PhD in ‘Genetics of Breast Cancer’ at the University of Cambridge, the mother of two focused on identifying genes that make women susceptible to the disease.

This led to the discovery of the gene associated with breast cancer -- in collaboration with Harvard University and the Mayo clinic -- which enables early detection, prevention and prophylactic treatment of breast cancer.

“I am only an ordinary individual with an extraordinary urge to succeed and to alleviate suffering,” said Dr Varghese, when asked about her achievements.

Even during the recent Covid-19 pandemic, she did her bit to ensure that her patients did not suffer by setting up a virtual clinic.

“I count myself fortunate to be healthy, to love what I do and to be able to help others,” she said. “Cancer will not defeat. We aim to restore people and lives. I can only search for the answers and heal the external scars but, ultimately, only God can heal the mutilations caused by breast cancer.”

Dr Varghese added that her aim was to restore the quality of life of women who survived breast cancer, focusing on resection and immediate reconstruction using implants and autologous tissue, fat grafting using stem cells and body contouring surgery.

She is also “passionate” about encouraging more women surgeons, and “helping every individual to reach their dreams”. The larger goal, she added, was to making “availability of health care a universal and a basic right”.

Noting the dearth of doctors in rural India, for instance, Dr Varghese was instrumental in setting up scholarships for Indian medical students who, on graduating, will spend up to two years in areas lacking medical care.

Dr Varghese has won several other prizes, including at the Association of Breast Surgery Conference, Manchester, UK Radiology International Congress, Addenbrooke’s Hospital Research Conference, and the Raising Standards Research Conference at QE Hospital, London.

She has also presented her research at Kings College London, University of North Carolina, (US), Duke University (US), BAPRAS London, NIHES, Rotterdam, European Genetics Conference- Amsterdam, The American Thorascic Society, The International Cancer Imaging Congress and The Wellcome Sanger Institute among others.

Dr Varghese’s awards list is not limited do the field of medicine. A trained Indian classical dancer and painter and has won several cultural prizes, too.

More For You

Ahmedabad-air-crash-getty

Relatives carry the coffin of a victim, who was killed in the Air India Flight 171 crash, during a funeral ceremony in Ahmedabad on June 15, 2025. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

Air India crash: 190 victims identified through DNA, 159 bodies handed over

AT LEAST 190 victims of last week's Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad have been identified through DNA tests, and 159 bodies, including 32 foreign nationals, have been handed over to their families, officials said on Wednesday.

The London-bound Air India flight AI-171, carrying 242 passengers and crew members, crashed in Ahmedabad on June 12. All but one on board died, along with nearly 29 people on the ground, when the aircraft struck a medical complex.

Keep ReadingShow less
Modi denies US mediation in India-Pakistan ceasefire

US president Donald Trump and Indian prime minister Narendra Modi meet in the Oval Office at the White House on February 13, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Modi denies US mediation in India-Pakistan ceasefire

INDIA's prime minister Narendra Modi told US president Donald Trump late on Tuesday (17) that a ceasefire between India and Pakistan after a four-day conflict in May was achieved through talks between the two militaries and not US mediation, India's senior-most diplomat said.

Trump had said last month that the south Asian neighbours agreed to a ceasefire after talks mediated by the US, and that the hostilities ended after he urged the countries to focus on trade instead of war.

Keep ReadingShow less
Abortion-law-uk-getty

Protesters from pro-choice group 'abortion rights' gather near parliament, where MPs were voting on the decriminalisation of abortion on June 17, 2025 in London. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

MPs vote to end prosecution of women for abortion in England and Wales

UK MPs have voted in favour of ending the prosecution of women in England and Wales for ending their own pregnancies, marking a significant step towards changing how abortion laws are applied.

Under current laws, women can face criminal charges if they terminate a pregnancy after 24 weeks or without the approval of two doctors. These laws still carry a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

Keep ReadingShow less
Asian Green politician claims party purges gender-critical voices

Dr Pallavi Devulapalli (Photo: X/@doctorpallavi)

Asian Green politician claims party purges gender-critical voices

A FORMER Green Party health spokesperson has accused the party of shifting away from its core values and trying to silence members with gender-critical views.

Dr Pallavi Devulapalli, a general practitioner and local councillor in King’s Lynn and West Norfolk, was expelled from the Green Party this month. She claimed her removal was linked to her views on transgender rights, not to a rule violation as stated by the party. “They didn’t come out and say it was about gender. So they expelled me on a technicality,” she was quoted as saying.

Keep ReadingShow less
Sadiq Khan pushes ahead with Oxford Street pedestrian plan
Sadiq Khan
Sadiq Khan

Sadiq Khan pushes ahead with Oxford Street pedestrian plan

LONDON mayor Sadiq Khan has confirmed that Oxford Street will be pedestrianised “as quickly as possible” following strong backing in a public consultation. The move comes as part of wider efforts to revive the West End’s shopping appeal.

The consultation, which gathered over 6,600 responses from businesses, residents and organisations, showed two-thirds support for the mayor’s proposal to ban most traffic from a 0.7-mile stretch of Oxford Street, the Guardian reported. The plan includes space for outdoor cafés, events and improved public areas.

Keep ReadingShow less