France makes Dr Devi Shetty a Knight of the National Order of Merit

9 November 2026 · English Awards, Appointments & Persons

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Current affairs of 9 November 2026 (Shanmugam IAS Academy) – explained for UPSC, TNPSC and other competitive exams

News

Cardiac surgeon Dr Devi Prasad Shetty, founder and chairman of Narayana Health, was made a Chevalier de l'Ordre national du Mérite (Knight of the National Order of Merit) by France. The Consulate General of France in Bengaluru conferred it at a ceremony on 5 November 2026; Consul General Marc Lamy praised his generosity and support. He was recognised for helping the French community in Bengaluru during the Covid-19 pandemic with vaccination drives and logistical support. The order is one of France's two national orders and ranks second only to the Legion of Honour. 'It was a difficult time for everyone, and standing together and helping one another was what mattered most,' Shetty said. Note: the honour is the National Order of Merit, not the Legion of Honour.

Key facts for the exam

Background

• Dr Devi Shetty was born on 8 May 1953 at Kinnigoli in Dakshina Kannada, Karnataka; he studied at Kasturba Medical College, Mangaluru, and earned the FRCS in England. He operated on Mother Teresa after her heart attack in Kolkata and later served as her personal physician. In 2001 he founded Narayana Hrudayalaya at Bommasandra, Bengaluru – today's Narayana Health group – known worldwide for its high-volume, low-cost cardiac surgery model.
• Yeshasvini: Shetty designed, with the Karnataka government, this low-cost health-insurance scheme for poor farmers who are members of cooperatives. Covering major surgery for a small premium, it is seen as a forerunner of later government health-insurance schemes.
• French honours: the Legion of Honour, founded by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802, is France's highest award. The National Order of Merit, created by Charles de Gaulle on 3 December 1963, is the second national order; it replaced several smaller ministerial orders and is given to French citizens and foreigners for civil or military service. For arts and literature, France's Culture Ministry awards the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.
• Science link – the heart: the human heart has four chambers – two atria above and two ventricles below. The left ventricle pumps oxygen-rich blood from the lungs through the aorta to the whole body, so its wall is the thickest. Shetty specialises in coronary bypass (CABG) surgery for blocked heart arteries and in surgery for congenital heart defects.

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Sources: ThePrint (PTI); Outlook India; Deccan Chronicle (2016). Compiled by Shanmugam IAS Academy.

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