Suresh Hanagavadi
A pathologist with severe haemophilia who founded the Karnataka Hemophilia Society, which gives free care, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2026.
Suresh Hanagavadi has severe haemophilia B, and has spent his life building care for others with bleeding disorders. In 2026 he was named for the Padma Shri in the field of medicine, from Karnataka [1].
A doctor with haemophilia
Hanagavadi was born on 1 November 1963 [2]. He studied medicine at JJM Medical College, Davanagere, and took an MD in pathology at the Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences, Hubballi [2]. He went on to be professor of pathology at JJM Medical College, working in blood banking and transfusion safety [2]. The death of an uncle from an untreated bleed had shaped his resolve early [2].
Karnataka Hemophilia Society
In 1990 he founded the Karnataka Hemophilia Society in Davanagere [2]. It grew into a comprehensive care centre offering diagnosis, outpatient and inpatient care, transfusions, physiotherapy including hydrotherapy, counselling and home visits, all free of charge [2]. Through the World Federation of Hemophilia’s twinning programme it worked with hospitals in the US and UK, and won a twinning award in 2014 [2]. The singer S. P. Balasubrahmanyam gave free concerts to raise money for it for 21 years [2].
His advocacy led Karnataka to become the first state to give free clotting factor treatment through government district hospitals, a step later copied across India [2]. He was president of the Hemophilia Federation India from 2004 to 2010 [2].
He received the national Shresth Divyangjan award in 2024 [2].
Sources
- [1] Padma Awards 2026: list of awardees — Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. Accessed 11 October 2026.
- [2] Padma Awards 2026 investiture ceremony brochure: citation for Suresh Hanagavadi — Press Information Bureau, Government of India. Accessed 12 October 2026.
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