Australia Day Honours: Dr Sujon Kumar Purkayastha, OAM

Sydney’s Dr SUJON KUMAR PURKAYASTHA is awarded OAM for service to medicine as an obstetrician and gynaecologist
Order of Australia Medal (OAM) recipient, Dr Sujon Kumar Purkayastha’s 40-year stint as an obstetrician and gynaecologist has been demanding and rewarding in equal measure.
“It’s those sacrifices that make receiving this award so satisfying. It means more than what I could adequately express to everyone who has been part of my life, none more so than my wife Aruna, son Shimanto and daughter-in-law Shivangi,” he told Indian Link.

“I am proud, humbled and honoured to be a recipient of OAM. It’s an incredible feeling to be recognised for contribution to their community and country at large. I have lived here for 42 years and three generations of my family are blessed to call this wonderful and beautiful country home. The OAM is a testament to the fact that Australia recognises dedication and honesty,” he added.
Serving the rural communities of Hunter and Goulburn in both public and private settings, the Shillong-born medical professional, who was trained in India, Australia and the UK, was warmly welcomed by the people of Australia when he first arrived in seventies. He reciprocated by making “a concerted and conscious effort to return to the community, especially in terms of participation and consideration”. Honesty, commitment and dedication have been the cornerstones of his successful medical practice.
He is grateful to the people of Goulburn as well as colleagues and staff at Goulburn Base Hospital for giving him an opportunity to serve them and more importantly for the friendship, fostering a deep sense of belonging. “And of course, all my patients that I had the pleasure of getting to know over the many years I spent in that wonderful part of Australia. Many have expressed pride and happiness and I am glad they can enjoy the award with me,” he continued.
Looking after the individual needs of every patient entrusted to his care to the very best of his ability has been the key dictum of his professional journey. “It is doubly important that we contribute to the betterment of our country so our grandchildren are the beneficiaries of our efforts,” he concluded.
Dr Purkayastha retired from full time work in 2017 to enjoy the company of his granddaughter Shanaya. He is therefore particularly delighted to share this happiness with her in the years to come.