Two Mumbai Doctors To Receive Nishan-e-Imtiaz

Pakistan has proposed two Mumbai-based Parsi doctors for the Nishan-e-Imtiaz, which is the country’s highest civilian award. The proposed honourees are Dr. Jal Ratanji Patel, a physician, and Dr. Jal Dhaybho-Koo, a radiologist, both linked to Bombay in 1946.

Nishan-e-Imtiaz

The Nishan-e-Imtiaz is Pakistan’s highest civilian honour and is awarded for distinguished service in fields such as public service, literature, arts, sports, and science. It is one of the major state honours of Pakistan and is presented by the President of Pakistan at formal investiture ceremonies.

Muhammad Ali Jinnah and the 1946 Diagnosis

The doctors are associated with the medical examination of Muhammad Ali Jinnah in Bombay in 1946. Historical accounts state that they examined his X-rays and concluded that he had terminal tuberculosis and a life expectancy of one to two years.

Confidentiality and Historical Context

The medical confidentiality maintained by the doctors became part of the historical narrative around Jinnah’s illness. The account is cited in the book Freedom at Midnight by Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre, which covers the final years of British rule in India and the Partition of 1947.

Important Facts for Exams

• The Nishan-e-Imtiaz is Pakistan’s highest civilian award.
• Muhammad Ali Jinnah was the founder of Pakistan and died in 1948.
• Partition of India took place in August 1947.
• Bombay was the colonial-era name of present-day Mumbai.

Presentation of the Award

The proposed civilian honours are scheduled for formal presentation at a presidential investiture ceremony on Pakistan Day in March 2027. Pakistan Day is observed on 23 March each year and marks the Lahore Resolution of 1940.