Former AMC HoD Dr Peda Veerraju selected for NTRUHS Best Medical Award

Former Professor and Head of the Department of Gastroenterology at Andhra Medical College (AMC), Dr E. Peda Veerraju, has been selected for the prestigious Dr NTR University of Health Sciences Best Medical Award for his outstanding contributions to medicine and medical education.

The award will be presented during the National Doctors’ Day celebrations at the university campus in Vijayawada on July 1. This year, the university has selected 10 doctors from across Andhra Pradesh for the honour.

A native of Vakathippa village in East Godavari district, Dr Veerraju completed his MBBS and MD in General Medicine from Andhra Medical College before obtaining a diploma in Gastroenterology from Osmania University. Joining AMC as an Assistant Professor in 1983, he went on to play a pioneering role in establishing the Department of Gastroenterology at King George Hospital in 1988. During his career, he served as Professor, Head of the Department, and Vice-Principal of AMC before taking voluntary retirement in 2008.

He also contributed to the advancement of gastroenterology by organising several national and international conferences in Visakhapatnam.

Beyond medicine, Dr Veerraju is an ardent promoter of the Telugu language and literature. He has authored several poems and launched the YouTube channel Telugu Raada to encourage younger generations to learn and use Telugu.

“To promote our native language among the younger generation, I started the YouTube channel Telugu Raada. Through this platform, I seek to encourage people of all age groups to learn and use Telugu,” he said.

A committed philanthropist, Dr Veerraju donated ₹5 lakh for the construction of a community hall in his native village. As a distinguished alumnus of Andhra Medical College, he has also continued to support the institution’s infrastructure development and academic initiatives.