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Indian Endodontic Society presented its highest award IES Medal of Honor for the year 2025 to Dr. N. Rajeeva Shetty, a pioneer of Indian endodontics. He has the honour of being the first ever endodontist from Karnataka. The IES Medal of Honor was presented to Dr. N. Rajeeva Shetty by Goa’s Health Minister Vishwajit Rane and Dr. M.R Srinivasan, President, IES, during the inaugural ceremony of IES National Congress in Goa on November 1. The medal was handed over to Dr. Ashish Shetty, son of Dr. N. Rajeeva Shetty. Dr. N. Rajeeva Shetty, an eminent teacher, is a former principal and HOD of Government Dental College, Bengaluru. He was the first Indian dentist to be made Director of Medical Education (DME) by a State Government in India. Born on April 25, 1933, Dr N. Rajeev Shetty hails from Mangaluru in coastal Karnataka. He graduated from Madras University in 1957 and joined as a lecturer in the newly-established Government Dental College (GDC), Bengaluru. He secured his Master’s degree in Operative Dentistry from Bombay University. He did his special certificate program in endodontics and paediatric dentistry from University of Pennsylvania, USA. He specialises in root canal treatment. He was responsible for establishing, nurturing and developing the first Department of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics in Karnataka at GDC, Bengaluru. He super-annuated in 1991 from government service. In recognition of his services, in 2015, the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Karnataka conferred upon him an honorary doctorate - Honoris Causa - Doctor of Science. He was honoured with the Rajyotsava Award in the year 2005 by the government of Karnataka — one of the State’s highest civilian recognitions — in recognition of his decades of dedicated service, excellence, and contribution to his field.
