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Dr Devi Prasad Shetty the founder and chairman of Narayana Health received the French honour of Chevalier de l’Ordre national du Mérite (Knight of the National Order of Merit) on 5 November 2026 in recognition of his support to the French Consulate and French community during the pandemic. Shetty and his company provided vaccinations and logistical support to help the community receive healthcare. The award is one of the highest orders of France, outranked only by the Legion of Honour.

France Honours Dr Devi Shetty for Support During the Pandemic

The award was presented to Dr Shetty by Marc Lamy, the Consul General of France in Bengaluru at an event hosted by the Consulate General of France in Bengaluru on 5 November 2026.

The award recognised his service during the pandemic when healthcare was disrupted. Narayana Health provided support to the French Consulate and community by,

• Providing vaccinations to members of the French community
• Providing logistical support
• Providing healthcare during the pandemic.

The French Consulate said his services are an example of cooperation and solidarity between the countries.

What is the National Order of Merit?

The National Order of Merit is the second highest order in France, after the Legion of Honour.

It was set up by the president of France Charles de Gaulle on 3 December 1963 to reward outstanding contributions made within the public sector, civilian/military, and personal professional sectors.

Both citizens of France and foreigners can receive the award for their contributions. It is run under the authority of the President of France.

There are five ranks within the order,

Dr Devi Shetty has been awarded the rank of Knight (Chevalier).

Who is Dr Devi Prasad Shetty?

Dr Devi Prasad Shetty is an Indian cardiac surgeon, health entrepreneur, and philanthropist, who is well-known for his work providing affordable specialist care.

Dr Shetty is the founder and chairman of one of the largest hospital networks in India — Narayana Health. The company was created to help make specialist healthcare more accessible and affordable.

His approach to healthcare is to provide high volumes of patients, efficient medical procedures, and economies of scale. This helps to make specialist care, such as cardiac surgery more affordable.

Education & Career

Dr Shetty graduated with an MBBS from the University of Mysore in 1978, and a master’s in surgery in 1982. He then went to the UK to undertake specialist training in cardiac surgery, and received his Fellowship from the Royal College of Surgeons of England.

Upon his return to India, he worked at the B.M. Birla Heart Research Centre in Kolkata. In 2000 he set up Narayana Hrudayalaya in Bengaluru, which has since become the Narayana Health network.

Contributions to Affordable Healthcare in India

Dr Shetty has contributed to many aspects of healthcare in India.

Some key contributions include,

• Narayana Health – In 2000, he set up Narayana Hrudayalaya in Bengaluru to provide affordable specialist healthcare.
• Yeshasvini Scheme – He pioneered a micro-insurance scheme in Karnataka with the state government to increase access to medical care for rural farmers.
• Telemedicine – He has encouraged the use of telemedicine to provide specialist cardiac care in remote areas.
• Affordable Cardiac Care – He developed a high volume, efficient healthcare model that uses economies of scale.