The Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award, the highest honor conferred by India’s President on NRIs across the globe was awarded to Dr. Anwar Khursheed for the year 2025 from Saudi Arabia.
Dr. Anwar Khursheed hails from Gulbarga in Karnataka State of India. He is working for more than 40 years in Saudi Arabia. He has served for three decades at King Faisal Hospital in Taif and nearly a decade as a Royal Protocol physician in Riyadh, was involved in the COVID-19 response, and has overseen critical care operations and medical assistance to Hajj pilgrims.
He has also contributed to education, founding the International Indian School in Taif, and provided guidance on the establishment of other schools for the Indian community in Saudi Arabia.
The Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award celebrates the exceptional contributions of overseas Indians in various fields, including medicine, community service, education.
Dr. Anwar Khursheed is among 27 recipients of this year’s Pravasi Bharatiya Samman, and the only one based in Saudi Arabia. He received the award from President of India Her Excellency, Smt. Droupadi Murmu.
“Dr. Syed Anwar Khursheed is a distinguished physician with 45 years of experience in public health care and is one of the longest-serving physicians in the government sector. Having spent three decades at the King Faisal Hospital, he was a part of the Medical Protocol Department of the Royal Saudi Family for eight years. He also oversaw critical care operations in the Hajj program at Minah and Arafat,” Suhel Ajaz Khan, India’s ambassador to the Kingdom, told the media.
“The Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award to Dr. Syed Anwar Khursheed is a matter of great pride for the Indian diaspora in Saudi Arabia, since it is the highest honor conferred on overseas Indians by the Hon’ble President of India. The award has recognized Dr. Khursheed’s outstanding achievements in the field of medical science and health care, and his long-standing contribution to the welfare of the Indian community in Saudi Arabia. Kalaburgi deputy commissioner and district magistrate Fauziya Tarannum has congratulated Dr Syed Anwar Khursheed for the prestigious award. She said I appreciate your contribution towards education and healthcare, it’s a very proud moment for Kalburgi district.
