Indian-origin Queensland surgeon, who studied under streetlight, receives King's Birthday Honour

Awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for his contributions to plastic and reconstructive surgery, Dr Dilipkumar Gahankari has combined a distinguished medical career with more than two decades of humanitarian service. From providing free surgeries to tribal communities in India's Melghat region, a place by his own account is "hard to find on map," to responding to major disasters and emergencies in Australia and Asia, he reflects on the experiences that shaped his commitment to service and the impact of healthcare beyond the operating theatre.