Two of South Africa’s internationally-recognised, Indian-origin scientists were among the 38 people awarded the country’s highest civilian awards in recognition of their outstanding contributions toward public health.Professor Salim Abdool Karim and Professor Keertan Dheda, were formally awarded the prestigious Order of Mapungubwe by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday at Pretoria.This specific order recognises South African citizens who have achieved excellence and exceptional accomplishment to the direct benefit of South Africa and the global community.The citation for Karim, who was awarded the Order of Mapungubwe in Gold, honours his monumental contributions to medical science and public health, particularly his groundbreaking research into HIV/Aids and tuberculosis (TB) epidemiology, and his exceptional leadership in national health policy development.The Chancellor of the National Orders specifically commended his “tireless leadership and swift response during the Covid-19 pandemic,” which anchored South Africa’s early response in rigorous, data-driven science.As the Director of the Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA) and a professor at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Abdool Karim’s work bridges the gap between laboratory benches and community clinics, it said.Though he was unable to accept the award in person, Karim expressed deep humility regarding the state honour, declaring it to be due jointly to the team members and even the patients in the studies.The citation for Dheda, who was conferred the Order of Mapungubwe in Silver, honours his pioneering scientific research in pulmonology, which has revolutionised the clinical and public health management of tuberculosis and drug-resistant respiratory infections.The Presidency recognised Dheda as “an acclaimed international expert whose combination of cutting-edge research and clinical prowess has produced numerous scientific breakthroughs and shaped public health policy in many countries.”Based at the University of Cape Town (UCT), Dheda holds the DSTI-NRF Research Chair in Interrupting Antimicrobial Resistance Amplification and also heads the Division of Pulmonology and the Respiratory Service at the historic Groote Schuur Hospital and directs the Centre for Lung Infection and Immunity at the UCT Lung Institute.After he received the award, Dheda said that the award acts as a powerful catalyst for future grassroots innovation and that the National Order “inspires me to continue working on TB diagnostic innovation in local communities. Science is shaped by teams, partnerships, and patients, and I accept this as a figurehead of our collective effort to bring health equity to high-burden regions.”President Ramaphosa said: “The achievements of all our recipients this year speak to our country’s growing international standing as a global centre of scientific and medical best practice.”