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Guyana born Dr. Davendra Sharma makes Queen’s 2015 birthday honours list
He was a part of the class of 1980 at Queen’s College, a group that can be considered one of the greatest classes of Guyana’s premier secondary institution.
Most of the class now resides outside of Guyana, spreading the image of Queen’s College like their illustrious predecessors.
But few of them have made it to the Queen’s honours list. Some like Sir Shridath Ramphal and Sir Lionel Lukhoo readily come to mind.
But this year, another QC boy was recognized by Queen Elizabeth II for his outstanding contribution to the motherland and the world as a whole.
Davendra Sharma, OBE MB BCh BAO MSc FRCS (Urol) RAF R’td, was born in Georgetown, Guyana in August of 1969. His was educated at Stella Maris and Queen’s College. He left to pursue further studies in the British Isles in 1985. Initially based in the South East of England, he moved to Ireland, the native land of his mother, in 1990 to study medicine. He returned to the Caribbean in 1996 to train in surgery under the tutelage of Professor Vijay Narinesingh in Port of Spain, Trinidad. He then moved back to the United Kingdom to complete his postgraduate surgical studies and in the process joined the Royal Air Forces Medical Services.
Davendra M Sharma, (third left) celebrates the achievement in England with his old QC pals (from left) Demarus Farinha, Kwesi Nero, Owen Fraser, Andy Ninvalle and Neville Munroe
He was to spend 15 years in the RAF, serving in Northern Ireland, Cyprus, Oman and Afghanistan. His most significant contribution was spearheading the urological management of severely injured servicemen returning from Afghanistan. As a result of this ground breaking work, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2015 Birthday Honours List.
On recent retirement from the RAF, he was appointed a Consultant Urological Surgeon at St. George’s Hospital, London where his work with chronic disability continues. His special interests include trauma to the genitourinary system, urethral strictures, urinary problems due to neurological conditions and penile cancer.
He is an elected member of the European Association of Urology Trauma Guideline Panel and lectures on numerous trauma related courses both nationally and internationally. His research interests, primarily trauma related, include projects at the Royal British Legion Centre for Blast Injury Studies, Imperial College London. He has over 20 peer reviewed publications and book chapters.
Davendra has always enjoyed life outside work and particularly sport. As a boy growing up in Guyana, he was most happy on the cricket fields, swimming pools and tennis courts or escaping to watch championship games with his fellow sporting enthusiast, Dale Andrews. He later represented his University at both cricket and boxing. He is now a level two LTA certified tennis coach. His keenest (but not easiest!) pupils are his three young daughters.
Contact with his land of birth remains strong. Both parents still reside in Georgetown and are huge personal inspirations. His father, Deen Sharma, is a highly respected Caribbean surgeon who pioneered the surgical specialty of Urology. His closest childhood friend, Glenn Hanoman, is a leading lawyer and critic. He remains in close contact with many of his QC pals in Europe and North America including Andy Ninvalle, Kwesi Nero, Suresh Bisnauth, Roderick Allsopp, Bediaco George, Owen Fraser, Demarus Farinha and Neville Monroe. Stuart Hughes is godfather to his second daughter.
He remains saddened by the early passing of his sister, Vijay, and his QC friend, Earl Lambert. He and his English wife, Helen, often reflect and marvel at the achievements of his school friends. Despite the troubled times of the 1980’s, it was a truly special place to be.
Doctor Sharma will receive his award at a special ceremony in October.
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