Mr Kumeren Govender.UKZN Medical Student on Top Young South Africans Award List
UKZN final year Medical student Mr Kumeren Nadaraj Govender is among 200 leading South Africans under the age of 35 recognised by the Mail & Guardian newspaper.
The newspaper’s list of achievers puts the spotlight on young stars who are shaping the country’s future and showing great potential to make an impact in everyday life.
Govender (23) has received recognition for his first peer-reviewed paper titled: “Clinical Risk Factors for In-Hospital Mortality in Older Adults with HIV Infection”.
He has co-authored a further two peer-reviewed articles and also presented at the 6th South African AIDS Conference.
Other honours include being placed among the Top 5 “intellects” in the International Science Competition in Abuja, Nigeria; receiving a medal from the International Sustainable World Energy, Engineering and Environment Project in Texas; being awarded the Dean’s Commendation at UKZN for every semester from 2012-2017; the Vice-Chancellor’s Scholarship in 2013 and the Golden Key Chapter Award in 2014.
Govender also formed the South African Medical Students Association branch in KwaZulu-Natal at UKZN two years ago to ensure collaboration among medical schools nationally and is the President of the Golden Key Society at UKZN’s Medical School.
He speaks five languages, including Tamil - his mother tongue, and plays the violin among other instruments. He is an academic mentor and tutor and is currently writing an internal medicine guide for students.
Govender is actively involved in the community and co-ordinates numerous charity events and awareness campaigns as well as visiting schools to give interactive health talks.
He plans to continue his studies hoping to specialise in internal medicine and research activities in future. His particular interest is HIV-positive patients over the age of 50 - a growing community with unique risk factors.
Words by: Lihle Sosibo