When Canada speaks about attracting top “brains” and “scientists” under its refashioned immigration and talent programs, it often points to individuals such as thoracic surgeon Shaf Keshavjee, inventor and electrical engineer Praveen Jain, and public health professor Chandrakant Padamashi Shah. Over the years, each has not only earned global recognition in their respective fields but has also made lasting contributions to the country they chose to call home.

They are among 80 individuals appointed to the Order of Canada by Governor General Mary Simon on the final day of the year. The list also includes Canada’s leading sprinter Andre de Grasse, a seven-time Olympic medalist.

The latest appointments include six Companions, 15 Officers, and 59 Members. Six individuals were promoted within the Order, and one appointment was honorary.

Established in 1967, the Order of Canada is the cornerstone of the Canadian Honors System. Since its inception, more than 8,250 people from across sectors have been recognized. While their contributions span diverse fields, all appointees share a common impact in enriching lives and strengthening the nation.

“The Order of Canada fosters a sense of pride and cohesion in our country. Every appointment celebrates not only the talent, expertise, and dedication of individuals but also the countless lives they have touched through their work, vision, and contributions. Their commitment extends beyond borders, inspiring progress in our communities, our country, and around the world. I offer my heartfelt congratulations to each new appointee on this well-deserved recognition,” Simon said.

The Order of Canada is one of the country’s highest civilian honors, recognizing individuals across society who have made extraordinary and sustained contributions to Canada. Its motto, Desiderantes Meliorem Patriam, translates to “They desire a better country.”

Members and Officers of the Order may be promoted to a higher level upon demonstrating further exceptional achievement. Such nominations are considered a minimum of five years after the previous appointment.

Shaf Keshavjee: Transforming Lung Transplantation

Thoracic surgeon Shaf Keshavjee is internationally recognized for his pioneering work in lung transplantation, which has reshaped transplant surgery worldwide. His research has significantly advanced regenerative medicine, particularly in the preservation of donor lungs during critical transplant procedures. Beyond the operating room, he is also known as an educator and hospital administrator, contributing to the future of health care through leadership and innovation.

Keshavjee currently serves as Surgeon-in-Chief of the Sprott Department of Surgery, Director of the Toronto Lung Transplant Program and the Latner Thoracic Research Laboratories at University Health Network, and Professor of Thoracic Surgery at the University of Toronto.

He is also a member of the Order of Ontario and a recipient of two Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medals. In 2020, he received the Governor General of Canada’s Innovation Award. 

Additional honors include UHN’s Inventor of the Year Award, Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 recognition, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Canadian Society of Transplantation.

Keshavjee moved to Toronto from Kenya at the age of 12 with his parents. While attending North Toronto Collegiate, he developed a strong interest in science. “I always knew I wanted to be a surgeon,” he recalls. “Not just a doctor, but a surgeon.”

His path to medicine at the University of Toronto was smooth, but transplant surgery was not initially his focus. That changed on November 7, 1983, when he heard a radio report while driving over a bridge on Mount Pleasant Avenue that Dr. Joel Cooper and his team had performed the world’s first successful single-lung transplant at Toronto General Hospital.

“I thought, wow, that’s cool,” media quoted him saying of that moment.

The procedure had previously failed 44 times worldwide, including three attempts in Toronto, with most patients surviving no more than two weeks.

Three years later, as a surgical resident, Keshavjee witnessed another milestone when he scrubbed in during the world’s first successful double-lung transplant on November 26, 1986. He observed senior thoracic surgeons operate on Ann Harrison, a Canadian patient whose lungs had been severely damaged by emphysema.

Without surgery, doctors told her she had only months to live. Even with the operation, survival beyond the operating table was uncertain. Harrison survived the procedure and lived for another 14 years.

“By this time, all the other organs had been transplanted, but the lungs hadn’t,” Keshavjee said. “The first kidney and heart transplants were done in the ‘50s.”

Keshavjee completed his medical training at the University of Toronto in 1985, specializing in general, cardiac, and thoracic surgery. He later completed fellowships at Harvard University and the University of London. During his master’s studies, he developed a lung preservation solution that is now used clinically worldwide. He has since led the translation of numerous innovations into practice, including the Ex Vivo Lung Perfusion system.

Praveen Jain: Advancing Power Electronics

Another appointee, Praveen Jain, is a leading inventor in electrical energy processing whose work has improved efficient power generation, transmission, and utilization through advanced electronics. A professor at Queen’s University and founder of its Centre for Energy and Power Electronics Research, Jain has shaped the discipline while mentoring more than 100 trainees.

For over two decades, Jain has focused on high-frequency power conversion technologies and is regarded as one of the world’s foremost authorities in the practical applications of power electronics.

Known for his ability to devise simple solutions to complex engineering problems, Jain has successfully transferred numerous innovations from university laboratories to industry. His work has resulted in 25 patents and more than 200 publications, with applications spanning telecommunications, induction melting, computing, and space systems.

At Queen’s University, where he is a professor of electrical and computer engineering and Canada Research Chair in power electronics, Jain secured millions of dollars in research funding to establish Canada’s first high-frequency power electronics laboratory. He has supervised more than 50 graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and engineers in academic and industrial research.

His accolades include a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair, an Innovation Award from the Canada Foundation for Innovation, an Ontario Distinguished Researcher Award, and election as a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

Chandrakant Padamashi Shah: Championing Equity in Public Health

The third appointee of Indian origin, Chandrakant Padamashi Shah, is Professor Emeritus at the University of Toronto’s Dalla Lana School of Public Health. Over his career, he transformed public health education in Canada and became a leading advocate for Indigenous health. His work reshaped the Canadian citizenship exam and led to the establishment of the country’s first endowed Indigenous health chair.

Born as the ninth of 15 children in a small town in Maharashtra, India, Shah pursued medical education through perseverance and study, often by oil lamp. Seeking broader opportunities, he eventually arrived in Canada, where he joined the University of Toronto’s School of Public Health.

He was immediately struck by disparities in health and social services affecting low-income and Indigenous populations. Through the university, Shah volunteered pediatric services with the Sioux Lookout Zone Program in Northwestern Ontario, serving remote First Nations communities. The region became his second home for several years.

Throughout his academic career, Shah worked to highlight and address systemic inequalities, while also making foundational contributions to public health education. He authored Canada’s first comprehensive public health textbook, now in its sixth edition.

After retiring in 2001, Shah continued his service as a primary care physician at Anishnawbe Health Toronto, an Indigenous community health center, extending his lifelong commitment to equity, inclusion, and community well-being.

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