Dr. G. Bakthavathsalam is the chairman and the managing trustee of Dharmaveera K Govindaswamy Naidu Medical Trust, which runs the K.G. Hospital in Coimbatore, India. He was awarded a Padma Shri in 2005. Dr GB, as he is fondly known as, was born on 5 April 1942 at Annur village of Coimbatore district and graduated with a Masters of Science (MBBS - 1964) from Madras Medical College. He then received his post graduate training in surgery at the Mount Sinai Hospital in Chicago (USA).