A WENVOE-BASED MEDIC used to patient confidentiality had no problem keeping the secret when he received a letter informing him he’d been awarded an MBE.

Keshav Singhal (ok), a consultant orthopaedic surgeon at the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend, said his jaw dropped when he discovered the contents of the letter.

Mr Singhal, 52, was awarded the Queen’s Birthday honour 'for services to the Welsh and Indian community and for charitable services in Wales'.

His interests in total hip and knee replacements led him to establish the hospital’s Rapid recovery program in 2005, now re-launched as Enhanced Recovery after Surgery, enabling joint replacement patients to be educated about their surgery pre-operatively and to be safely discharged three to four days after surgery.

He has also pioneered a one stop clinic in which the patients can have their consultation and surgery in the same visit for minor operations like carpal tunnel syndrome, thereby avoiding multiple visits to the hospital.

The father of sons Aditya and Arvind is a trustee of the National Museums of Wales, sits on the Board of Hendre housing and care association and also on the Board of Care and Repair Bridgend.

He is a governor of India Centre of Wales and also on the Board of Pratham Shiksha (Early learning centre) - a NGO providing free primary and secondary education to street children in Jaipur, India.

Mr Singhal said: “I had no clue about being nominated and when the envelope came, it just sat there for a couple of days before being opened. It was a truly jaw dropping moment and took quite some time to sink in. I could not tell anyone, but obviously my wife knew about the envelope. As doctors, however we are quite used to confidentiality and it was not a problem keeping it quiet.

“There have been hundreds of messages of congratulations and support from friends and acquaintances and colleagues and patients and it has been a humbling occasion to feel the groundswell of good wishes and support. The news really has not sunk in fully yet."

Wife Poonam Singhal, a governor and trustee of the India Centre of Wales and sits on the board of SAWA (South Asian Women's Association) said: “It was a surprise to me – I didn’t have any clue.

“It was very great for all the family.

“He definitely deserves it because he works very hard for our community and it gives us a great feeling to share our culture with the Welsh community.”