Mr Bhavan Rai, a urological surgeon from Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital, has been awarded the 2025 Golden Telescope by the British Association of Urological Surgeons.
The prestigious Karl Storz Harold Hopkins Golden Telescope Award is given to urological surgeons in their first decade of consultant practice in acknowledgement of their significant and lasting contribution to urology.
Mr Bhavan Rai is a leading expert in robotic surgery and urological cancers. He specialises in prostate and upper urinary tract cancer. Mr Rai runs one of the busiest robotic surgery programmes and previously directed the Newcastle Robotic Fellowship at the Trust.
Of his win he said, “I’m honoured to receive the Golden Telescope Award from the British Association of Urological Surgeons. My sincere thanks go to my colleagues, mentors and trainees, and especially to the patients who place their trust in us every day.
“I’m also grateful to the team at the Freeman Hospital, the BAUS community, and my family for their support. This recognition means a great deal, and I remain committed to advancing cancer care, robotic technologies, new innovations, and training the next generation of surgeons.”
Mr Rai is vice-chair of the British Association of Urological Surgeons (BAUS) oncology section and has led on several key national initiatives. He is also a member of NHS England evidence-based medicine panel. Internationally, he serves on the European Association of Urology (EAU) guidelines and methodology committee for specific cancers.
An accomplished academic, Mr Rai has published over 150 peer-reviewed publications and presented at conferences worldwide. His research interests include oncological outcomes, surgical education, and artificial intelligence in urology. Mr Rai has served as principal investigator for major clinical trials and his contributions have helped shaped international guidelines.
A dedicated surgical educator, Mr Rai directs a national robotic surgery training programme and trains future surgeons through global initiatives. He is also a passionate advocate for equity, diversity, and inclusion, creating the ‘women in urology’ webinar series and co-producing awards that promote inclusive excellence.
