In a first for an Indian, NITI Aayog Member Vinod Paul has been chosen to receive WHO's prestigious IhsanDogramaci Family Health Foundation Prize for his services in the field of family health, official sources said on Tuesday.

The global honour, given by the World Health Organisation (WHO), was confirmed by the WHO Executive Board on January 27. It will be presented to Paul at the World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, in May. He was chosen unanimously from among shortlisted candidates from Algeria, China, Malaysia, Mexico, Russian Federation, and Uzbekistan.

"The WHO Board resolution acknowledges Dr Paul as an internationally renowned researcher, clinician, educator, and public health advocate in the area of family health, with a special focus on newborn health," a NITI (National Institution for Transforming India) Aayog statement said.

"He has made distinguished contributions towards improving the health and well-being of families, especially in developing countries." A well-known name in public health circles in India, Paul has played a key role in formulating national child health guidelines and programmes in the country. Prior to joining the NITI Aayog, Paul was head of the Department of Pediatrics at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi.