The award has been given in recognition of his contribution in the field of orthopaedic surgery for innovative use of bone grafts. Dr P.N. Raju Oration Award is given to the scientists whose research in a particular area has vital implications and sets new standards in treatment in their respective fields. The award is given every three years.

Talking to Newsline about his research, which won him this award, Dr Nagi explained: "There have been tremendous advances in the field of orthopaedic surgery but the treatment of fracture neck femur has frustrated many attempts. In a surgical procedure, we use a biological graft obtained from the patient's body instead of a metal graft. Earlier, the surgeries faced various problems like not getting adequate blood supply. But since this graft is biological, it adjusts to the body very easily and the success rate is very high."

The technique, when made known to the medical circles, has now been included as a standard treatment in textbooks of orthopaedic surgery throughout the world. As the role of fibula was further approved in the scientific circles, it was included in the Multi-Media programme of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons for Continuing Medical Education Programme in 1995 and is an accepted and practised technique all over the world.

Dr Nagi has been given the award not only for developing this technique but also for doing an exhaustive study in allografts where bones from amputated limbs are preserved, purified and used as grafts in fresh fractures. This resulted in remarkable improvement in the union rate. This research of bone grafting from different individuals along with results have been published in many international journals of repute.