Dr. M.K. Seshadri Prize was instituted in 1977 by Smt. Seshadri in memory of her husband. This prize is awarded to an eminent scientist or institution whose original work has led to useful interventions or otherwise significant contribution to the practice of Community Medicine. The prize for the year 1998 is presented to Dr. Rajesh Kumar, Prof. and Head, Department of Community Medicine, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh for his outstanding contributions in Community Medicine. Dr. Rajesh Kumar has contributed in the development of control programmes for neonatal tetanus, diarrhoeal diseases, acute respiratory infections and birth asphyxia, home based growth and development monitoring, breast self examination, syndromic management of reproductive tract infection/sexually transmitted diseases, and has developed rapid epidemiological assessment tools for measurement of morbidity, mortality and quality of care. In addition, he has developed a model rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart diseases (RF/RHD) control programme and implemented the same within the existing primary care infrastructure in a community involving school teachers and students. This model has demonstrated the feasibility of a national programme of RF/RHD control.