Prafulla B. Ragubhai Desai is an Indian surgical oncologist and a former chairman of the Research Advisory Committee on Oncology of the Indian Council of Medical Research.^[1][2] He is credited with the first bone marrow transplantation in India, which he performed with his team in 1983.^[3] He is a former director and superintendent at Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai (1973–1995) and continues his association with the institution as their professor emeritus.^[4] He is one of the founders of the Rural Cancer Centre established by Tata Memorial Centre at Barshi, Mumbai^[5] and serves Breach Candy Hospital as a surgical oncologist^[6] and the Indo-Global Summit on Head and Neck Oncology (IGSHNO) as a member of their national faculty.^[7]

Roy is a recipient of the Wockhardt Medical Excellence Award (2003) of the Harvard Medical International,^[8] Dhanwanthari Award of the Dhanwanthari Foundation,^[9] and Lifetime Achievement Award (2016) of the International Congress on Cancer,^[10] the Mucio Athayde International Cancer Award (1998) of the International Union Against Cancer^[11] and the Karmayogi Puraskar of the Bombay Medical Aid Foundation.^[12] Married to Meena, a medical doctor,^[13] he is associated with Care India Medical Society, a charitable organization involved in community service related to oncology,^[14] and participates in social initiatives on cancer.^[15] The Government of India awarded him the third highest civilian honour of the Padma Bhushan, in 1981, for his contributions to medical science.^[16]