Indian-American physician-author, Abraham Verghese, whose work has emphasised empathy in medicine, has been selected for the prestigious 2015 National Humanities Medal. White House has announced that, President Barack Obama will confer the honour upon Verghese, at a ceremony in Washington on 21st of this month.<br/><br/>Currently a professor of medicine at the Stanford School of Medicine, 61-year-old Verghese has authored several acclaimed books, including "My Own Country" and "Cutting for Stone". In a statement, the White House said, Verghese has been given the award for reminding us that the patient<br/>is the centre of the medical enterprise.<br/><br/>Inaugurated in 1997, the National Humanities Medal honours individuals or groups whose work has deepened the nation's understanding of the human experience, broadened citizens' engagement with history, literature, languages, philosophy, and other humanities subjects.