Lakes Entrance senior physiotherapist Parivesh Kumar (pictured) has been recognised for his leadership in pain education, winning the Outstanding Contribution to Rural Allied Health award at the 2026 Victorian Rural Health Awards.
Parivesh, who has worked at Gippsland Lakes Complete Health (GLCH) for 19 years, was recognised for helping people better understand and manage persistent pain through evidence-based education and care.
Persistent pain affects around one in five Australians, and Parivesh has dedicated much of his career to improving how it is understood and managed in rural communities.
Presenting the award, Services for Australian Rural and Remote Allied Health director and vice president Scott Gibbings described Parivesh as a leader in contemporary pain science.
“Parivesh is a trusted and highly respected physiotherapist in the Lakes Entrance community… he is renowned for his compassionate and evidence-informed approach,” Scott said.
“Through his involvement with Pain Revolution, Parivesh has empowered individuals to better understand their pain and achieve meaningful long-term recovery.”
In accepting the award, Parivesh said he felt privileged to have been nominated.
“Thank you for believing in me and trusting my work,” he said.
“This award means a great deal to me; it represents recognition of my work over 19 years in Lakes Entrance. It encourages me to continue practising with honesty, integrity and passion as I have always done.
“My work is deeply rooted in caring for people with persistent pain. And working collaboratively with other health professionals to improve patient outcomes.
“Thanks to Rural Workforce Agency Victoria (RWAV) for the recognition and supporting my professional development. I would also like to thank my colleagues, mentors and management at GLCH for their support over the past 19 years. I truly appreciate this honour.”
As a pain educator, Parivesh takes a holistic approach, helping people understand their pain, reduce fear and develop practical strategies to manage it, rather than focusing solely on a specific injury or body part.
Parivesh works as part of a multidisciplinary team, alongside GPs, psychologists, pharmacists, dietitians and exercise physiologists, to deliver more holistic, evidence-based care aligned with best-practice pain management principles.
Alongside his clinical work, Parivesh is a passionate advocate for community education, regularly presenting to local groups including Men’s Sheds, Rotary clubs, sewing groups, church organisations, Freemasons and U3A to improve pain literacy and awareness.
Parivesh is also actively involved in Pain Revolution, mentoring clinicians across Australia, and has contributed to education initiatives including the Modern Pain Science Curriculum at Federation University’s Gippsland campus.
His work in pain education was published in the Australian Journal of Rural Health this year, and he is currently undertaking further study in pain science as part of his pain specialisation.
