Dr P Raghu Ram elected President, Association of Surgeons of India after landslide victory

Hyderabad: Dr. P. Raghu Ram, Director for KIMS-USHALAKSHMI Centre for Breast Diseases in Hyderabad has become the become one of the youngest surgeons in the Country to be elected to the top post of President, The Association of Surgeons of India (ASI), which is the largest surgical Organisation in the Asia Pacific region that represents the surgical fraternity all across India.

This election has seen the highest ever polling in the history of the Association with close to 7500 Surgeons from all over India participating actively to choose their President.

Dr Arvind Kumar, Chief Election Officer, declared the results today after the counting process was completed at the ASI headquarters in Chennai. Dr Raghu Ram polled 4450 votes compared to 2621 votes polled by the other contestant, Dr Tamonas Chaudhuri from Kolkata. The victory margin for Dr Raghu Ram is has been a huge victory margin of 1829 votes.

Speaking to Medical Dialogues, Dr Raghu Ram said, " I am honoured and humbled to become one of the youngest Surgeons elected to the largest Surgical Association in Asia Pacific region.The highest polling ever in the 80 years history of ASI and the landslide margin of victory means that Membership is looking forward to creative leadership and accountable governance. I shall do my very best and wish to take this opportunity in expressing my heartfelt gratitude to the members of ASI for their rock solid support".

Established in 1938, Association of Surgeons of India is widely considered to be the ‘voice for Surgery’ in India. Starting from a humble beginning with 112 members in 1938, the Association of Surgeons of India has grown phenomenally and is the largest surgical Association in Asia Pacific region and the second largest in the world after The American College of Surgeons (which is the world's largest surgical body)

ASI has a strong presence in the form of State Chapters in all the 29 states and union territories across India in addition to 12 specialty sections comprising of surgeons practicing the art & science of Breast Surgery, Onco Surgery, Gastrointestinal Surgery, Laparoscopic/Minimal access Surgery, Endocrine surgery, Genito-urinary surgery, Paediatric surgery, Plastic surgery, Thoracic/Cardiovascular Surgery, Trauma & critical care surgery in addition to Sections representing Rural surgeons and surgeons in the armed force.

The Association promotes the art/science of Surgery and strives to take the latest techniques in the surgical field to the remotest parts of the country in an endeavour to improve the lives of people all over India.

Dr Raghu Ram, who is currently Immediate Past President of the Association of Breast Surgeons of India has excelled all along in his surgical career over the past 23 years. Having obtained the First place in MS (General Surgery) University examination in 1995, he is amongst the few in the world to have obtained FRCS from all Surgical Colleges in the world (London, Edinburgh, Glasgow & Ireland) in 1997. There was no looking back for him since then.

Over the past 11 years, he championed a first of its kind breast cancer awareness drive in Telangana & Andhra Pradesh under the auspices of Ushalakshmi Breast Cancer Foundation – a not for profit breast cancer that bears his mother’s name. This innovative initiative has over the years has transformed Breast cancer from a ‘taboo’ issue to a much commonly discussed one, thus paving the way for early detection.

Furthermore, since 2012, he has implemented South Asia’s largest population-based Breast Cancer Screening Programme in partnership with the Governments of Telangana & Andhra Pradesh spread across 4000 villages reaching out to well over 200, 000 underprivileged women in the Telugu States, which has translated to saving scores of lives in the region.

In recognition of his outstanding academic achievements, and equally, contribution towards improving the art & science of breast surgery in India in addition to his major philanthropic activity, Dr Raghu Ram is the Youngest Surgeon ever in the Telugu States and one of the youngest doctors in India to have been conferred the Padma Shri, one of the highest civilian awards of the land in 2015 and Dr. B.C. Roy National award in 2016, which is the highest award that can be achieved by a doctor practicing Medicine in India.