Dr S Raja Sabapathy takes over Presidency of International Federation of Societies for Surgery of the Hand

Dr. Sabapathy officially assumed the presidency on March 28 during the closing ceremony of the federation's triennial congress in Washington, D.C. He is the first Indian to lead IFSSH, a global federation established in 1966.

Dr Sabapathy graduated from Stanley Medical College, Madras, as the Best Outgoing Student, standing first in the University in Medicine and Surgery. He holds an M.S. in General Surgery from Madras Medical College and an M.Ch (Plastic Surgery) from Stanley Medical College, Madras. He also pursued Dip NB (Plastic Surgery) and FRCS from the Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh, UK.

He completed a Fellowship in Hand and Microsurgery from Christine M Kleinert Institute for Hand and Microsurgery, Louisville, USA. He is also a FAMS from the National Academy of Medical Sciences and Hon FRCS from Royal College of Surgeons and Physicians of Glasgow. He got his D.Sc. Hon in 2019 from Dr MGR Educational and Research Institute, Chennai, and Hon FACS in 2020 from the American College of Surgeons.

He has been a part of a number of reputed organizations. He is the immediate Past President of the Asian Pacific Federation of Societies for Surgery of the Hand (APFSSH) and former Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Hand Surgery (Asia Pacific). He is the Vice-President of the Diabetic Foot Society of India and President of the National Academy of Burns India. He also served as the president of the Association of Plastic Surgeons of India in 2011, the Indian Society for Surgery of the Hand, the Indian Society for Reconstructive Microsurgery, International Trauma Care (Indian Section), and the Brachial Plexus Surgery Group of India.

Dr Sabapathy was awarded the NH Antia Prize by the Association of Plastic Surgeons of India for the best paper published from India in an international journal in 2006. He was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award for exemplary contribution to the cause of Medical Education and Healthcare Services by the Tamil Dr. M.G.R. Medical University on 5th September, 2012. He also secured the Dr B C Roy National Award – Fellowship for Postgraduate Studies of the Medical Council of India (1979 – 81). He has 118 honours to his credit, and he attended 347 invited lectures and international meetings. Ganga Hospital has congratulated the doctor by stating, “Wishing him continued success in advancing the field of hand surgery worldwide!”

IFSSH (International Federation of Societies for Surgery of the Hand) was formed in 1966 to co-ordinate activities of the Hand Surgery Societies around the world, thereby increasing and spreading knowledge of surgery of the hand. The IFSSH comprises member societies for surgery of the hand from around the world.