Mr.Sam Olens with Dr.Jayesh Shah and GAPI Executive Committee

GAPI celebrates 2011 Annual Meet with great élan

By Mahadev Desai
Photos: Sreedhar Vakiti

The Georgia Association of Physicians of Indian Heritage (GAPI) held its Annual Meeting cum a glitzy banquet at the Crowne Plaza Atlanta Perimeter at Ravinia, on Saturday, April 30. The gala event was attended by over 275 members from the medical field and graced by the presence of  the Chief Guest of Honor, GA Attorney General Sam Olens; Science and Technology Counselor, Embassy of India, Dr.Debapriya Dutta .

Earlier in the day there was an excellent CME program, with riveting,thoughtprovoking  talks on diverse topics,’ What the Plaintiff Attorney Hopes to find in your Medical Record?’ by Bettye Scrutchin,MAG Insurance; ‘Physician Financial Survival Guide2011’ by Dax Cooke;’EMR and its pitfalls of liability’ by Jason Muesse, Medicus Ins.;’A Comprehensive Retirement Strategy in a Rising Tax Environment ‘by Sanjay Prasad; and ‘How GAPI can help Healthcare Reform ‘by Dr.Raj Gandhi.

During the social hour, the attendees intermingled and networked with each other, enjoyed Sai Murali Restaurant’s  tasty snacks and also visited about 25 booths set up by pharmaceutical Corporations, Insurance providers, Health Care related businesses; and not for profit Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation. Anokhi Ada and Meena  Jewelers   enticed  ladies with its array of colorful saris and sparkling jewelry respectively.

Following the social hour, the program was emceed by the former CNN news anchor Pratibha(Patty) Tripathi.After Patty welcomed all,  Suma Gangasani, Dhruv Gaur and   Garv Gaur recited Lord Ganesha prayer.

Patty then recognized GAPI’s 2011 Annual Banquet Platinum, Gold and Silver sponsors. Harish Thadani,President,Prime Agency LLC.informed the attendees about the benefits of Long Term Care Cash Product  designed for GAPI members. Dr. Arun Khanna  CEO of American clinical labs explained  about his company services to heath fairs and GAPI clinic.

GAPI’s Past President Dr.Bipin Chudgar said that after his beloved wife Dr. Daksha died of cancer in April 2009, he decided to create the Daksha Chudgar Lydia House in Augusta, GA., which will care for women fighting cancer and who need a safe place to stay during treatment. He appealed to the audience for help in completing the project. More information can be had on www.thelydiaproject.org  

GAPI Secretary,Abhishek Gaur said that in accordance with the GAPI bye-laws, the Board had received nominations from the General membership as below: Dr.Abhishek Gaur-President-Elect,  Dr.Piyush Patel- Secretary, Dr.Indran Indrakrishnan- Treasurer. With a show of hands, the attendees unanimously approved the new Executive Committee members.

Patti then introduced the Chief Guest Sam Olens. .In the past I had the honor and pleasure of attending your community’s events and  celebrations both in the Cobb and Gwinnett Counties and I am very familiar with the leadership and values that the Indian community provides in metro Atlanta. Since January,we have spent a lot of time to work on relationships  with the new Governor, new Legislature and new constitutional officers. Once sworn in, we have filed paperwork to be one of the 26 States that will fight the President’s Healthcare Bill as being unconstitutional. The case will be heard on June 8^th in the 11^th circuit. And the next stage will be the Supreme Court. The Healthcare Bill has significant change in Medicaid which will affect you all, so we need to get rid of Patient Protection Act. And so far we haven’t  seen any proposals from the President for Tort Reform so I would urge you to get active and contact your Congressman, and  your senators to press for Tort Reform in our State. And once again I am honored to be with you,  and I am looking forward to eating some spicy food tonight(  laughter and applause). Dr Sreeni Gangasani presented him a Plaque.

Patty next introduced Dr.Debapriya Dutta who is currently the Counselor (Science and Technology) in the Embassy of India, Washington D.C. “On behalf of the Ambassador and my personal behalf, I congratulate GAPI and you all for keeping alive the light of altruism for the past twenty years in this land of the cradle of humanity-I am talking of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King.(applause). Dr.Dutta then spoke about the fast growing India-US ties which in 2009 were described by US Secretary of State,Mrs.Clinton as India-US 3.0. The five key pillars of which are: 1 Strategic cooperation;2 Energy and Climate change; 3 Economics,trade and agriculture;4 Education and development, and 5 Science, technology and Innovation. He cited various areas in which US and India are working closely together in research and development. He concluded by commending GAPI for conducting the Health Fairs and initiating the GAPI Volunteers Clinic, and its support to Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation. Dr.Dutta was presented with GAPI Directory by Dr. Indran Indrakrishnan.and plaque by Dr. Gangasani.

Dr.Jayesh Shah, Sectretary of AAPI, said he felt honored and proud to represent eminent organization like GAPI nationally under the umbrella Organization AAPI.” I want to thank the Attorney General Sam Olens for telling the audience that tort reform is very important. We did it in Texas-with the help of patients. Patients have incredible power. If you have patients with you, any legislation is possible. So today make a vow that you are going to join Georgia Medical Association and get the Tort Reform in Georgia.(applause) Jayesh informed the audience of AAPI’s new initiative to enroll more members. For $100, AAPI member can nominate a young physician to be a life member. “The offer was so enticing that in the past ten months alone 1100 physicians took its  advantage, so I am appealing you all to do the same. Please join AAPI in big numbers so our voice becomes more powerful and is heard in matters affecting our medical profession ” He concluded by requesting the gathering to attend the upcoming AAPI Convention in New York from June 22 to 26.

Patty introduced  Dr.Gary Richter, past President of the Medical Association of Georgia(MAG) .  Dr.Richter, thanked GAPI for inviting him and he complimented the President Sreeni and the executive Committee for increasing the vibrancy of GAPI.  He said that MAG and AMA were working closer on Tort Reform legislation and urged GAPI members to join MAG and be more involved in MAG movement for  MAG is the leading voice for physicians in Georgia. Dr. Gangasani presented him with a copy of ‘India Unveiled’.

Dr.Gangasani presented with an Award by Madhavi Gangasani.

Former president of GAPI, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees,Dr.P.B. Rao complimented GAPI President Gangasani and Executive Committee for turning the dream of a Volunteers Clinic into a reality.  He then said that GAPI helps deserving students with merit and need-based scholarships. The  annual scholarship  of $1,000 and a Citation of Excellence for their accomplishments, was given to three students; Hetal Patel,Reetika Rajesh and Rahul Joshi.  The Awards were given by the GAPI’s retiring Trustees Dr.Naresh Parikh and Dr.Shailesh Gandhi and GAPI President Dr.Gangasani respectively.Dr.Rao then lauded Dr.Naresh Parikh and Dr.Shailesh Gandhi ,who were presented with Plaques in recognition of  their outstanding services to GAPI.

Dr.Vinayak Kamath, Augusta.GAPI Board of Trustees talked about Emory University in Atlanta being closely associated with Indians and India. “As you know His Holiness Dalai Lama;Dr.Rushdie and countless scholars of India call Emory their home.  Emory wants to build a India Center, which will promote study of languages and literature, will have a library, youth club and performing arts center. The visiting Distinguished Prof.V.Narayan Rao of South Asian Studies, has been teaching Telugu literature at Emory since 2010.The Koppaka Family Foundation has pledged half($750,000) of full endowment to support  Prof.Rao’s permanent professorship for Telugu studies, if Indian community can come up with the balance. This is indeed a huge challenge and opportunity to bring India to the front and center stage in Atlanta and S.E.Region. I feel that with GAPI’s support we can do it and we should do it”.

Malla Reddy  Of Ekal Vidyalaya made a Power Point presentation of Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation USA’s relentless drive to educate and empower children from rural and tribal India and appealed the attendees to help the Foundation.

In his Presidential Report, Dr.Gangasani  said, I am happy to say that GAPI has become an eminent and vibrant Organization with  about 800 members including about 300 Life members. During the past year we had five regional meetings in Augusta, Valdosta,Columbus,Macon and Atlanta, and we conducted four Health Fairs in different parts of Georgia under the able guidance of Dr.Sujatha Reddy. I have felt an inner joy and sense of fulfillment when participating in these Health Fairs. After years of planning GAPI Volunteers Clinic has been opened at the Global Mall,Norcross,GA on  March 27.My sincere thanks to Shiv Aggarwal for providing with the accommodation for the Clinic in Global Mall.  My deep thanks to all the physicians and volunteers who are working hard to make it successful.  GAPI is also helping medical graduates with externship programs. We are very happy to present the GAPI Membership Directory and Souvenir. The Directory is superb. It has exceeded all my expectations. I would like to thank Dr.Indran Indrakrishnan and Viju Chiluveru for spending long hours over the past three months to come up with a content-rich, informative and useful Directory. I would like to thank my wife Madhavi and my children Nikhil and Suma.I would now like to bestow ‘The Physician of the Year’ Award to Dr.Sujatha Reddy, described by Khabar magazine as ‘The Health Fair Angel’. Since 2002, she has organized 27 SAI Health Fairs all over Georgia.

Next, I would like to thank and recognize Atlanta’s well known journalist Mahadev Desai who has been doing comprehensive ,insightful  and interesting coverage of SAI Health Fairs and GAPI events including promoting the GAPI Volunteers Clinic, and also Narender Reddy, a close friend and supporter of GAPI. He is a well-respected social activist and political -savvy member of the community who has helped a lot during the AAPI and GAPI Conventions.

Thanks to Patty for emceeing the event with flair and enthusiastic audience-rapport.

The incoming President Dr.Dilip Patel said that he felt honored and humbled to accept the post of GAPI President, and promised to do his best in helming GAPI.  He lauded the outgoing President Dr.Gangasani for his hard work,  determination, and drive. “This is rather an unusual leadership position for me. Though I have been President of Gujarati Samaj, being President of GAPI poses different challenges as GAPI represents medical field.GAPI began as a social networking Organization but later became a professional networking one. And now it is pushing its boundaries into humanitarian outreach programs like health fairs, Volunteers Clinic etc. My goal will be to help GAPI grow into that role. Physicians feel intimidated by criminalization process in lawsuits by patients and GAPI will seek a satisfactory solution to this concern. I thank all the past  look forward to your support and cooperation.” 

After a delectable dinner  members were treated to a couple of fusion dances by Atlanta’s Naach Fusion Dance Academy and later Bollywood songs  by Mumbai Masti Group from India. Mumbai Masti’s national promoter is Manpasand Group and Mustafa Ajmeri is its Atlanta coordinator. The  singers entertained the gathering with some of the Bollywood chart-toppers which immediately had the audience on the dance floor!

The GAPI Annual Banquet 2011 was truly a memorable evening for all.