India Post News Service
CHICAGO: Dr. Anupama Gotimukula, President of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) has vowed to make AAPI a premium healthcare leader, focusing to improve and reform the current healthcare system and help towards making a better healthcare model for the patients; create awareness projects on major chronic diseases burdening our health care system through Lifestyle modifications; establish a support system to members going through racial discrimination in the US; support AAPI legislative efforts to make healthcare better and affordable to all and promote charitable activities globally.
A well attended ceremony by AAPI delegates from around the nation, Dr. Anupama Gotimukula and a new executive committee, consisting of Dr. Ravi Kolli, President-Elect; Dr. Anjana Samadder, Vice President; Dr. Satheesh Kathula, Secretary; Dr. Krishan Kumar, Treasurer; Dr. Kusum Punjabi, Chair, Board of Trustees; Dr. Soumya Neravetla- President, Young Physicians Section; and, Dr. Ayesha Singh, President, Medical Student/Residents & Fellows Section; assumed charge of AAPI during the 39th annual Convention at Omni Atlanta at CNN Center and Georgia World Congress Center .
Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalgadda, the outgoing President of AAPI passed on the gavel to Dr. Gotimukula, who will lead AAPI as its President in the year 2021-2022.
A resident of San Antonio, TX, Dr. Gotimukula is a board certified Pediatric Anesthesiologist, practicing since 2007, is affiliated with Christus Santa Rosa, Baptist and Methodist Healthcare systems in San Antonio. After graduating with distinction from Kakatiya Medical College, NTR University of Health Sciences in India, she did Residency at University of Miami & University of Illinois, and Fellowship in Pediatric Anesthesiology at University of Michigan.
As a Healthcare Leader, Dr. Gotimukula recognizes that “AAPI has power. We have legitimate respect and trust of our communities in every corner of America. AAPI will leverage that power of our purpose and networks to help address specific challenges related to affordable healthcare delivery.
Dr. Kusum Punjabi, the youngest to date to be holding this position in AAPI’s 40 years long history and the first person to go to medical school in the USA, assumed office as the Chair of Board of Trustees of AAPI
Dr. Punjabi has “served many board positions at American Medical Association (AMA,) women’s section and young physicians section and at the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) for past 12 years starting in the Young Physician sections. I have led community service projects, organized webinars and conferences, written in AAPI newsletters and journals. I have won several national elections of AAPI before being unanimously elected as Chair of the Board.”
Dr. Ravi Kolli, President-Elect is a Board Certified Psychiatrist with additional qualifications in Addiction, Geriatric and Forensic Psychiatry, and serves as Psychiatric Medical Director of Southwestern Pennsylvania Human Services.
Dr. Kolli wants to “focus on battling the stigma of mental illness and access to quality mental health care broadly. I will be forming liaison with mental health professionals in India and globally and bring awareness of various biopsychosocial therapeutic options to promote wellness and recovery from mental illness and substance use disorders. We will also actively promote physician wellness and self care to address the challenges of physician burnout and suicide.” 
Dr. Anjana Samadder, Vice President of AAPI, has shown great leadership qualities, which she proved during her tenure as local chapter President (Central Ohio), Regional Director (Ohio and Michigan) and as AAPI National Treasurer. Dr. Satheesh Kathula, Secretary of AAPI has served in numerous capacities, before being elected as the Treasurer of AAPI-2020-21. A recipient of several Community Service/Awards, Dr. Kathula wants to “Make AAPI a mainstream organization wants to work to “Encourage and engage next generation/young physicians in AAPI activities working closely with other physician organizations such as AMA.”
Dr. Krishan Kumar, Treasurer of AAPI is a pediatric emergency medicine physician in East Meadow, New York and is affiliated with multiple hospitals in the area, including Nassau University Medical Center and North Shore University Hospital. A recipient of the prestigious Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas Award, Dr. Krishan Kumar was recognized among America’s Top Pediatricians by Consumer’s Research Council of America- Excellence 2010.
Dr. Anupama Gotimukula also observe “as we look forward to the future beyond COVID-19, we at AAPI have so much more room to grow and serve urged AAPI and also to improve health equity; get rid of discrimination; fight South Asian racial bias; reduce physician burnout; and, improve the career trajectory of the younger generation of Indian American doctors who will be taking care of us as we age.” For more details, visit: www.appiusa.org
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