LONG BEACH, CA: Healthcare has come to occupy center stage, especially after the recent Supreme Court ruling upholding the Affordable Health Care Act enabling nearly 47 Million Americans without health coverage to buy or obtain health care coverage. Physicians play a central role in providing healthcare services to every individual, both in preventing as well as treating diseases.
Physicians of Indian Origin in the United States are reputed to be leading health care providers, holding crucial positions in various hospitals and health care facilities around the nation. Leading an organization that represents more than 45,000 physicians of Indian origin in the US, and being their voice and providing a forum to its members to collectively work together to meet their diverse needs, is a major challenge. Dr. Narendra Kumar, President of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) appears to be right on task and is committed to leading AAPI to greater heights.
“Thank you for giving me this opportunity to serve you as your President. Let’s start this ‘New Year’ on a positive note. Let me assure you that we will put all our energy in the positive direction to restore AAPI’s image, improve financial health, and bring unity, integrity and stability to our organization. I am confident that we will all work together for the betterment of the organization as well as the members and the people we are committed to serve. We will all work together, stay focused, and make you all proud of our organization:” With these opening remarks, Dr. Narendra Kumar, the new president began his presidency of this noble organization on June 25 during its Convention in Long Beach, CA.
In his efforts to lead this premier organization, Dr. Kumar is being assisted by his dedicated Executive Committee that consists of Dr. Jayesh Shah, President-Elect; Dr. Ravi Jahagirdar, Vice President; Dr. Seema Jain, Secretary; Dr. Ajay Lodha, Treasurer; Dr. Durgesh Mankikar; Dr. Kusum Punjabi, YPS President; and Dr. Amit Bhakoo, MSRF President.
While lauding the efforts of the outgoing team and the committee that had organized the recent Convention, Dr. Kumar said, “We just concluded our 30th Annual convention in Long Beach and it was well attended and well organized. My sincere appreciation to Dr. Sudeep Kukreja and his committee for putting together such a fabulous convention.”
Expressing relief and satisfaction over amicably “putting to rest” the sensitive $100 membership issue after the discussions in detail in the Governing Body and General Body meetings, Dr. Kumar reported that “It was decided to accept those 1,400 new members in question as legitimate patron members with full privileges and accept 80 more applications for patron membership received at the AAPI office this year without any sponsor names.” From July 1, AAPI has increased the patron membership fee to $1,000 and annual membership fee will remain as $100.
Commenting on the steady growth of the organization, Dr. Kumar remarked: “The organization’s meteoric rise from a basement three decades ago to become one of today’s premier ethnic medical associations is a tribute to its past leaders, a network of hardworking committees, and a constituency of 65,000 physicians and more than 25,000 fellows and residents. AAPI has become a force to reckon with. AAPI’s stellar role has come in for appreciation with the US political leaders and law makers.”
While serving as an umbrella organization for more than 130 member associations nationwide, AAPI was formed to coordinate the efforts of the physicians of Indian origin, currently working in the United States. Headquartered in Chicago, with an office in Washington, DC, AAPI has come to be recognized as a strong voice in the healthcare legislation and policy arena.
Dr. Kumar has ascended to prominence with his decades of hard work and dedication for the organization and the people it is committed to serve. As a Regional Director of AAPI, Dr. Kumar had attended almost all the local AAPI chapter meetings in his region in an attempt to serve as a liaison between the local chapters and the national organization, and he was instrumental in recruiting over 170 new AAPI patron members during this time.
On his vision for the organization under his leadership, Dr. Kumar says, “My vision is to continue improving the high standards that are already set and reach even higher goals. AAPI has several primary goals: We are into education of physicians both here in the US and in India: providing best medical care to patients; and maintaining legislative presence in Washington DC.”
“It’s been a privilege for me to be associated with AAPI because I recognize the tremendous role that is being played by AAPI in promoting friendship between India and the United States. And we will carry on this responsibility of ours with greater commitment. As members of AAPI, we have not forgotten our roots and are engaged in several activities such as conducting Indo-US Healthcare Summit in Kochi this year that will blaze new trail in healthcare sector in India and will pave way for new frontiers in public private partnership.”
AAPI Global Healthcare Summit Registration in Cochin, Kerala during January 1-4, 2013 is now open and “I would encourage you to register as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.” The nine city educational, scientific, and musical tour by Shreya Ghoshal and party from September 21 to October 7 is “yet another way of reaching our mission around the nation,” Dr. Kumar said.
India Post News Service
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