(New York, NY: July 14, 2016) Dr. Ajay Lodha, President of AAPI, expressed sincere gratitude and appreciation to “all the Press and Media for its support and cooperation for past several decades.”
In a statement issued here,on behalf of the Executive Committee, the Board of Trustees and members, the AAPI, Dr. Lodha stated that, “AAPI realizes that the media has a vital role in molding a good society to develop our lifestyle and move it on the right path, because it always try to side with the truth and relevant factors. In the past AAPI has used the media as the best tool to spread awareness in the Community.”
While acknowledging the recent incidents where veteran Indian American journalists were disrespected and in some cases asked to leave the convention, Dr. Lodha, “as a President, along with my Executive Committee and all the members truly apologies for any inconvenience or embarrassment caused to any members of the media during 2016 Annual Convention at Marriott Marquis, NY.”
Dr. Lodha pointed out that AAPI’S goal, mission and values are simple and practical. AAPI is a forum to facilitate and enable Indian American Physicians to excel in patient care, teaching and research and charity to pursue their aspirations in professional and community affairs. AAPI promotes professional solidarity in the pursuit of excellence in patient care, teaching and research and simultaneously bring American medicine the distinctive contributions from India. While maintaining commitment to collegiality and ethical conduct, AAPI thrives to provide the best patient care with compassion, maintain the highest standards of ethics and professionalism and simultaneously maintain professional pride in the practice of medicine.
While acknowledging the contributions of the media, Dr. Lodha said, “AAPI is also grateful to the 2016 Convention Committee for the endless time and effort put into organizing a convention of that magnitude. However, AAPI received numerous complaints consisting of unforeseeable incidents which were beyond the custody and control of the Executive Committee. These incidents were caused by unauthorized members of Association whose goal was apparently not in the best interest of AAPI.”
Dr. Lodha also informed the media that the Executive Committee has taken immediate action in establishing an Emergency AD HOC COMMITTEE to investigate each and every incident and or complaint and make appropriate recommendations to the Executive Committee for action within a reasonable period of time.
He urged the media to contact the AAPI Office at 630-990-2277, or Fax 630-990-2281. With any complaint and or any information regarding the incidents. He promised to keep all information provided during the course of the investigation shall be kept strictly confidential and the identities of the individuals assisting in the findings shall not be disclosed unless specifically agreed therein. “Once again on behalf of newly appointed Executive Committee and BOT including the members of AAPI, please accept our sincere apologies. Thank you for your anticipated co-operation in this matter and looking forward for your co-operation as in the past,” Dr. Lodha said.
Dr. Ajay Lodha, who was administered the oath of office as the President of AAPI during the 34th annual convention in New York on July 3rd, 2016 vowed to take the more than three decades old organization to the new heights and “bring all the AAPI Chapters, Regions, Members of the Executive Committee and Board of Trustees to work cohesively and unitedly for the success of AAPI and the realization of its noble mission.”
Dr. Lodha received the gavel from Dr. Seema Jain, the out-going president of AAPI as the more than 2,000 delegates cheered loudly, greeting the new President of AAPI, the largest ethnic medical association in the United States. Along with him, Dr. Gautam Samadder as President-Elect, Dr. Naresh Parikh as Vice President, Dr. Suresh Reddy as Secretary, and Dr. Manju Sachdev as the Treasurer of AAPI, assumed charge in the presence of leading luminaries from across the nation. Dr. Madhu Agarwal assumed charge as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, AAPI by the out-going chairman, Dr. Aravind Pillai. He stressed the importance of having YPS president Aditya Desai and MSRF President Atul Nakshi along with a diversified group of regional directors. “Their leadership will help us move forward with our current and future initiatives.”
Soon after assuming office as the President of AAPI, Dr. Lodha declared that he will make every possible effort to restore AAPI’s image and enhance cohesiveness among different Chapters and Regions of AAPI. “When our founders first conceived of AAPI, they could not have imagined how well it would grow and develop. Let us not forget the achievements of those who have come before me. Their hard work and dedication serves as both an inspiration and a challenge to me,” he stated with gratitude and appreciation for the founders of this noble organization.
Indian-Americans constitute less than 1% of the country’s population, but they account for nine percent of the American doctors and physicians. As Forbes magazine aptly summed up in an issue in 2009, “The over-representation of Indians in these fields (engineering, IT and medicine) is striking – in practical terms, your doctor is nine times more likely to be an Indian-American than is a random passerby on the street.”
The growing clout of the physicians of Indian origin in the United States is seen everywhere as several physicians of Indian origin hold critical positions in the healthcare, academic, research and administration across the nation. In the United States, in India, and across the world, doctors of Indian origin have considerably risen in the ranks of the medical community and the significant portion of the fraternity consists of specialists hailing from India, especially when this figure is compared with the total population of Non-Resident Indians based in these countries.
American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) is a forum to facilitate and enable Indian American Physicians to excel in patient care, teaching and research and to pursue their aspirations in professional and community affairs. AAPI, was formed 34 years ago, to promote professional solidarity in the pursuit of excellence in patient care, teaching and research. They give American medicine the distinctive contributions from India, and advance the American creed of one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.
Acknowledging that leading AAPI is a daunting challenge, Dr. Lodha said, “I’m very honored, privileged and consider myself fortunate to announce that I have an excellent group of dedicated, hardworking, and loyal officers and executive committee members who are with me to take AAPI to new heights.”
The Future is now– Its time to step up to a new era of innovation through a new age of digital healthcare that transcends biological and chemical medicine into the future. As physicians we must be equipped to tackle the next generation’s unique set of challenges and opportunities in healthcare, Dr. Lodha said. For more information on AAPI and its programs, please visit: www.aapiusa.org.
