Dr. Naresh Parikh, a cardiologist, entreprenor, leader, and community activist, assumed charge as President of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) during the historic 36th annual convention at the Greater Columbus Convention Hall her on Saturday, July 7th night as the convention came to a conclusion with the gala attended by over 1,700 delegates from across the nation.
Along with Dr. Parikh, his executive committee consisting of Dr. Suresh Reddy, President-Elect; Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda, Vice President; Dr. Anupama Gotimukula, Secretary; Dr. Anjana Samadder, Treasurer; and Dr. Ajeeth Kothari, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, were administered the oath of office as the AAPI delegates cheered loudly wishing them the best in the upcoming year.
As the President of AAPI, “I will dedicate my time, energy and skills to maintain the integrity of AAPI and promote membership database and scrub data. We will work together encouraging and motivating more and more Physicians and Dentists to join AAPI and work towards increase in AAPI membership representing all sections, including, women, young and old, while providing enhanced membership benefits including liability insurance carrier, billing, collection company, cardiac remote monitoring, and credit card transactions through reputed banking services. Our Mission and Motto for the upcoming year is “As your president I plan to invoke this year as the year of progress and balance,” the soft spoken Dr. Parikh declared in bis inaugural address.
Dr. Parikh was gracious in acknowledging the contributions of Dr. Gautam Samadder, his predecessor. “I have enjoyed serving AAPI for all these years and it was a true pleasure this past year working in close association with Dr. Samadder. I have learned much from him and offer that as a Compliment for his achievements for AAPI,’ he said.
Dr. Gautam Samadder, through a visual presentation summarized the many achievements of his year long presidency, including GHS in Kolkatta, Health Clinic inauguration in West Bengal, African safari, contributions to Veterans Obesity and Lukemia Society, India day parade and Leadership seminar, among the many others. He thanked his executive committee members, convention committee and all who have generously devoted their time, talent and resources for the success of the many programs he had initiated under his leadership.
“It’s been a humbling experience to work with an esteemed galaxy of AAPI leaders, leading this great organization, for the past year. With the active support of my executive committee and BOT members, I truly believe, I have been able to fulfill many of the priorities I had forth at the beginning of my presidency during the convention in New Jersey last year,” Dr. Samadder said.
Placing his confidence in the AAPI members who have elected him to lead this 37 years old organization, Dr. Parikh said, “AAPI has made great progress from a fledging association of the 1980s to what you see today, a robust, powerful medical organization in our country.
An organization is only as strong as its members make it and our AAPI membership is an incredible group of dedicated passionate individuals. I would like to congratulate the members of AAPI for their strength and the support they have given in its wings of flight.”
Graduated from Nagpur Medical College in 1972 and a cardiologist by profession, Dr. Naresh Parikh is serving as the CEO of Georgia Clinic, a multi-specialty organization, founded in 1998, serving patients from dozen locations. A practicing Cardiologist in Atlanta, Georgia for 30 years, Dr. Parikh was instrumental in starting IPA in 2016 with 53 participating providers and has been active in DRS ACO. Dr. Parikh is also involved with Cigna Health Spring as a counsel to improve Hedis score and improve MRA scoring for Georgia Physicians.
“It’s been an honor and privilege for me to be associated with AAPI because I recognize the tremendous potential and the lead role that is being played by AAPI in promoting friendship between India and the United States. As members of AAPI, we have not forgotten our roots and are engaged in several activities such as conducting Indo-US Healthcare Summit that has shown us a new trail in healthcare sector in India and will continue to pave way for new frontiers in public private partnership.” As the president of AAPI, which has been playing a major role in supporting noble causes around the world, Dr. Parikh’s goal “is to be actively engaged in the SEWAK project in India.”
Dr. Parikh called upon the entire AAPI family to work towards staying united and for the betterment of the organization they all love dearly. “Let this year be a year of unity, progress and balance. Let us set aside all our differences and we all pledge to unite and work together as one team for betterment of AAPI and keep AAPI in balance,” he said.
As the President of AAPI, Dr. Parikh will “carry forward my duties of AAPI Office and keeping transparency, accountability and branding of AAPI. Under the current dynamic and dedicated team of executives, we strive to achieve higher standards for AAPI and to achieve our chosen agenda. I am committed to working with the AAPI Team to establish AAPI’s image in the US and globally.”
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 and the world. Known to be a leading ethnic medical organization that represents nearly 100,000 physicians and fellows 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, AAPI members are proud to contribute to the wellbeing of their motherland India, and their adopted land, the United States. The convention is a forum to network, share knowledge and thoughts, and thus, enrich one another, and rededicate for the health and wellbeing of all the peoples of the world.
Dr. Naresh Parikh invited all delegates to come and participate at the 37th annual convention to be held in Atlanta, GA from July 3rd to to 7th 2019. And the Global Healthcare Summit is planned for December 28th to 30th, 2018 in Mumbai. We look forward to seeing you all in Atlanta, GA for the convention and for the GHS in Mumbai, India!” For more information on AAPI and the 36th convention, please visit: www.aapiconvention.org
