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  • Monday, January 15, 2018 9:08 AM | Anonymous member

    39th Anniversary Celebration Of The Indian Medical Association Of New England

    Press Release 
    11/27/2017

    Like the mythological Phoenix, IMANE has arisen with renewed vigor.

    Heartiest congratulations to the 39th IMANE President, Dr. Sameer O. Kapasi & his team for a yeoman’s job.

    Indian Medical Association of New England, IMANE celebrated a historic sell out event on November 18, 2017 at Boston Hilton, Woburn.

    The celebrations began on Saturday morning with the arrival of AAPI President Dr. Gautam Samadder and his wife Dr. Anjana Samadder who both flew to Boston specifically to honor and congratulate Dr. Sameer Kapasi. Prior to his arrival Dr. Samadder had organized a celebratory brunch with the assistance of Dr. Seema Arora. He invited who’s who of the IMANE community and AAPI members and officers to the brunch. At the brunch Dr. Samadder praised Dr. Kapasi’s stellar performance and his absolute dedication and commitment, presenting him with a plaque for Outstanding Leadership.

    Dr. Kapasi thanked Dr. Samadder for taking time off his busy schedule by coming to Boston and for organizing the brunch in his honor. He presented Dr. Samadder the first copy of the historic forty-page IMANE Brochure and a gold ceremonial IMANE lapel pin that was especially designed memento for the gala.

    The evening Gala Celebration brought in greater than two hundred and fifty high-spirited members and friends from Boston and a large number of AAPI friends and well-wishers from all over USA.. During pre-dinner cocktail the guests mingled renewing acquaintances relishing an array of Indian hors d’oeuvres selected painstakingly
    by Gourmet India. There was feeling of excitement in the air, similar to what one may feel before an opening night of a symphony

    Once the banquet doors opened and everyone was seated Dr. Kapasi welcomed the audience thanking his executive committee and members of the Board of Trustees for supporting his efforts. His presidential address demonstrated humility and the skill of a well poised toastmaster. One came away with a feeling that Dr. Kapasi’s success had much to do with his gentle but firm demeanor, one that espoused team spirit; a quality seen frequently in a natural leader.

    In his address Dr. Kapasi gave an overview of all the successful programs of his year; specifically mentioning the Spring CME program, IMANE’s generous contribution to the Hurricane Disaster Fund, community health services events such as the IAGB Hatch Shell event, UIA Norwood High School event, and INE Health Expo,.

    The highlight of IMANE’s community service however he stated was an independent health and dental screening event conducted at Guru Nanak Gurudwara in Medford, Massachusetts where more than 150 Indian community members underwent preventive screening and also received medical and dental advice, yet another first for IMANE.

    IMANE members and family spent a day at “Cradles & Crayons” a charitable organization where they donated much needed items and sorted out clothes for eighty needy families. This was indeed unique as it brought an awareness of IMANE’s charitable work outside the Indian community.

    Ravindra Mahadev of Ameriprise coordinated with IMANE a very innovative program coined, “Nights out with IMANE” to promote new membership.

    As an ongoing yearly support IMANE offered financial help and physician support services to charitable clinics in Framingham & Waltham.

    During Summer, IMANE organized a fully funded unique outing, “IMANE at the Ball Game” at the world famous Fenway Ball Park where participants were seated in a private booth and provided dinner as they watched a ball game; very therapeutic for our hard working doctors. This too was a first for IMANE.

    The climax was most definitely the annual gala as it was a celebration of a very successful 2017 under Kapasi’s presidency.

    Following his address Dr. Kapasi invited Dr. Vivek Murthy, the 19th Surgeon General who was the Key Note Speaker for the evening. Dr. Murthy a Boston physician was most likely the reason for the resurgence and an awakened enthusiasm amongst young IMANE members and non-members alike, not discounting a fact that the young physicians themselves are very savvy in communicating skills.

    Dr. Kapasi graciously acknowledged Dr. Murthy for his exceptional “Fireside Chat” that was conducted by Dr. Bhavna Lall. The chat covered topics such as physician burnout and the future of public health. When asked of the most pressing public health issue of our time, Dr. Murthy spoke of children who were victims of violence, mosquito-borne Zika virus transmission, and went on to discuss his lead on substance abuse and addiction, an issue he brought to the forefront as the number one threat to the wellbeing of our nation. When asked about causes of physician burn-out, Dr. Murthy said, “There is no single cause, the truth is that we did not learn how to care for ourselves in medical school”. Dr. Murthy encouraged medical students, residents, and physicians to take care of themselves and find de stressors, emphasizing daily aerobic exercise and building nurturing human relationships. Dr. Murthy left the banquet with an inspiring and uplifting advice “If you succeed, pull someone along”. To the physicians Dr Murthy was an inspiration they would like to emulate.

    Following Dr Murthy’s inspiring chat Dr. Kapasi welcomed the incoming president, Dr. Vikas Merchia, handing over the baton and pinning the ceremonial president’s pin on his lapel, wishing him well. Dr. Merchia spoke of his vision to strengthen bonds with in the community and diversify.

    The next on the program was presentation of awards.
    Awards were given to the following recipients:

    Distinguished Physician’s Award Anjan K. Chaudhury, M.D.
    Community Service Award Seema Arora, M.D.
    Presidential Ambassador Award Ravindra Mahadev, CEP, CLTC
    Presidents Award Sucheta Doshi, M.D.., M.P.H.
    Presidents Award Paul Mathew, M.D., DNBPAS, FAAN, FAHS
    Presidents Award Arshiya Seth, M.D.
    Presidents Award Ranjani Saigal
    Presidents Award Neela Gandhi, D.D.S.

    Prem & Raj Goyal Foundation Award Krishna Adit Agarwal, M.B.B.S.

    For the first time in the history of IMANE a brilliant, and a very deserving person in the community, Ranjani Saigal, executive director of Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation of America was awarded the Presidential Award for her tireless effort. Another first in the history of IMANE was presentation of Presidential Ambassador Award to Ravindra Mahadev for his exceptional support and services to IMANE.

    Dr. Sameer Kapasi recognized all the key members and all the past presidents of IMANE with a plaque and a ceremonial lapel pin for their continued and unwavering support in the growth of IMANE.

    Special ovation and recognition was accorded to Dr. Manorama Saini (1983) the oldest past president attending the annual gala.

    Dr. Kapasi thanked all AAPI officers & members for gracing the occasion. He conveyed his gratitude to all individuals and companies for supporting IMANE with placement of an advertisement in the brochure and also those who placed a congratulatory page in the brochure. .

    Dr. Kapasi made a special honorable mention for Shoba Shastry of Alankar for decorating the banquet hall.

    Dr. Kapasi recognized IMANE office staff for their dedication and presented young volunteers who helped with chores during the evening activities with a citation.

    Dr. Paul Mathew a rising star emceed the program keeping the meeting in order drawing attention to Movember Foundation, a leading global organization committed to changing the face of men’s health

    At the end of the formal evening the night livened with a well orchestrated program put together by our own Dr. Seema Arora, past IMANE president. Disc Jockey Tej provided a great repertoire of Indian music and managed the sound system throughout the evening. The icing on the cake however was the melodious voice of Dr. Amit Chakravarty and his partner Sadhna who flew in to tantalize music lovers with favorite Bollywood songs that was interposed by Dr. Arora’s amazing Bollywood dance performance. It was evident that doctors are not only white coat adorned stethoscope totting individuals but they can party, dance and sing! Boston’s very own Nightingale, Anuradha Palakurthi planned to make a surprise visit to honor IMANE but she was unable to leave an earlier program because of a delay.

    Dr. Kapasi and IMANE appreciate the congratulatory citations received from Senator Edward J. Marky, Governor Charles D. Baker, Lieutenant Governor Karyn E. Polito, Mayor of Boston Marty Walsh, Boston Police Commissioner William B. Evans and Dean of Faculty Harvard Chan School of Public Health Michelle A. Williams, ScD

    Many left Hilton with a feeling of elation humming the songs they heard, amazed by the Savoir Faire and the total persona of the banquet. To the members nothing could be more compelling than the satisfaction of seeing IMANE rise to the occasion.

    Indeed the Phoenix has arisen.


  • Monday, January 15, 2018 8:53 AM | Anonymous member

    Video link

    A video montage from FoundationsTV for the November 18, 2017 39th Annual gala featuring Vivek H. Murthy, M.D., 19th Surgeon General.

  • Saturday, January 07, 2017 8:08 AM | Anonymous member

    taken from Lokvani

    Ranjani Saigal 
    11/30/2016

    Sameer O. Kapasi M.A., M.D. hails from the Boston area and attended the Johns Hopkins University where he earned his bachelor's degree in Philosophy with coursework in Image film studies. He then returned to Boston, where he earned an M.A. in Medical Sciences. Following graduate school, Dr. Kapasi worked with MDLinx, a small medical internet startup, as a content editor. Dr. Kapasi received his medical degree from the St. George’s University School of Medicine. Dr. Kapasi again returned to Boston to complete a Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation residency at the Tufts Medical Center. He completed his training with a fellowship in Spine and Rehabilitation Medicine at the New England Baptist Hospital.


    Dr. Kapasi is published in peer reviewed journals and regularly lectures in local and national meetings. Dr. Kapasi is a faculty member for the North American Spine Society spinal injection workshops and is actively involved in training residents and spine rehabilitation fellows. He is board certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and was elected a fellow of the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Dr. Kapasi is a member of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, the International Spine Intervention Society, and the North American Spine Society, and is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the Tufts University School of Medicine.

    Sameer talked to Lokvani about his vision as President of IMANE. 


    Congratulations on being elected the President of IMANE. Why did you chose to give time to this organization? 


    Thank you.  IMANE has done so much much for our community including providing free health care at regular clinics and health fairs, and lectures on a variety of topics to both the lay and health professional audience.  I have always appreciated this work and worked with IMANE to facilitate the good work that IMANE does.  Ultimately, I want to help IMANE with its outreach efforts and make it into an organization that can work hard to provide for the underserved and its own members.


    What opportunities do you see for this organization? 


    IMANE is an organization that can promote healthcare change.  Some of our members have gone on to become valued members of the healthcare community: Dinesh Patel as chief of arthroscopic surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital, Raj Goyal as a full professor at Harvard Medical School, and Jag Bhawan as a full professor at the Boston University Medical school to name a few.  We also have some great younger members: Paul Mathew as a chief medical editor at practical neurology and Darshan Mehta as the Medical Director for the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine, and, of course, Vivek Murthy as surgeon general.  It continues to be our job to help these physicians expand their network and help them ascend into greater roles.


    This organization has primarily attracted first generation doctors. You are a second generation doctor. What seems to be the challenge to attract the next generation of doctors? How do you plan to address them? 


    That's one of the primary questions that I have for the organization: what can IMANE do to bring on this newer generation.  We are no longer in the 1st generation world where having an Indian physician was a novelty. Now, we have the same walk and talk as our non Indian colleagues.  Now, at least 1 out of 10 patients has seen an Indian physician.  That statistic is probably higher in New England.  


    The challenge is to promote the relevance of IMANE by promoting mentorship and networking opportunities for career advancement and continue to provide service opportunities for our members.  We can do this by further bolstering our existing clinics, as well as partnering with other organizations for health fairs.  Further, we can put together networking fairs for our young physicians and residents, so that they can meet and interact with our more established physicians to expand our greater network.


    We have an Indian Surgeon General and now an Indian woman doctor has been nominated to head the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.  Does it mean Indian Doctors have now been mainstreamed? If so is there still a reason to have an ethnic professional organization like IMANE and AAPI? 


    Yes, it does mean that we have started to mainstream.  We are proud of our peers and colleagues being elected to these roles.  However, it does not make our organization any less necessary.  Our country is following the international movement toward political isolationism and nationalism.  It is that much more important that our organizations exist as a network for our physicians.  It is also that much more important that we continue to present ourselves with the highest integrity so that others can see the importance of having a diverse community.


    How do you see the health care system morph under the new presidency? 


    Obama made great strides to provide an expanded version of the Massachusetts 'Romney care.'  While it has made the lives of some physicians more difficult, it has also provided for healthcare for a previously under served country.  I think Trump is the ultimate wild card and no one has any idea how things may change in the future.  


    How do you see technological innovations impacting health care in the future? 


    Health care depends directly on technology, whether through the pacemaker/defibrillators that keep your heart beating or through improving electronic record systems that allow better communication between physicians.  While both of these have had their initial stumbling blocks, they are making our jobs as physicians easier and making our patients that much healthier.


    For young people considering a career in medicine what advice do you have? 


    Healthcare is a labor of love.  When I have been away from the healthcare field, working at an internet startup, I knew I had to leave because that love was a core feeling.  This feeling was strong enough to last me through college, graduate school, medical school, residency, and my sub specialty fellowship. So, young people, if you are interested in medicine, explore that interest.  Work in a doctor's office taking blood pressures. Get involved with Boston's Healthcare for the Homeless. Work in the IMANE free clinics or come out to one of our health fairs. See whether providing healthcare moves you the same way it moved me and continues to move me. 


  • Saturday, January 07, 2017 8:02 AM | Anonymous member
    Itaken from Lokvani

    Sapna Aggarwal 

    01/01/2015

    The 38th Annual Gala was held at Burlington Marriott in Burlington on November 19th. It was organized by its President, Dr. Sapna Aggarwal and her team. The gala was sold out many days in advance with a record number of physicians attending the event. The gala had all the elements of a fun gathering with great food, wonderful entertainment and awesome speakers.

     

    Highlights of the gala include a cocktail reception, speeches by Chief Guest and Keynote Speaker Amar Sawhney, a serial medical technology entrepreneur, Distinguished Guest Dr. Prem Shekar, Chief of Division of Cardiac Surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Dr. Ajay Lodha, President of AAPI.


    The IMANE gala was capped by an Indian dinner catered by Gourmet India and a special entertainment program titled “Mastani Shaam” that featured Bollywood songs sung by prominent local singers. Cultural program by Mohan Subramaniam, Sowmya, Nidhi and Hemant was just fabulous. Dancing with DJ Preetesh was fantastic. Many guests brought in Kaala Chashma for the dance.

     

    Dr. Aggarwal said “Many AAPI representatives including Dr. Ajay Lodha, Smita Lodha, Dr. Sampat Shivangi, Dr. Udaya Shivangi, Dr. Manju Sachdev: AAPI Treasurer, Dr. Anupama Gotimukula:.Regional Director, Dr. Satish Manha: past RD and Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda: past RD all came for me at my personal invite, that has meant a lot to me.” 


    Dr. Aggarwal expressed her thanks to all my sponsors for their support for enabling team 2016 to have such a Graand Gala!!!!! 


    At the Gala, the following members from the IMANE family were honored.


    Community Service Award: Dr. Victor F. Saldanha

    Distinguished Physician Award: Dr. Manju Sheth

    Raj and Prem Goyal Young Physician Achievement Award for Distinguished Service: Tej Shah and Sangita Murali

    Ambassador Award: Dr. Anand Kanjolia

    President’s Award:  Dr. Umakanth Khatwa, Paresh Motiwala, Dr. Naveen Pandaraboyina, Dr. Devila Shah, and Pramod Shah.


    Dr. Sameer Kapasi is the incoming President. Dr Aggarwal wished Team 2017 all the best.





  • Friday, January 01, 2016 11:27 AM | Deleted user

    Source - Lokvani

    Press Release 
    11/24/2015

    The Indian Medical Association of New England held its annual General Body Meeting and gala on November 21, 2015 at the Burlington Marriott hotel in Burlington, MA. 

    The event opened with a welcome by President Dr. Seema Arora who recounted the accomplishments of the year that included a wide variety of activities including participating in Mega health expo, childhood obesity program etc. She recognized the past presidents of IMANE.

    Dr. Nahid Bhadelia, Director of Infection at Boston University, Woman of the year 2016 and a Frontline physician for providing care to Ebola patients in Sierra Leone with WHO gave a detailed talk on Ebola patients.  Kay Khan, State Representative, Massachusetts house of States was the honorable guest.

    A new team was elected for IMANE which consists of:

    President: Dr. Sapna Aggarwal 
    President-Elect: Dr. Dr. Sameer Kapasi 
    Past President: Dr. Seema Arora 
    Secretory: Dr Umakanth Khatwa
    Treasurer: Dr. Dr.Naveen Pandaraboyina
    Members at Large: Dr., Dr. Smita Patel, Dr. Tapasya Srivastava, Dr. Meera Subramaniam, Dr Ashok Shah and Dr Anand Kanjolia

    The members of the new board of trustees are:
    Chairperson: Dr. Tejaswini Shah
    Treasurer: Dr Salil Midha
    Members:  Dr Pramod Shah, Dr Ashok Joshi and Dr.Vikas Desai.

    Nominating Committee Chairman: Dr. Devila Shah
    AAPI Region 7 Representative: Dr. Seema Arora.

    The following members were honored with different awards:

    Distinguished Physician: Dr. Manorma Mathur
    Community Service Award: Dr. Manju Sheth
    IMANE Ambassador Award: Dr. Tapasya Shrivastav
    IMANE Enhancement Award: Dr S Reddy
    President's Awards: Dr Geeta Trivedi, Dr Sameer Kapasi and Dr. Paul Mathew.
     
    As IMANE moves to the next year under the leadership of Dr. Sapna Aggarwal, Lokvani wishes the team great success. 

     


  • Monday, December 14, 2015 11:35 AM | Deleted user

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