The Michigan-based robotic surgery evangelist Vattikuti Foundation has provided 51 young Indian surgeons year-long Fellowships to study robotic surgery under the guidance of mentor Surgeons.

India has a need for a huge pool of orthopaedic surgery super specialists who can handle the special needs of over 10 million children with physical deformities. Specialist orthopaedic surgeons who can treat limb and spine problems can provide a better quality of life to afflicted children who form a startling 2.2 per cent of India’s young from newborns to 18-year-olds. This is an estimated 500 million children.

India has approximately 100 paediatric orthopaedic surgeons which translates to a caseload of 5 million cases per surgeon according to Dr Ashok K Johari, eminent paediatric orthopaedic surgeon who is also the President of the International Federation of Paediatric Societies.

It is well known that if congenital deformities are corrected early, a child can be given the chance to live a better life. It is easier to conduct surgeries on a child by modifying the growth of the affected part, adds Dr Johari.

A pioneer in his field, Dr Johari will be in conversation with well-known urology surgeon Dr Mahendra Bhandari, CEO, Robotic Surgery evangelist organisation, Vattikuti Foundation, on June 11, 2023 at Mumbai following a keynote address.

Vattikuti Foundation is currently accepting submissions for the KS International Innovation Awards 2023 in memory of Mr Krishnaswami Subramaniam who is credited with growing the installed base of surgical robots in India, adds Dr Bhandari.

The global competition that focuses on innovation in all specialties of robotic surgery, and replicability has seen the participation of surgeons from India. In addition to the top 3 cash prizes adding up to $15,000, top 10-12 entrants will be invited to present at the ‘Humans at the Cutting Edge of Robotic Surgery’ symposium at Orsi Academy, Ghent, Belgium in October 2023.

It may be recalled that in the KS International Robotic Surgery Innovation competition 2022 Dr Sandeep Nayak, Director, Surgical Oncology, Fortis Cancer Institute, Bengaluru was among the three surgeons from the US, India and Spain named the top three winners.

Vattikuti Foundation Fellows 

The Vattikuti Foundation fellows have gained hands-on experience conducting surgeries under the mentorship of a senior Robotic Surgery mentor at large corporate, government, trust and private hospitals in India. Most fellows have also been sponsored for 2-to-4-week study programs in the United States.

“I am confident that the Vattikuti Fellows Alumni meet will expand the knowledge pool for use by the growing community of robotic surgeons in India who are taking the benefits of minimally invasive surgery across 50 Indian cities,” says Dr Mahendra Bhandari, CEO, Vattikuti Foundation and Director, Robotic Surgery Research, Henry Ford Health System, Michigan, USA.

The Vattikuti Foundation has helped the growth of Robotic Surgery, especially in India. This is a philanthropic initiative of Indian American entrepreneur and philanthropist Raj Vattikuti sponsoring research and training for 25 years across geographies.