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Oscar Wild said “We need to believe in impossible and remove improbable”. A surgeon always feels that nothing is impossible, and you need a truthful determination and knowledge to back it up. Make it “I am possible” by understanding the reality of patient care where uncertainties always come in your way. Train yourself to deal with all probabilities to achieve your goal and remove the fear of the improbable.

The Association of Surgeons of India (ASI) is completing 75 years of its journey to its present position and has seen many ups and downs but stood well above circumstances with head up high. Our mentors have laid a sound foundation with wisdom to promote academics of high standard involving surgeons from all over the world, to give a platform to show our ability to others and learn to improve ourselves from world leaders. Many such Speciality Sections are doing excellent work and putting example to teach other nations on newer techniques. A new generation is grooming with high hopes and looking forward to ASI to spread its wings to teach peripheral surgeons and be a part of the system to improve surgical services in order to give better care to our society. It is a government duty to provide such medical care to its citizens, but it cannot do so alone as evident from various reports. ASI should come forward to be a partner and help in implementing various schemes of surgical oriented programmes and improve quality of work. We have members with high devotion and determination. What is needed is to collaborate on the right direction and develop a joint system and promote it with good result.

ASI wishes to be a partner with State Chapters and Speciality Sections to guide them and take their help in promoting various workshops, symposiums and teaching programmes at various parts of the country and develop 10 to 15 skill centres. Similarly, arranging education programme of CME, P.G. teaching and focused symposium on practical basis in each state at periphery with local and other resource persons will help to freshen the knowledge and also gain teaching hours for the purposes of the Medical Council of India (MCI). We have talents unparallel in each state, to be identified and involved to teach our young generation and be a part of the ASI responsibility.

A high-quality skill centre at Chennai ASI building is our priority. Plenty of space is available, and we are looking for a partner to help us in developing it into a skill course round the year on minimal cost.

SAARC cooperates on equal terms to entertain surgeons from our neighbour countries and give a good atmosphere of learning from each other’s resources—to develop a continuous programme of learning is our aim. The process has started. Similarly, Southeast Asian countries are developing very well with universal cooperation. We should come forward and form a good partnership for exchange programmes to help our surgeons learn what is best available and give our programmes to their surgeons to learn what is best with us. It is also in the process to form a formidable academic international cooperative group. It is to include in the future Far East/Pacific Asian nations including Australia for a comprehensive study programme.

The world is one big centre now with so much advancements in electronic technology and IT. Knowledge is on your fingers, but guidance is necessary. We, with our resources, can be a guiding factor in our part of the world and can develop into high surgical resource country, learning and imparting high-quality care to people in general.

ASI Membership is around 16,000, while more than a lac of surgeons are working in the country. Every year, about 200 surgeons get enrolled as a member, while about 3,000 surgeons get postgraduate degrees from various institutions. Reasons for such indifference compel us to search ourselves and roll over to see their genuine reasons. Many activities mentioned above and many other new activities including family benefit scheme and indemnity protection insurance scheme will definitely attract them.

If surgeons of all surgical specialities like Ob/Gyn, orthopaediatrics, ENT, ophthalmology, dentistry and super speciality get united in the form of a federation of surgeons of India, it will be a formidable one with more than 1.5 lacs of membership. The number matters in democracy and can be a force to reckon in various national policy bodies and national programmes to help in improving surgical teaching/training and patient care.

I am placing before you an idea of thought which needs your reaction and judicious comments. As I have told before, nothing is impossible if the improbable is removed. Let us develop an International Medical Education Institution/Medical University to impart high-quality postgraduate courses/super speciality courses and short-term teaching workshops to the children of ASI members and others, which will be recognised by the MCI. Rupees of 1 lac will be shared from each member wishing to be a part of it to form an ASI fund on cooperative basis. If 25 acres of land on nominal lease rent of one rupee is available, this dream can come true. Think about it, discuss logically and give your feedback.

Saints, religious leaders and Dharma gurus are spiritual leaders, attracting masses for their truthful teaching of life and their philosophy, and are highly respected persons in the society. A surgeon is more powerful than any one above as he/she translates the preaching into action, giving life to ailing people in order to see a smile of satisfaction and gratitude on their faces. You exemplify your deeds into reality which is visible and appreciated. You are a saviour and a scientific protector of the society. Be proud of it and maintain your dignity with ethics to be emulated by others.

Long live ASI.

Dr. Satish K. Shukla

M.S., F.I.C.S., F.A.C.S., Oncologist (USA)

President, Association of Surgeons of India (2014)

Director, Lakshmi Memorial Hospital and Research Centre

Professor & H.O.D. Surgery (Retd.) M.G.M. Medical College & M.Y. Group of Hospitals, Indore

Chairman/Chief Editor, Indian Journal of Surgery (2003–2013)

Governing Council Member, ASI (1991–1997)

President, Indian Association of Surgical Oncology (1993)

Medical Scientist of the Year LIMCA Book (1996)

District Governor, Lions Clubs International Dist. 323-G1 (2004–2005)

Associate Editor, The Lion Magazine International (2013–2015)

Managing Committee Chairman, K.K. College of Science & Professional Studies

Managing Committee Chairman, K.K. Nursing College