Samiran Nundy | |
|---|---|
| Born | India |
| Occupation(s) | President of AIIMS, Rishikesh &Consultant, Sir GangaRam Hospital, New Delhi |
| Known for | Gastroenterology Social activism |
| Children | Karuna Nundy |
| Awards | Padma Shri (1985) |
Samiran Nundy is an Indian gastrointestinal surgeon, medical academic, writer and the President ofAll India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rishikesh.[1] He is a former member of the faculty at theCambridge University,London University andHarvard University, and is the founder editor of theNational Medical Journal of India andTropical Gastroenterology.[1] TheGovernment of India awarded him the fourth-highest Indian civilian honour ofPadma Shri in 1985.[2]
Nundy did his undergraduate studies in medicine atCambridge University and theGuy's Hospital, London after which he completed his residency at theHammersmith Hospital.[3] This was followed by a series of surgical training programmes at Guy's Hospital,Addenbrooke's Hospital,Hammersmith Hospital andMassachusetts General Hospital,Boston.[4]
During his stay abroad, he had teaching stints at Cambridge University, London University and Harvard University.[1] Returning to India in 1975, he joined theAll India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi as a member of the faculty and stayed there until his superannuation in 1996.[3] During his tenure there, he helped found the Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery and Liver Transplantation at AIIMS, of which he was the founder professor.[5]
In 1996, he joinedSir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi where he is the Emeritus Consultant of the Department of Surgical Gastroenterology and Liver Transplantation.[6] He led the team which is credited with 241 liver sections during the period 1996-2005, the details of which were published in a medical paper,Two hundred and forty-one consecutive liver resections: an experience from India.[7]
Nundy is the founder editor of theNational Medical Journal of India[1] andTropical Gastroenterology,[4] and the incumbent editor-in-chief ofCurrent Medicine Research and Practice.[8][9] He is the co-chairman of the department of academics at theSir Ganga Ram Hospital.[10] He is also associated with theIndian Journal of Medical Ethics as its editor, and Edpulseline.com as a member of its advisory board.[citation needed] He is a fellow of theRoyal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and theRoyal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.[4] His research findings have been documented by way of several articles and medical papers of whichResearchGate has listed 190,[11] whileGoogle Scholar has listed 320.[12]
Nandy serves as a member of the advisory board of Medicounsel, a medical advisory organization composed of noted medical specialists, engaged in providing guidance to patients inflicted with rare and complicated diseases.[3] He is also a part of the team of 290 specialists of DoctorNDTV. Com,[13] an online consultation forum, functioning under the aegis of theNDTV network. The website is reported to have a monthly average of 400 million views and, 3600 queries.[3] His contributions are also reported behind theTransplantation of Human Organs Act 1994, which made human organ trading illegal and recognisedbrain death as a form of death in India.[10]
TheGovernment of India awarded him the civilian honour ofPadma Shri in 1985.[2]
In May 2014, Nundy wrote an editorial in theJournal of Current Medicine Research and Practice in which he exposed the corrupt practices in the Indian health sector.[14] He mentioned the practice of unnecessary investigations and referrals made by the doctors and their practice of accepting commissions for the referrals.[9] He suggested computerisation of medical records and procedure audits to combat this trend.[9] His editorial was inspired by the article, "Corruption ruins the doctor-patient relationship in India", published in theBritish Medical Journal and written by David Berger, an Australian physician who had worked as a volunteer at a charitable hospital in India.[15] The article and the subsequent editorial made news among the medical fraternity and have drawn concurring responses from the government.[16]