In a significant achievement for India's medical community, a senior doctor from Patna has been elected to a prestigious international position. Dr Manish Mandal, who serves as the Medical Superintendent and head of Surgical Gastroenterology and Liver Transplant at the Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS), has been elected as the Governor of Asia Pacific for the International College of Surgeons (ICS).
A Competitive Election at the Singapore Congress
The election took place during the 44th Biennial Congress of the ICS in Singapore on December 5. Dr Max Downham, the election officer of ICS America, provided details of the global election process. He stated that elections were held for six different governor posts worldwide, along with one post each for President, Vice-President, and Secretary.
The results were officially announced on a Wednesday following the congress. The race for the Asia Pacific Region governor was particularly competitive, featuring five candidates. A total of 71 voters participated in this regional election, and Dr Manish Mandal emerged victorious with a commanding 51 votes.
An Honour for the Institute and a Historic Moment
Colleagues and superiors at IGIMS have hailed this election as a moment of immense pride. Dr Bibhuti Prassan Sinha, the Deputy Director of IGIMS, expressed that it is a great honour for the entire institute. He emphasized that Dr Mandal was elected with a thumping majority, which in itself creates history for the medical institution based in Patna.
Dr Om Kumar, the Dean of IGIMS, highlighted the future implications of this new role. He mentioned that as the Asia Pacific Governor, Dr Mandal will now collaborate with various international universities across the Asia Pacific region. This collaboration is expected to play a pivotal role in putting IGIMS on the international academic map, thereby uplifting the profile and standing of the medical institution on a global scale.
What This Means for Global Medical Collaboration
This election positions an Indian medical expert at the helm of regional affairs for a major international surgical body. The International College of Surgeons is a globally recognized organization, and the Governor of Asia Pacific plays a key role in fostering surgical education, standards, and collaboration across numerous countries in the region.
Dr Mandal's election is seen not just as a personal accomplishment but as a testament to the growing expertise and leadership emerging from Indian medical institutions. It promises to open new doors for academic exchange, research partnerships, and enhanced training opportunities, ultimately benefiting the medical ecosystem in India and the broader Asia Pacific.
