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Sadhguru inaugurates AAPI’s 37th annual convention In Atlanta with keynote address

BY AJAY GHOSH

Atlanta, Georgia,  July 5, 2019:  Sadhguru, recognized around the world for his pioneering efforts to nurture global harmony, inaugurated the 37th annual convention, organized by The American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) on July 4th at the fabulous Omni Atlanta at CNN Center and Georgia World Congress Center.

Attended by over 2,000 delegates from across the nation, the event began with the welcome address by Dr. Naresh Parikh, President of AAPI. He said,  “The 37th Annual AAPI Convention & Scientific Assembly offers an intimate setting that will facilitate our ability to convoy cutting-edge research and CMEs, promote personal, professional and business relationships, and display ethnic items. The convention is filled with cutting-edge CMEs, product theaters, women’s forum, great entertainment from Bollywood and local talent and lot more.”

Dr. Parikh highlighted some of the major accomplishments during his Presidency, particularly pointing to the campaign to rid India of TB with the $ 9 Million funds from the USAID. Stating that AAPI’s collaborative efforts with the Government of India and local organizations, several cities have become TB Free and there are several others who are on the way to be free of TB Free in India. Dr. Parikh also highlighted the 10 City musical tour by Sukhvinder Singh which has generated closer bonds between national and local AAPI Chapters, energizing the entire AAPI.

In his address, Dr. Sreeni Gangasani, Convention Chair, said, “The convention team has been working incredibly hard for the past several months to provide a delightful 4 days of events packed with educational CME credits, world-class entertainment, leadership seminars, networking opportunities, exhibits, and more. Our team is working relentlessly with a great enthusiasm to make this event a most successful one and I assure that you will have great time and would go home with wonderful memories. ”

The 37th Annual AAPI Convention is being held at the Omni Atlanta at CNN Center & Georgia World Congress Center from July 3-7, 2019, offering an exciting venue to interact with leading physicians, health professionals, academicians, and scientists of Indian origin. Physicians and healthcare professionals from across the country will convene and participate in the scholarly exchange of medical advances, to develop health policy agendas, and to encourage legislative priorities in the coming year.

In his keynote address, Sadhguru said, “The moment we learn to see things as they are, we will be peaceful. No one can make me happy or angry. I do it to myself by choice. You need to treat the lifestyle illness. What happens within you is your choice 100 percent.”

The mind is there to perceive, not to cook up nonsense. It has to be like a mirror, showing you everything the way it is. Inner Engineering provides tools and solutions to empower yourself to create your life the way you want it. It gives you the opportunity to intellectually explore the basics of life using methods from the distilled essence of yogic sciences, Sadhguru said. 

Sadhguru lamented that being in an affluent land with an immense choice of abundance, millions of people are without healthcare, which is a crime against humanity. Stating that healthcare should become popular not the doctors, Sadhguru focused on how in recent times, several doctors and medical students are committing suicide.

“Today doctors themselves are having serious illnesses. Those who address health need to be healthy. Stress, tension, paperwork rather than patient care are contributing to your health issues,” he told AAPI delegates. Referring to ancient Indian wisdom that stresses that education, spirituality, and medicine should not be commercialized, Sadhguru said, “Market and medicine are two different dynamics. Every doctor needs to look at one’s system inside self. And you need to put you through cobra test. Unless you are a sage, one cannot be a doctor.”

Pointing to the larger picture about life, Sadhguru said, “Life is a phenomenon happening all in it. We are all a small part of the large universe. No one knows where it begins and where it ends. Solar system with all it contains, earth is a small part of it. We are here only for a short period of time. Life is short.”

Describing that the brain as the cause of many problems, Sadhguru said, “If you remove half the brain you will be peaceful. you have the most organized brain system which has created lots of problems.” Stating that one’s intelligence has turned against self, Sadhguru said, “More people are ill today because of their own choice. You have not exercised your choice to be happy.”

Being on the spiritual path means understanding that the source of your trouble and the source of your wellbeing are within you. Every cell in your body is working for your wellbeing. If you are in tune with your system, you will naturally be healthy, he said.

Stating that human beings are not too different from other creatures, he said, animals do cycles of life blissfully but we do it with lots of fuss. “No one is trying to destroy the planet just as humans are doing today,” Sadhguru said.

Recalling that over 200 years ago, how infection was the main problem, Sadhguru pointed out how modern medicine has developed over the past few centuries from the symptomatic approach to cure the diseases and invent vaccination, which has saved millions of lives. “Many of us are alive due to vaccination,” he said.

Sadhguru pointed out that in today’s world, most illnesses are self created, due to one’s lifestyle, which he called “self-help diseases” with dimensional shift that is often self inflicted. “We become affluent to get sick is not fair,” he said. “We need a culture of health.”

Patrice Harris, MD, President American Medical Association, referred to some the key initiatives AMA is pursuing in recent years. A psychiatrist from Atlanta, serving as the 174th president of AMA, the nation’s premier physician organization, Dr. Harris is the first African-American woman to hold the office.

She said, AMA’s three strategic arcs: attacking the dysfunction in health care by removing obstacles and burdens that interfere with patient care; driving the future of medicine by reimagining medical education, training and lifelong learning for future generation of Physicians, and by promoting innovation to tackle the biggest challenges in health care; and leading the charge to confront the chronic disease crisis and improve the health of the nation.

Referring to the AMA Opioid Task Force, which she has chaired since its inception in 2014, Dr. Harris said, “AMA will work to elevate the importance of mental health as a part of overall health, health equity and improving the diversity of the physician workforce, and the impact of childhood trauma on health. And, the programs created to address the opioid crisis.”

“We face big challenges in health care today, and the decisions we make now will move us forward in a future we help create,” Dr. Harris said.  AMA is “committed to nondiscrimination through policy and advocacy” and pointed to AMA’s advocacy for fair immigration policies. Pointing to the immense contributions of Indian American Doctors, she said, “We value your contributions in healthcare. AMA is your partner and ally in patient care. We all need to work together to address the healthcare needs of the nation.”

On July 3rd, Georgia Chapter of AAPI hosted the inaugural dinner event with gala, recognition of various individuals who had worked hard to put together the convention and mesmerizing cultural events by local artists.  In her address, Consul General of India in Atlanta, Dr. Swati Vijay Kulkarni, shared passionately about her own experiences of working as a Physician, prior to becoming an Ambassador. She drew to the emergence of India as the center of Medical Revolution. She praised the many contributions of AAPI members in the United States and back home in India. “You have excelled in your fields of medicine, and thus make significant contributions through hard work, commitment and dedication to your profession and the people you are committed to serve,” she said.

It’s a well-known fact that physicians of Indian origin excel in their respective areas of work and continue to play key roles in patient care, administration, academics and medical research. In order to cater to its diversity of medical specialties, AAPI continues to use a multi-disciplinary conference format.  Some of the major themes as part of the CME sessions include: Pursuit of Happiness In MedicineBurnout Prevention and Wellness in PhysiciansEasy Life of a Hospitalist: An Illusion; and, Meditation and Mindfulness.

Shankar Mahadevan, the popular award winning Bollywood playback singer will perform on July 7th nite. Golf With Cricket Star Kapil Dev is another major attraction. Kapil Dev, the popular cricket star who won India the World Cup will be the keynote speaker at the convention. In addition, he will play Gold with AAPI members and will sign a coffee table book on Sikhism – ‘WE THE SIKHS’, by the legendary cricket star.  Preity Zinta, the famous Bollywood actor will be the keynote speaker at the much anticipated Women’s Forum, which has come to be a popular agenda item at every convention.

In addition, there will be, for the first time a Youth Public Speaking Competition and the much anticipated and appreciated “AAPI Has Got Talent” where the AAPI members showcase their talents before their colleagues.

The evening gala on July 4th was dedicated to AAPI Charitable Foundation with Dr. Kapasi leading the campaign for raising funds for AAPI’s numerous noble causes. Dr. Suresh Reddy, President Elect announced a raffle program where in AAPI gives back money to winning members, with discounted rates for AAPI[s cruise tour in January next year.

The finale of the nite, was the much anticipated, “AAPI Has Got Talent” led by DR. Hemant Dhingra and team, where AAPI members showcased their talents in art, cultural events and music, 

Continuing Medical Education and non-CME seminars by experts in their fields provide ongoing comprehensive and current reviews and guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of various disease states to reduce morbidity and mortality and achieve cost effective quality care outcomes at the 4 day convention. At the end of the activity, it is expected that attendees will gain an understanding of the causation, diagnosis and the best clinical practices for the management of the diverse group of diseases discussed during this program.

As though responding to the growing need: “Physician, heal thyself,” especially when there are growing signs of burn out among physicians, AAPI is focusing on themes such as how to take care of self and find satisfaction and happiness in the challenging situations they are in, while serving hundreds of patients everyday of their dedicated and noble profession.

Accordingly, some of the major themes as part of the CME sessions include: Pursuit of Happiness In MedicineBurnout Prevention and Wellness in PhysiciansEasy Life of a Hospitalist: An Illusion; and, Meditation and Mindfulness. Other themes at the CME include: Combining Ancient Sciences and Modern Medicine in the Prevention of Cardiovascular DiseasesMysteries of Type 2 Diabetes in South Asians – the Unresolved Questions; and, Cardio-oncology: Clinical Practice and Echocardiography.

CMEs, CEO/Leadership/Women’s Forums, Spiritual Discourses, Educational Seminars, Fashion Show, Mega Entertainment, Awards, Contests, Speeches, & Networking mark AAPI’s 37th annual convention in

AAPI organization is a dynamic body, spearheading legislative agendas and influencing the advancement of medical care not only in the US, but internationally. AAPI’s impact is seen in areas such as advocating for the increasing physician work force, participating in national health initiatives such as obesity prevention, and investing in global health education. Whether practicing in medically underserved areas such as inner cities and rural communities or participating in cutting edge research & academics, Indian physicians form an impressive group.

Almost 10%-12% of medical students entering US schools are of Indian origin. Headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois, AAPI represents the interests of over nearly 100,000 physicians, medical students and residents of Indian heritage in the United States. It is the largest ethnic medical organization in the nation.

“The 2019 AAPI Annual Convention & Scientific Assembly offers an exciting venue to interact with leading physicians, health professionals, academicians, and scientists of Indian origin. Physicians and healthcare professionals from across the country will convene and participate in the scholarly exchange of medical advances, to develop health policy agendas, and to encourage legislative priorities in the coming year,” says Dr. Naresh Parekh. For more details and registration for the convention, please visit:  www.aapiconvention.org and www.aapiusa.org

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