History of AMASI

Association of Minimal Access Surgeons of India (AMASI) was started in 2003. The Association is duly registered under the co-operative societies Act of Tamilnadu bearing Registration No. 68/2005 and has its registered head office at GEM Hospital, 45-A, Pankaja Mill Road, Ramanthapuram, Coimbatore. It has its own website www.amasindia.com where all the activities of the Association and interesting videos of different surgeries are displayed along with the constitution (bye-laws) of the Association. The Founder President was Dr. C. Palanivelu. Under his guidance this chapter has made rapid progress. This is probably the only chapter which had phenomenal growth and has members in every nook and corner of the country. The main purpose of the chapter is to provide education & training to general surgeons in the field of Laparoscopic Surgery. Dr. Palanivelu has been known as one of the best Laparoscopic Surgeon throughout the world. He helped association and its members to grow at a very high speed. Laparoscopic Surgery has been accepted and is now been performed even at Taluka level because of the efforts of AMASI and its Founder President. Dr. Palanivelu Founder President has been awarded B.C. Roy Award for the spread of Laparoscopic Surgery in India. Many of its members have presented their clinical work in International Conferences organized outside the India.

Four International and one National Conference have been organized by the Association till today. The Conferences have been full of Scientific Material, well orchestrated workshops, symposiums and debates and all the conferences have been largely attended.

The membership has grown to 3,000 and association has a very hard working team (Executive Committee) led by its present President Dr. Ramesh Ardhanari and ably assisted by Dr. Dilip Gode, Sr. Vice President & Hon. Secretary of AMASI.

AMASI is engaged in conducting skill courses and awarding fellowships to the deserving candidates. These skill courses have become hallmark of the Association. At every National Conferences the Convocation programme is organized and the Fellowships are awarded. The unique feature of these programme is awarding Honorary Fellowships to the Academicians, Scientists, Administrators etc. Besides organizing skill courses, AMASI is also organizing Zonal CMEs /Workshops in different parts of the country. Basic to advanced surgeries are demonstrated live in Conferences & Workshops. The main thrust of the Association is to increase the number of General Surgeons who would start performing Laparoscopic Surgery. The object of the Association is to spread Laparoscopic Surgery not only in Metros but to smaller towns and rural areas.