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History!

- Spine week May 2023 Melbourne

Association of Spine Surgeons of India ( ASSI )
THE JOURNEY SO FAR !

The first ever major meeting on spine held in India was in 1983, at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi. It was an International meeting on Spinal Trauma, organized by Major Ahluwalia, a non-medico army officer, who himself was a traumatic quadriplegic. During this meeting Dr. V T Ingalhalikar interacted with many Orthopedic surgeons from various parts of country. They all agreed that spine care and scientific deliberations were inadequately done all over Dr. A .V. Bavdekar, Dr.K.T. Dholakia, Dr. K.V. Chaubal and Dr V T Ingalalhikar were instrumental in forming an association of spine surgeons. In September 1985, Dr. Dholakia hosted a meeting which was attended by Dr. Chaubal, Dr. Bavdekar and Dr V T Ingalalhikar. The Decision was taken to launch : ASSOCIATION OF SPINE SURGEONS OF INDIA. On 18th December 1985, at Hotel Centaur, Mumbai during WESTERN INDIA REGIONAL ORTHOPEDIC CONFERENCE of Bombay Orthopedic Society, Dr V T Ingalhalikar gave small speech about need for a separate forum for ‘Spine’ and declared formation of ASSOCIATION OF SPINE SURGEONS OF INDIA. Within 2 hours 19 people signed in to join the membership.

Founding Team

First Scientific Meeting of ASSI was held in Mumbai on 1st through 3rd May 1986 : ASSICON 1 It was attended by 82 Orthopedic and neurosurgeons. During this meeting the membership increased to 54 . The theme of the meeting was : Disorders of Lumbar Spine

Dr. K. T. Dholakia

Vice President

Dr. K. V. Chaubal

Vice President

Dr. A. V. Bavdekar

Vice President

Dr. S. D. Mehta

Treasurer

Dr. V. T. Ingalalhikar

Secretary
Member

The Early scientific meetings

  • First ASSICON : 1 to 3 May 1986, Mumbai
  • ASSICON 1987 : Mumbai
  • ASSICON 1988 : Ahmadabad
  • ASSICON 1989 : 10th to 13th September. Mumbai

First International Update Symposium, “ Disorders Of Lumbar Spine”

ASSICON 90 ( 8th, 9th December 90 ) Pune
The aim of ASSI was to promote scientific spine care, both surgical and non-surgical, in India through the medium of national, regional and local meetings, symposia, CMEs and workshops. The Motto was “if we are doing it, let us do it better”. ASSI promoted any spine related scientific activity, anywhere in India. ASSI also helped formation of local spine bodies.!

ASSI Annual Conferences : ASSICONS

The annual conference of ASSI is being held every uear now and has experienced growing popularity every year. ASSICONs have been held at Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Pune, Khajuraho, Jabalpur, Chennai, Chandigarh, Dibrugarh, Banglore, Nagpur, Jaipur, Ahmadabad, Kolkata, Goa and many other cities. The conference is attended by 300-400 delegates every year.

ASSI Workshops

  • 1st Cadaveric Spine Teaching Course in India was held in Sept. 1986 at Lokmanya Tilak Medical College, Mumbai. seventy one Orthopedic Surgeons Enrolled.
  • All other Orthopedic Cadaveric courses (Hip etc. ) started afterwards.
  • Since 1986, a large number of workshops were held under the auspices of ASSI or helped by ASSI.

The ASSI Textbook of Spinal Infections and Trauma

Keeping up with the Aim, ASSI has published an international quality book which is a matter of great pride to all of us! Edited by Dr. Rajasekaran and other members of ASSI this book is authored by only Indian Spinal Surgeons. The focus was on producing a book which will be helpful to India and all other developing nations. The book has been receieved well by medical community and hasreceived excellent reviews.

Formal Certification of Spinal surgeons in India

ASSI executives and members, especially Prof P.K.Dave and Dr. Prof Arvind Jaiswal, persuaded "The National Board of Examinations" to recognize "Spinal Surgery as a Subspeciality" in India. First Post - DNB certifying examination was held in 2006.

Joint scientific events

Today ASSI is a well respected organisation in India and in the world and participates and /or organises

  • Indian Orthopedic Association's Annual conference. ASSI has a place of pride in hosting subspeciality spine meeting during the IOACON
  • Instructional Lecture Series with European Spine Society annually since 2004.
  • Scoliosis Research Society meeting : Delhi 2009.
  • Dartmouth Hitchcock Travelling Fellowship since 2006.
  • International Spinal Arthroplasty Society had meeting

ASSI 's Overseas Friends

Over the last 35 years ASSI has garnered a large number of overseas friends who regularly help ASSI and enjoy being here for ASSI events. They have come to love ASSI and India. We greatly appreciate their association and their contribution to ASSI

In the last 35 years of existence, primary focus of ASSI has been "Patient's welfare first” ! It puts the patient above anything else and practices science. It is an organization of scientists with humane minds.

Past Presidents and Secretaries

Dr. P K Dave

Dr. V T Ingalhalikar

Dr. S M Hardikar

Dr. Shekhar Y Bhojraj

Dr. Arvind Jayaswal

Dr. S Rajasekaran

Dr. Sajan Hegde 

Dr. Ram Chaddha

Dr. Raghava Dutt Mulukutla

Dr. HS Chhabra

Joint Secretary

Dr. A. N. Parelkar

Dr. R. N. Mitra (Calcutta)

Dr. M. N. Shahane

Dr. P. K. Dave (Delhi)

Dr. K. Shrinivasan (Bangalore)

Dr. Dinubhai Patel (Ahmedabad)

Past Secretaries

Dr. V. T. Ingalhalikar

Dr. S. Y. Bhojraj

Dr. Arvind Jayaswal

Dr. S. Rajasekaran

Dr. Ram Chadda

Current Office Bearers

Core Executive Committee

Card 5

Immediate Past President

Dr. Shankar Acharya

spineshankar@gmail.com
Card 1

President

Dr. Saumyajit Basu

(2023-25)

president@assi.in saumyajitbasu@hotmail.com
Card 2

President Elect

Dr. S.K. Srivastava

(2023-25)

kemh_sks@yahoo.co.in
Card 6

Immediate Past Secretary

Dr. Gautam Zaveri

gautamzaveri1969@gmail.com
Card 3

Secretary

Dr. R.S. Chahal

(2023-25)

secretary@assi.in
Card 4

Jt Secretary sum Treasurer

Dr. Appaji Krishnan

(2023-2025)

jtsecretary@assi.in appajikrishnan@gmail.com

Executive Members

Card 1

Dr. Naveen Tahasildar (2023-25)

naveen.st@gmail.com
Card 2

Dr. Tushar Rathod (2023-25)

tnrathod@gmail.com
Card 3

Dr. Muralidharan Venkatesan (2023-25)

muralidharan.spine@gmail.com
Card 9

Dr. Sachin A. Borkar (2023-25)

sachin.aiims@gmail.com
Card 5

Dr. Rishi Kanna (2024-26)

Card 6

Dr. Tarun Suri (2024-26)

Card 7

Dr. Priyank Patel (2024-26)

Card 8

Dr. Varun Agarwal (2024-26)

Card 4

Dr. Gurudip Das (2024-26)

Sub Committees

| ASSI Education Committee

Role and Responsibilities:

  • Conduction of ASSI PG teaching courses
  • Conduction of Fellowship Entrance Exam with advertisement and timelines
  • Conduction of & monitoring fellowship Exit Exam
  • Coordination & Accreditation / Re-accreditation of Institutes
  • Creating & monitoring Observership Programs

Dr. Ajoy Shetty

(Chair)

Dr. Gururaj

(Co-Chair)

Dr. Abhishek Srivastava

Dr. Murulidharan Venkatesan

Dr. Rohit Amritanand

Dr. Gurudip Das

| ASSI Research & Award Committee

Role and Responsibilities:

  • ASSI CME and research online for FNB & Consultants
  • Completion of Existing Research Programs
  • Screening for Research Awards
  • Evaluation of Research Awards
  • Shortlist judges for evaluating applications for the Research Award
  • Call for research projects in a format
  • Monitoring & Managing Awards
  • Prepare a "Research Guidelines/Criteria" for inviting a new center/member in ASSI Multicenter Research Projects and the same should be published it on the ASSI website.
  • There should be a separate webpage for “Research activities” which includes Completed/Ongoing and new research projects. This webpage links to the ASSI website.
  • Should prepare a common proforma for writing a Research Proposal as well for multicenter studies
  • Prepare standard template for "Research presentations". This will ensure that all the important points have been covered.
  • Encouraged to have a "Workshops on Research Methodology" on a virtual platform. ASSI as well as Guest faculty would be invited to facilitate the event.
  • This will help to develop the research orientation amongst fellows.
  • To collaborate or partner with other prestigious research organizations

Dr. Bhavuk Garg

(Chair)

Dr J. Naresh Babu

(Co-Chair)

Dr Janardhana Aithala

Dr Siddharth Aiyer

Dr Rishi Kanna

Dr Tarush Roastogi

| ASSI Program Committee

Role and Responsibilities:

  • ASSICON, ICS, and ASSI Live Surgery Program formulation.
  • International Society/ Meeting collaboration.
  • Coordinating with other national meetings.
  • Coordinating with other societies.

Pankaj Kandwal

(Chair)

Dr Ankur Nanda

(Co-Chair)

Dr Umesh Srikantha

Dr Thomas Kishen

Dr  Parthasathy

| ASSI Website Committee

Role and Responsibilities:

  • Refurbishing existing website
  • Creating patient information base
  • Creating system of issuing mail alerts
  • Creating payment portal & Value Added Subscription Services (VASS), Conferences etc.

Dr Venkatesh Krishnan

(Chair)

Dr Tushar Rathod

(Co Chair)

Dr R. Sivakumar

Dr Aju Bosco

Dr Chiranjit Singh Dhillon

Dr Naveen Tahsildar

Dr. Priyank Patel

| ASSI Advocacy Committee

Role and Responsibilities:

  • Addressing medico-legal concerns
  • Interacting with various regulatory authorities
  • Health Awareness Programs
  • Interaction with the media
  • ASSI Consent Forms
  • Before uploading consent forms on the website, kindly get it vetted through Legal Advisory
  • Uploaded on the ASSI Website

Dr HS Chhabra

(Chair)

Dr Shailesh Hadgaonkar

(Co-Chair)

Dr Suresh Pillai

Dr Arun Bhanot

Dr Arvind Bhave

Dr Varun Agarwal

| ASSI Finance Committee

Dr Appaji Krishnan

(Chair)

Dr Vishal Kundnani

(Co-Chair)

Dr Ayush Sharma

Dr Mohinder Kaushal

Dr Ravi Venkatesan

| ASSI Nomination & Constitution Committee

Role and Responsibilities:

  • Inviting application of vacant positions in EC
  • Screening applications for ASSI events
  • Creating eligibility criteria for various posts
  • Constitutional issues/amendments
  • As per the revised constitution - A total maximum of 15 life members will be elected as EC members by the Annual GBM. Right now we have total 14 EC members. Details below:
  • Immediate Past President
  • President
  • President Elect
  • Secretary
  • Immediate past secretary
  • Jt Secretary and
  • 08 Executive Member
  • It was decided that one remaining member will be elected through election process during next elections.
  • Revised eligibility criteria for various posts as decided in the last GBM such as:
  • The same EC member cannot be elected for the consecutive year. This has been added in the eligibility criteria.
  • One of the eligibility criteria for becoming the EC Member of ASSI and Editorial Board member of ISJ could be that members have published/submitted at least one original article in ISJ.
  • It may be made mandatory for the co-opted members of ASSI EC to publish/submit atleast one original article to ISJ.

Dr Shankar Acharya

(Chair) (Immediate Past President)

Dr Saumyajit Basu

(Co-Chair)(President)

Dr Sudhir Srivastava

(President Elect)

Dr H. S. Chhabra

(Ex President)

Dr Ram Chaddha

(Ex-President)

Dr Raghava Dutt Mulukutla

(Ex-President)

| ASSI Case Discussion Forum Sub-Committee

Dr Kshitij Chaudhary

(Chair)

Dr Sachin Borkar

(Co-Chair)

Dr Priyank Patel

Dr Shah Waliullah

| ASSI ISJ Sub-Committee

Dr Rishi Kanna

(Chair)

Dr Sudhir Ganesan

(Co-Chair)

Dr Sumit Sural

Dr Arvind Kulkarni

Dr Amit Jhala

| ASSI Outreach Program Sub-committee

Dr Abhishek Srivastava

(Chair)

Dr Shyamsunder Bhatt

(Co-Chair)

Dr Bikram Kar

Dr Umesh (manipur)

Dr Chirayu Parmecha

Dr Suhail Afzal

Dr Sarvdeep Dhatt

 Dr KSK Chaitanya

| ASSI Outreach Program Sub-committee

Dr Bharat Dave

(Chair)

Dr Amitava Biswas

(Co-Chair)

Dr Mirant Dave

Dr Raju Srinivasan Iyengar

Dr Devanand D

Dr Thomas Kishen

| ASSI Spine Registry Committee

Role and Responsibilities:

  • Start of the new version 3
  • Evaluation of accumulated data
  • Identifying core group of Centres
  • Follow-up data retrieval systems
  • Thesis topic identification / allocation
  • Link to website

Dr Ranjith Unnikrishnan

(Chair)

Dr Dhiraj Sonawane

(Co-Chair)

Dr Ujjwal Debnath

Dr Montu jain

Dr Varun aggarwal

Dr Ayush sharma

Dr Suresh Pillai

| ASSI Task Force on Scoliosis Screening Program

Dr Abrar Ahmed

(Chair)

Dr Neeraj Gupta

(Co-Chair)

Dr Ashish Jaiswal

Dr Charanjit Singh Dhillon

Dr Niraj B Vasavada

| ASSI Membership Committee

Role and Responsibilities:

  • Initiate and create payment postal for the Value Added Subscription Services (VASS).
  • To give focus on correcting ASSI members contact details
  • We will start issuing membership points for active participation various ASSI activities. At the end of the year these points will be added to the members activity list. This will help us to keep track silent performance.

Dr H S Chhabra

(Chair)

Rajat Mahajan

(Co-Chair)

Vikshet Basani

Dr Vishal Kumar

Dr Ashok Thomas

| ASSI Elearnspine.org Sub-Committee

Dr H S Chhabra

(Chair)

Rajat Mahajan

(Co-Chair)

Vikshet Basani

Dr Vishal Kumar

Dr Ashok Thomas