The Vattikuti Foundation started the Robotic Surgeons Council (RSC) in 2013 in an effort to strengthen communications between robotic surgeons in India. The objective for this forum is to encourage surgeons to expand their expertise in the field of robotic surgery. The Council is purely academic and provides a platform for the institutions and individuals actively involved in robotic surgery to present their work, exchange views, and learn from each other. The forum allows the sharing of wisdom and techniques to develop best practices and ultimately benefit patients. The Robotic Surgeons Council of India is also committed to developing a multi-centric, quality database to encourage high-quality publications showcasing robotic surgery in India.
As a means to excite interest in robotic surgery amongst the new, youngest medical Fellows and Residents, Foundation CEO Dr. Mahendra Bhandari has begun in 2014 a scholarship program for the brightest young medical minds to participate to the meetings and get a chance to learn from- and network with- India’s robotic surgery leadership.
November 16-17, 2019 Le Pondy Hotel and Resort, Pondicherry
XI Robotic Surgeons Council of India
Dr Mani Menon was the international guest faculty to the 2019 Robotic Surgeons Council of India (RSC) meeting at Le Pondy Hotel and Resort, Pondicherry. The Robotic Surgeons Council of India has gradually been transformed into a forum for very high level and cutting- edge discussion among a select group of the most influential names in the field of robotic surgery.
International guest Dr. Mani Menon, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit Michigan
Related events November 14-15, 2019, Masterclass Urology, JIPIMER. Faculty: Dr. Mani Menon, US
December 1-2, 2018 Taj Vivanta Hari Niwas, Jodhpur
X Robotic Surgeons Council of India
Taj Vivanta Hari Niwas in Jodhpur was the host facility for the tenth RSC meeting, 55 participants attended. A two-day master class preceded this meeting at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur. There, invited national faculty performed live surgery in the specialties of Urology, Gynecology and General Surgery. Dr. Sanjeev Mishra, Director and CEO, AIIMS, Jodhpur was the keynote speaker and the Chief Guest for the function.
International guest Dr Quoc-Dien Trinh, Co-Director of Prostate Cancer Program – Dana Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center, Boston.
Related events November 28 & 29, 2018, Masterclass Urology, AIIMS, Jodhpur. Faculty: Quoc-Dien Trinh
November 28, 2018 Guest lectures, Medanta The Medicity. Faculty: Quoc-Dien Trinh
A two-day master class at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rishikesh, preceded the meeting at Mussoorie and 115 participants including 16 Vattikuti Scholars attended the RSC. Professor Ravi Kant, Director and CEO AIIMS, Rishikesh was the Keynote speaker.
For the first time, we introduced journal club sessions, for the specialties of urology, gynecology and colorectal surgery. The journal clubs were well received and proved to be a very successful teaching exercises for the Fellows, thus will be continued in future meetings.
Approximately 255 Attendees including 28 Vattikuti Scholars attended the meeting. Over 55 Hospitals had attendees partaking in the event sharing best practices and notes on advancements in Robotic Surgery.
Key Note/Guest Speakers • Dr. Brian Harkins – Surgical Advance Specialty Center, Tomball, Texas
• Dr. J. Scott Magnuson Celebration Health /Florida Hospital, Orlando, Florida
• Dr. Khurshid Ghani – University of Michigan Hospital/Healthcare system, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Related events
November 16th, 2017 Masterclass Urology, Muljibhai Patel Urological Hospital (MPUH), Nadiad. Faculty: Dr. Khurshid Ghani, US.
November 17th, 2017 Masterclass Robotic Hernia Surgery, Narayana Health Hosp, Bangalore. Faculty: Dr. Brian Harkins, US.
November 20th, 2017 Masterclass Urology- Postate Cancer, Aster Medcity, Kochi. Faculty: Dr. Khurshid Ghani, US.
November 20th, 2017 Masterclass Head and Neck Surgery, HCG Cancer Hospital, Banaglore. Faculty: Dr. J. Scott Magnuson, US.
November 20th, 2017 Masterclass Robotic Hernia Surgery, Amrita Hospital, Kochi, Bangalore. Faculty: Dr. Brian Harkins, US.
April 8th - 9th, 2017 Taj Coromandel Hotel, Chennai
VII Robotic Surgeons Council of India
There were 208 attendees at the Forum, meeting including 21 invited Vattikuti Scholars.
International guest Dr. Alessandro Volpe, Urology, Italy – Dr Volpe won the Vattikuti Best Robotic Paper Award at the last EAU conference in Munich in 2016. He will participate to the RSC as part of the award.
Related events April 6th 2017, International Live Operative Workshop and Master Class on Urology, Fortis Escorts Hosp. Delhi. Faculty: Dr Alessandro Volpe, Italy
April 10th 2016 Masterclass Urology, Apollo Hospital, Chennai Faculty: Dr Alessandro Volpe, Italy
November 12th - 13th, 2016 Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital
VI Robotic Surgeons Council of India
The meeting was attended by 230 participants including 22 traveling scholars and featured 20 sessions in Urology, Gynecology, Thoracic, Head & Neck, Bariatric and Colorectal. Challenges in training accomplished Robotic Surgeons and emerging technological interfaces for surgery were also be among the subjects for discussion. Over 40 surgeons from Tata Memorial Hospital, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute & Research Centre, Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Medanta Medicity, Apollo Hospitals, Max Hospitals, Amrita Hospital, Delhi State Cancer Institute, Asian Heart Institute, Fortis Hospitals, and others, shared best practices and notes on advancements in Robotic Surgery.
International guest Dr. Ihya Emre Gorgun, Cleveland Clinic Main Campus – OH
Dr Catherine Mohr, Senior Vice President Strategy Intuitive Surgical Company,
Michael Hall, Director training ISI were the international guest speakers.
Related events November 15th 2016, International Live Operative Workshop and Master Class on Colorectal Robotic Surgery, Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai. Faculty: Dr. Ihya Emre Gorgun
November 17th 2016 Robotic Colorectal Surgery Masterclass, Apollo Hospital, Chennai. Faculty: Dr. Ihya Emre Gorgun
April 9th - 10th, 2016 Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, New Delhi
V Robotic Surgeons Council of India
The meeting was attended by 150 participants including 35 traveling scholars.
International guest Dr. Nikhil Vasdev, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire Urological Cancer Centre – UK
Professor Peter Wicklund, Chairman Urology from Karolinksa Institute Stockholm
Related events April, 10-11th 2016, Master Class: International Live Operative Workshop on Robotic Assisted Urological Surgery, Max Super Specialty Hosp., Saket -Faculty: Dr Nikhil Vasdev & Professor Peter Wiklund
September 12-13, 2015 at Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences & Research Centre in Kochi
IV Robotic Surgeons Council of India
International Faculty: Dr. Mario M. Leitao, Jr., Director of the Minimal Access and Robotic Surgery (MARS) Program from Memorial-Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York.
Related events - International Live Operative Workshop and Master Class in Gynecologic Oncology, Amrita institute of Medical Sciences, Kochi
- International guest: Mario Leitao, MD, Dept of surgery, Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York City, NY
- Robotic Workshop Controversies in Bariatrics, National Consensus Meet, 14/15 September 2015, Indraprastha Apollo Hosp., Delhi
In this meeting the academic schedule of the RSC has evolved from Status Session of our institutions to specialized sessions discussing how to improve techniques and the future of Robotic Surgery. The council hosted an international keynote speaker, Dr. Krishnansu Tewari from University of California – Irvine, and had an average of 80 participants from around India.
Related events International Live Operative Workshop and Master Class in Gynecologic Oncology, Manipal Hospital. International guest: Dr. Krishnansu Tewari, Professor at the University of California, Irvine and Director of Research, Division of Gynecologic Oncology.
February, 8th - 9th, 2014 Hotel Radisson Blu, New Delhi
II Robotic Surgeons Council of India
After the encouraging feedback from previous meetings, the Robotic Surgeons Council meetings were extended from one- to two days- to accommodate the growing interest of prospective surgeons and to allow for enough time for more participation. This allowed for more academic sessions from two invited international faculty members, Dr. Robert Cerfolio of University of Alabama and Dr. Akshay Bhandari of Mount Sinai Medical Center in Florida. This meeting was also a multispecialty academic course and focused on lectures and status sessions of the group.
August 18, 2013 at the Hotel ITC Maurya, New Delhi
I Robotic Surgeons Council of India
The Vattikuti Foundation sponsored the first meeting of the Robotic Surgeons Council on August 18, 2013 at the Hotel ITC Maurya. Over 60 top Indian robotic surgeons participated in a packed, daylong symposium. Nearly 20 hospitals were represented, and each provided an update on the progress being made in growing the use of the da Vinci surgical system. Ideas on data sharing, proctoring, training and collaboration were discussed.
