Recognition for South Asian Surgeons and Institutions
The 2026 awards featured significant contributions from the South Asian medical community. A global jury, which included Dr. Rajeev Kumar, Professor of Urology and Associate Dean at AIIMS, New Delhi, and Dr. Sherry M. Wren of Stanford University, evaluated the submissions based on clinical relevance and scalability.
In the Procedure Track, Dr. Kalayarasan Raja from the Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) in India was named Runner Up. Dr. Raja was recognized for his robotic modified TajMahal hepatectomy, a technique that expands the possibilities of complex gastrointestinal surgery. Other finalists in this category included Swapnil Kushwaha and Mohan Gundeti.
The People’s Choice Award, determined by peers and the medical community, was presented to Dr. Atanu Kumar Pal from Aster Medcity in Kochi, India. Dr. Pal’s winning entry focused on a robotic Level 3 IVC thrombectomy using suprahepatic IVC control, a complex procedure for treating blood clots.
Advancing Surgical Technology
In the Technology Track, Federico Piramide of San Luigi Gonzaga Hospital took first place for his work on immersive virtual environments for surgical planning. Daniele Amparore of the University of Turin earned the Runner Up spot for his advancements in postoperative telemonitoring. Derek Mendonca was also noted as a finalist in this track.
Federico Lavagno, also from the University of Turin, secured first place in the Procedure Track for a single-port nephroureterectomy technique aimed at enhancing minimally invasive urologic surgery.
A Vision for Global Healthcare
Abhinav Vattikuti, Vice President of the Vattikuti Foundation, noted that the awards reflect a shift in the global application of robotic surgery. “What is particularly encouraging is the convergence of technology, data, and clinical expertise to solve real-world challenges,” he stated in the release.
Dr. Mahendra Bhandari, CEO of the Foundation and Director of Robotic Research and Education at the Vattikuti Urology Institute at Henry Ford Hospital in Michigan, emphasized the impact on patient care. “The real impact lies in translating this progress into better outcomes, wider access, and safer procedures for patients across diverse healthcare settings,” Bhandari said.
About the Vattikuti Foundation
Founded in 1997 by Raj and Padma Vattikuti, the Michigan-based foundation focuses on the global adoption of robotic surgery to reduce patient suffering through smaller incisions and faster recovery times. Since 2010, the foundation has been instrumental in the Indian healthcare sector, supporting the adoption of robotic systems in over 200 hospitals across India—including government, private, and corporate institutions. To date, the foundation has trained more than 500 robotic surgeons in India, establishing robotic procedures as a standard of care in the region.
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