Atlanta, GA, December 23, 2024: The Georgia Association of Physicians of Indian Heritage (GAPI) Atlanta Regional Meeting, conducted by Dr. Lalitha Medepalli, MD, FACC, President of GAPI (2024-25), was held on December 7, 2024, at Jade Banquets, Duluth, GA. Dr. Saurabh Khakharia and Dr. Nandini Sunkireddy served as conveners for the event.
Several prominent leaders attended, including President-Elect Dr. Vishal Sharma, Vice President Dr. Satish Cheti, Secretary Dr. Appavuchetty Soundappan, Immediate Past President Dr. Raj Alappan, BOT Chair Dr. Sreeni Gangasani, and BOT Member Dr. Indran B. Indrakrishnan. Other notable attendees included past presidents Dr. Naresh Parikh, Dr. Asha Parikh, Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda, Dr. Sudha Tata, Dr. Vijay Maurya, Dr. Raghu Lolabhattu, and Dr. Syamala Erramilli, as well as Drs. Subra and Anu Bhat.
This event seamlessly blended education, networking, and entertainment, with over 150 physicians and an audience exceeding 180 in attendance.
The organizing committee included Dr. Sreeni Gangasani, Dr. Syamala Erramilli, Dr. Raghu Lolabhattu, Dr. Amol Takalkar, Dr. Lakshmi Gopireddy, Dr. Neelima Kothari, Dr. Saurabh Khakharia, Dr. Nandini Sunkireddy, Dr. Indira Menon, Dr. Padma Nadella, and Dr. Supriti Balyan.
The evening began with registration, managed by pre-med student volunteers Ms. Divya Bhagavathula and Ms. Elsahaday Tilahun Bikis, at the Bone Marrow Drive registration table. A meet-and-greet session followed, fostering an environment for attendees to socialize.
Dr. Amol Takalkar, one of the Educational Committee Chairs, initiated the MSRF (Medical Student, Resident, and Fellow) presentation session. Dr. Harish Alappan, MSRF Chair (2024-25), and Anita Medepalli, MSRF President-Elect (2023-24), led the session featuring research presentations by Parth Manojkumar Adrejiya, PGY-1 Internal Medicine Resident, Wellstar Spalding Hospital, and Pragnya Tatikonda, PGY-1 Resident, Northside Hospital.
Dr. Suma Gangasani provided an update on the GAPI clinic. Dr. Indira Menon, Dr. Rani Reddy, and Dr. Lalitha Bandi served as judges for the program.
The main program, expertly emceed by the conveners, began at 6:30 PM. Dr. Lalitha Medepalli delivered her address as GAPI President, emphasizing her mission to bring GAPI closer to its members. She highlighted community events, webinars, and other initiatives, encouraging members to actively participate in knowledge-sharing activities.
The chief guest of the night, Shri Ramesh Babu Lakshmanan, Consul General of India in Atlanta, spoke about engaging the Indian diaspora and upcoming initiatives, such as Startup Mahakumbh 2025, the Bharat Ko Janiye Quiz, the Pravasi Bharatiya Express Train, and the Mahakumbh Mela 2025.
Dr. Sreeni Gangasani provided updates on the GAPI clinic and the Georgia Medical Board. MAG President Dr. Despina (Debi) Dalton discussed MAG initiatives, including tort reform, maternal health, and workforce education.
Keynote Speaker Representative Matt Reeves highlighted the Safer Hospitals Act, mental health reforms, fentanyl trafficking laws, and other legislative updates. Councilman Post 3 Bob (Parmesh) Erramilli emphasized the importance of physician collaboration with local officials to improve healthcare delivery.
Dr. Sunkireddy and Dr. Medepalli extended gratitude to the Grand Sponsor, Northside Hospital, and other sponsors — Fortix Financial, ABC Billing, Morgan Stanley, HomeSmart, Truist Bank, Eversense, Anchor Pharmacy, AssureGuru, MassMutual, AstraZeneca, and HeartFlow — without whose support the event wouldn’t have been possible.
Cultural presentations were chaired by Dr. Saurabh Khakharia and anchored by Drs. Lakshmi Gopireddy and Neelima Kothari. Performances included solos by Drs. Deepti Munjal, Ritu Chadha, Sunita Gupta, Sreedevi Vayalapalli, and Jyothi Sharma, and group performances by North Atlanta Physicians Group, featuring Drs. Lakshmi Gopireddy, Madhavi Siddhanthi, Sowmya Brahmadevi, Anupama Inaganti, Soujanya Chava, and Kavitha Tellakula, and East Cobb Women Physicians Group, featuring Drs. Anjali Khakharia, Jyoti Sharma, Neelima Kothari, Ranjitha Krishna, Richa Kapil, Sreekala Satheesh, and Surbhi Arjunan.
The evening concluded with an energetic flash mob by physicians and their families, followed by a lively dance session led by DJ Raj.
Dr. Vishal Sharma, President-Elect (2024-25), delivered the vote of thanks, expressing appreciation to the organizing committee, sponsors, and attendees for their contributions to the success of the event.
The GAPI Regional Meeting on December 7, 2024, successfully achieved its goals of education, networking, and celebration. The dedication of the organizing committee, the support of sponsors, and the enthusiastic participation of over 150 physicians made this event an unforgettable experience.
