AKMG BLOGS

As we came to the conclusion of this wonderful 47th AKMG Convention, my heart is filled with gratitude. What we have experienced over these past few days did not happen because of one person. It happened because of an extraordinary AKMG family that came together with commitment, friendship, generosity, and teamwork. As Convention Chair, it is my privilege to recognize the many people who worked behind the scenes to make this convention possible. First, I would like to thank Dr. Iyer and the entire Souvenir Committee for their tremendous effort in putting together our beautiful convention souvenir. A special thank-you also to everyone who contributed articles, messages, advertisements, and memories to make it so meaningful. To Dr. Neena Kumar, Smitha Haridas, and the entire Entertainment Committee, along with Dr.Nasim Shajahan, Judith and Dr.Manju Nayar as Emcees,and Dr. Thompson Chemplavil leading Anthakshari,thank you for bringing energy, excitement, music, and celebration to ou...

I just finished Arundhati Roy’s "Mother Mary Comes To Me", and what a remarkable book it is! I have always admired her writing - loved both The God of Small Things and The Ministry of Utmost Happiness, but this may be her finest work, and it is not even fiction. Her real life seems more compelling and dramatic than anything she could have invented, although her fiction has clearly been shaped by many of these experiences. The book is a testament to the extraordinary power of human language. At a time when we are increasingly anxious about artificial intelligence taking over language and creative expression, it is refreshing to encounter writing of such emotional depth and originality. In my case, I listened to the audiobook on Audible, narrated by author herself, which made the experience even more intimate and powerful. The book contains countless unforgettable lines. Two have stayed with me. She describes her deeply complicated relationship with her mother, a woman s...

Thank you Dr.Elizabeth Mammen Prasad, Dr.Joseph Prasad, Dr.Rekha Menon, Dr.Liza Protasis and Dr.Bikram Kabir for making the AKMG New Jersey convention a memorable one after all the heart aches of planning and getting it off the ground. I want to thank all the writers, with a propensity to express themselves a big thank you for making the literary forum a big success. Thank you to the audience for the wonderful feedback that we at the literary forum received. Truly a place where medicine and minds meet, a place where art and science meet. Thank you Dr Venkat Iyer who is one of the founders of AKMG for your valuable input. His book on Lifestyle medicine is an eyeopener. This important topic was never taught to us during our residency or fellowship. So thank you for your book. Dr. Thomas Payapilli spoke from his book about Healthy Habits for lifelong wellness and explained how he came off the BP medicines with time restricted eating and many other habits. Dr. Charl...

Dear AKMG Family, What a wonderful few days in New Jersey by the Hudson! A huge THANK YOU and congratulations to the entire AKMG 2026 New Jersey team for putting together such a memorable convention. The warmth, camaraderie, entertainment, academic programs, food, and above all, the spirit of friendship and togetherness made it truly special. To our New Jersey team — THANK YOU for giving us a wonderful AKMG 2026 and for setting the bar high! And as we say goodbye to New Jersey, the journey now continues to... AKMG 2027 – NIAGARA! We hope to carry that same energy, friendship and enthusiasm forward as we welcome the entire AKMG family to Niagara in 2027! New Jersey → Niagara! We were delighted by the tremendous enthusiasm for AKMG 2027 Niagara during the convention! Our special Early Bird registration of just $599 was originally available only during AKMG 2026. However, BY POPULAR DEMAND, WE ARE EXTENDING THE $599 EARLY BIRD RATE THROUGH THIS FRIDAY!...

Hello AKMG family, I have to make a very special mention. Last night, after I got home from the convention, literally exhausted, I got a message from Dr. M.P. Ravindra Nathan, who was unable to attend the convention due to health reasons and had just been discharged from the hospital, was following us through chats on how our convention was going, he was genuinely happy to see the immages and videos and it lifted his spirits. He really wished he could have been there.He already supported our convention tremendously by donating in several ways without even asking. But last night he sent an additional $1000 to cover the costs of convention. I was deeply moved and literally in tears for the love and affection he showed us through this selfless act of support for the AKMG NJ convention. We really missed Dr. Nathan at our convention, as he was to be honored as a past president of AKMG and co chair of the souvenir committee. I am literally lost for words because of his g...

The Rosy Bee-eater is one of Africa’s most spectacular and highly specialized bee-eaters. It is the most aerial member of its family, spending hours soaring gracefully above forests and rivers with its long, pointed wings. This frisky and energetic bird rarely sits still, constantly flying, twisting, and chasing insects in mid-air, making it one of the most challenging bee-eaters to photograph. Like other bee-eaters, it skillfully removes the venom and stinger from bees and wasps before swallowing them, and during the breeding season thousands gather on river sandbanks to dig nesting tunnels. Its beautiful rosy plumage, striking carmine-red eyes, and long tail streamers make it one of Africa’s most elegant birds. When I planned my Gabon trip, this was one of my target species. On my first day in Loango, just as we were finishing the boat trip, I saw more than a hundred of them flying over the water, but the light was poor, so I couldn’t take any photos. Days passed without anot...

I am an Assistant Professor in Neonatal Perinatal Medicine at University of Oklahoma in Oklahoma City. As part of that I serve as the medical director of the NICU at Saint Anthony's Hospital. What is mentorship ? Granting observerships, reviewing personal statements, conducting mock interviews, recommending for interviews is part of it. Really it is a resolve that one makes - I want to make it easier for another who comes along the same way. A mentor opens doors for a mentee, allows them to get from Point A to Point B faster and benefit from their own previous experience. The photos I share are two people who played a key role at the start of my journey in the US. Of course the common people in both pictures are me and my Dad - Dr.Safarulla Khan whom I am forever thankful to for granting me the opportunity to come to the US. One is Dr.Krishna Prasad (KP) who made a call to his friend D.Kumar in Houston. The second picture is Dr.Kumar who allowed a stranger (m...