Skeletons in the IOA cupboard
Just guess:
1, How much money was spent on food, drinks and catering in the last IOACON at Jaipur? The figures have been disclosed to the General Body! (3.1 crores)
2, How much money was spent on travel, accommodation, hotel bills, and sundry expenses of IOA president, secretary, officials up to executive officer in one calendar year? (12.6 lakhs)
3, How much money was spent on Sudheer Kapoor’s Presidential Dinner? A dinner to which only he had the powers to invite. The money came from delegate fees and sponsorships! A dinner where he praised his friends to skies and his friends praised him for his splendid hospitality. All hospitality on conference money!! And many registered delegates were not invited, because this is the president’s own dinner! (RS 11.5 lakhs) (Bolghatti palace records)
4, How much money was spent on the past president’s ( Dr Sudheer Kapoor) project for free surgeries, an event with many unique qualities. (6.5 lakhs)
a, More number of press releases than the surgeries performed.
b, Just a thousand free surgeries across India. A single surgeon has set a record by performing these many free surgeries. (www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil...free-surgeries-performed/article8954684.ece). In India on an average 11,000 free surgeries are being performed in government hospitals across the country every day!
c, An event which totally focussed on generating positive press for one single man Sudheer Kapoor!
d, An event endorsed by a commercial records selling company who publishes records like who has the largest collection of whiskey bottles (http://www.worldrecordacademy.com/drinks/Largest_collection_of_Scottish_whiskies-world_record_set_by_Claive_Vidiz%20_90205.htm), Most wine glasses held in one hand (http://www.worldrecordacademy.com/drinks/most_wine_glasses_held_in_one_hand_Philip_Osenton_sets_world_record_113129.html) or the tallest stack of pancakes (http://www.worldrecordacademy.com/food/tallest_stack_of_pancakes_Center_Parcs_breaks_Guinness_World_Records_record_216143.html). And charge 400$ for a certificate from each record holder if he wants that scrap of glossy paper!
5, How much money was spent on Entertainment, and how much sponsorship money was used for non academic activities? ( 50 to 75 lakhs)
Please guess what would be 1 plus 2 plus 3 plus 4? In Indian Rupees?
Let me tell you the answer. Over Four Crore Rupees!! Yes Rs 4,000,0000.00.
Now how much are orthopaedic fellows who go for training get paid? A paltry Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 per month, for a post MS orthopaedic surgeon! In some cases, they have to pay for fellowships! Young colleagues whose father or uncle is not an orthopaedic surgeon hardly ever gets even these fellowships.
In one stroke if we cut all the above expenses, we can generate new and more fellowships. Paying Rs 70,000 a month. Short three month fellowships. Four hundred fellowships or more!
Imagine four hundred fellowships in a single stroke.
But will we ever be able to do it? I have a great faith in Dr Rajesh Mehrotra, and MS Dhillon. Dr Ram Prabhoo is just entering the scene, and it may take him a few weeks to understand the caucus and situations. The old guard does of course resideth there in the back drops silently guiding events on one fixed corrupt path!
Do you know that the constitution of IOA doesn't allow anyone to be on the executive committee for longer than six years? But this rule is always followed in breach. Dr Sudhir Kapoor has been in executive committee and attending meetings for over ten years continuously, making most of his attendances illegal!
Let us pull out our beloved association from the cesspool it has fallen into. Let us clear the cobwebs. Let us uproot nepotism, favouritism, and corruption. Let the youngsters take a lead. Let the darkness be dispelled. Let there be light.
Dr L.Prakash
Some one who has the courage to say that the emperor is buck naked!
