by Wayne T. Price, FLORIDA TODAY 9:52 p.m. EST November 21, 2015

Click here to view the original article at Florida Today

Congressman Bill Posey with award winners at the BIMDA (Brevard Indo-American Medical and Dental Association) Saturday night at the Melbourne Hilton at Rialto Place.(Photo: TIM SHORTT/FLORIDA TODAY)

MELBOURNE - About 350 people turned out Saturday for the annual gala of the Brevard Indo-American Medical and Dental Association.

The event, virtually a Who's Who of top medical talent and health leadership in the community, also marked the organization's 20th anniversary. It followed the organization's annual Regional Medical Expo and Continuing Medical Education Conference.

Both events, the gala and the conference, took place at the Hilton Melbourne Rialto Place.

In the two decades since its founding, the association, known as BIMDA, has been involved with a number of philanthropic efforts, from targeting homelessness by supporting the Space Coast Center for Mothers with Children to teaming up with the Salvation Army of Melbourne in its mission of providing education and community health.

BIMDA also promotes volunteerism among its members.

The group also develops charitable strategies, including providing support to local cultural organizations. In 2012, the group's charitable efforts won it FLORIDA TODAY's Organization of the Year award in recognition to its work helping others and for being a model of philanthropy.

A decade ago, BIMDA organized fundraisers that collected $200,000 to help victims of Hurricane Katrina and also $40,000 for Haitian earthquake victims and $150,000 for tsunami victims in Asia.

Keynote speaker U.S. Rep. Bill Posey, R-Rockledge, said of the organization "Through their commitment to education and devotion to charitable giving, BIMDA has become a pillar of Central Florida."

"This is a special organization, with truly good people who are dedicated to strengthening our communities,” Posey said.

BIMDA currently has about 180 members. Its current president is Dr. Sharad Vyas, a Palm Bay-based pediatrician.

"We are very thankful for the friendship that BIMDA has in the community and look forward to serving the professional needs of doctors, hospitals and educational institutions engaging in collaboration for the improvement of Brevard County,” said Glad Kurian, a vice president with the Melbourne office of Morgan Stanley, who is constantly networking throughout the county and spreading the word about the organization’s social and charitable efforts.

Kurian was one of 11 members of BIMDA who Posey awarded with a Congressional Medal of Recognition.

Also on hand for Saturday's event was Jeff Kiel, president and publisher of FLORIDA TODAY. Kiel spoke to the organization about FLORIDA TODAY's annual Reaching Out Holiday Fund campaign, which is celebrating its 24th anniversary. To date, Reaching Out has provided about a quarter million books and toys to families and seniors in need.

BIMDA members presented Kiel with a check for the Reaching Out Holiday Fund. The check was on the "Partnership Level," meaning a donation of least $1,000.

"I'm very appreciative of BIMDA's continued support of the FLORIDA TODAY Reaching Out Holiday Fund," Kiel said. "Their generosity will make a difference for our community."

Others receiving the Congressional Medal of Recognition medal on Saturday included:

• Dr. Mahesh Soni, a pediatrician with offices in Palm Bay and Satellite Beach, who helped start the organization.
• Dr. Subhash Rege, a Palm Bay-based dentist.
• Dr. Mukesh Aggarwal, a leader in the Indian community since the local community first formed the Indian Association of the Space Coast in 1991. Aggarwal also is a pioneer in ophthalmology, serving Brevard County since the 1970s.
• Dr. Ashok Shah, a Titusville-based internist who also serves on the board of Parrish Medical Center.
• Dr. Homi Cooper, the senior-most physician in BIMDA, having served as a doctor for nearly 50 years. His occupational medicine and non-surgical musculo-skeletal medicine practice is in Melbourne.
• Dr. Sudeshna Mitra, has an internal medical practice in Melbourne.
• Dr. Abdul Karim, a cardiologist with a practice in Rockledge and serving Wuesthoff and Cape Canaveral hospitals.
• Dr. N. Rao Kopuri, the group's first dentist president and currently in charge of all the organization's back-office operations. Kopuri is assisted in that effort by his wife, Dr. Aparna Kopuri, daughter Sri Kopuri and office staff.
• Dr. Gobi Balaji, an internist with a private practice in Melbourne. He also serves on the the Health First Foundation board.

Dr. Ravi Palaniyandi, a supporter of numerous philanthropic and charitable organizations and cardiologist with Space Coast cardiology.  He recently was recognized by the American Association of Physicians from India, as an "Outstanding Physician of the Year."

Jeff Kiel, president and publisher of FLORIDA
TODAY (far left), receives a check from
Brevard Indo-American Medical & Dental
Association, Saturday night for the FLORIDA
TODAY Reaching Out Holiday Fund. In the
center is Dr. Ashok Shah and to his right is
Glad Kurian, one of the co-founders of BIMDA.
(Photo: TIM SHORTT/FLORIDA TODAY)

Jeff Kiel, president and publisher of FLORIDA
TODAY, accepts a partnership level check from
BIMDA (Brevard Indo-American Medical and
Dental Association) Saturday night at the
Melbourne Hilton at Rialto Place. Also in the
photo is Ashok Shah, sponsorship chair.
(Photo: TIM SHORTT/FLORIDA TODAY)

 

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BIMDA’s president-elect

Aravind Kumar, a primary care physician with Brevard Internal Medicine, will serve as the BIMDA’s organization’s next president, beginning January 1, 2016. He was recognized as a Fellow of the American College of Physicians (ACP) last year for his service to patients and a member of ACP. ACP is the largest physician organization of the U.S.

Dr. Aravind Kumar likens obtaining a medical education in India to trekking Mt. Everest. He finished the competitive exams, received his degree from the University of Mysore, and completed a specialization in orthopedic surgery.

Even after completing this specialization, he wanted to learn more which led to his move to the United States. He was selected to become an intern in internal medicine at Brookdale University Hospital & Medical Center, in Brooklyn, New York, one of the busiest city hospitals.

“My compassionate and caring work with my patients and knowledge there had been noticed as I earned the confidence of my teachers, superiors and my program director,” he said. “I was chosen to become the ‘chief resident’ during my final year of residency.”

After completing his final year of residency, Dr. Kumar knew he wanted to practice internal medicine.

“As a primary care physician, it is essential that we understand the patient as a whole, take care of all their medical problems, and sometimes advise them regarding their social problems and their physical capabilities,” Dr. Kumar said.

His orthopedic residency in India came in handy while he was a second year resident at Brookdale Hospital. He was able to help the orthopedic residents in the ER with the victims of 9/11.

After growing tired of the New York winters during his residency, Dr. Kumar moved to Melbourne in 2007. He became involved with BIMDA as soon as he moved.

“BIMDA is an excellent organization which fits in my philosophy to serve. As a group of likeminded physicians, not only do we assist the needy in the community, we bring the recent advances of medicine under one umbrella, in the form of CME, i.e continuing medical education.” — Dr. Aravind Kumar

With a physician membership close to 200, Dr. Kumar hopes to bring even more members into the organization. More coordination between physicians and more coordination with hospitals and physicians will bring in ease of care and the successful outcomes for our patients,” he said. “I am going to work hard to bring in a more pleasant rhythm in the medical community to benefit our citizens.”

Brevard Indo-American Medical and Dental Association’s objectives are to bring together physicians, dentists and other medical scientists of Indian heritage residing in Brevard County and Central Florida. The association is organized exclusively for scientific, educational, cultural, and charitable purposes.

Dr. Aravind Kumar and his wife Rajasri Krishnamurthy. She is also a medical doctor in internal medicine and practices at Palm Bay Hospital. They have two daughters, Subhiksha who is in her final year of medical school and their younger daughter, Nivetha, who is going to be a sophomore at Viera High School.

Newsroom, Florida Tech's Official News Source

The Scott Center For Autism Treatment

From left, Sunil Rajan, T. Dwayne McCay, Michael Kelley, Sathi Rajan, Dr. Saravana Rajan, Anthony J. Catanese, Dr. Sharad Vyas, Rekha Vyas and Glad Kurian celebrate Saravana and Sathi Rajan's $20,000 donation to the Scott Center for Autism Treatment.

MELBOURNE, FLA. — Dr. and Mrs. Saravana and Sathi Rajan have donated $20,000 to the Scott Center for Autism Treatment at Florida Institute of Technology.

Saravana Rajan came to Brevard County in 1975 to work as a cardiologist. Now retired, he and Sathi Rajan, who was educated in biology and business at schools in their native India and at University of Central Florida in Orlando, made the donation in loving tribute to their grandson, Rohan Shaan Rajan. The 10-year-old has autism.

The intent of the gift is to enhance the Scott Center’s treatment and research efforts.

Dr. Rajan is a member of BIMDA, the Brevard Indo-American Medical and Dental Association. Glad Kurian, who is the co-founder and honorary executive director of BIMDA, as well as a Florida Tech alumnus, was instrumental in coordinating the donation, noted Mary Beth Kenkel, dean of Florida Tech’s College of Psychology and Liberal Arts.

The donation was presented at the BIMDA gala in April.

“This generous gift will allow more children to receive the benefits of our highly effective behavioral services while supporting ongoing efforts to develop and implement the cutting-edge approaches to autism treatment that have defined the Scott Center’s excellence since its founding,” Kenkel said.

The gift comes as the university continues its Create the Future Campaign. Launched in January 2013, this is a $100 million initiative with one goal firmly in mind: to secure the financial resources for Florida Tech to become one of the ten most respected technological universities in the world.