Dr. Chander Kapasi celebrated 50 years of distinguished service, and the Harvard University School of Public Health honored her with an award in recognition of their remarkable contributions. Her family organized celebration at Paani restaurant on September 28th which was a wonderful event, attended by family, friends, and local community groups, all of whom came together to offer their heartfelt congratulations and support. She has been a past president of IMANE. Dr. Sonali Khond current president represented IMANE along with other members Dr. Pramod Shah, Dr. Devila Shah. Dr. Khond gave a brief speech to congratulate Dr. Kapasi on her accomplishments.

Dr. Chander Mukhi Kapoor Kapasi, a highly accomplished preventive medicine specialist, was born in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, and excelled both academically and in extracurriculars from an early age. After completing her medical education at Lady Hardinge Medical College in Delhi, she pursued advanced studies and fellowships abroad, including an MPH from Harvard University. Dr. Kapasi’s career spans decades of leadership in public health, particularly in preventive medicine and family planning. In Kenya, she directed mobile health clinics for the International Planned Parenthood Federation, and in the U.S., she has held significant roles, including CEO of Prevention Pro Medical Center. Her work in women’s health, family planning, and preventive care has earned her widespread recognition, and she has been an active advocate for women’s leadership in healthcare.

Dr. Kapasi's association with AAPI has been groundbreaking, becoming the first woman to chair its Board of Trustees, leading efforts to promote international medical graduates and expanding charitable initiatives like the AAPI Charitable Clinic in Mandi. Her leadership extends to her presidency of the Indian Association of Greater Boston, where she fostered community engagement and cultural programs. Over five decades, she has made a significant impact in both the Indian-American medical community and beyond. Dr. Kapasi, a cancer survivor, continues to contribute to public health through her work and community service, recently being honored by Harvard University for her lifelong contributions.

Attend the community event commemorating India's Republic Day on January 27th, 1PM at IMANE's booth presented by IAGB! Stop by our booth for complimentary blood pressure and blood sugar screenings, and receive valuable nutritional guidance. Let's collectively focus on our health!

After a long hiatus IMANE leadership team is proud to share that we will be hosting 2021 Annual CME and Evening Social Reception for all IMANE Members, Non-Members & Community Partners. 

This event will follow all CDC guidelines, MMS safety procedures and open for fully vaccinated individuals ONLY with limited capacity. 

Registration is open for limited time only 

Event will be hosted In-Person only on Saturday, December 11, 2021 at 

Massachusetts Medical Society

860 Winter Street, Waltham, Massachusetts

CME Event 

Nasir Khan Memorial Lecture Series Risk Management CME - 2021 Live Educational Program

12:00 PM - 5:35 PM

Click here for details and to register- https://www.imanemd.org/event-4495685

Annual Social Reception 

Click here for details and to Register- https://www.imanemd.org/event-4522333

We are proud to showcase our Keynote Speaker

George M. Abraham, MD, MPH, FACP, FIDSA

President of American College of Physicians

Dec 11 2021 Keynote Speaker Biosketch - https://www.imanemd.org/.../Dec%2011%202021%20Keynote...

Recent Interview of Dr. Abraham conducted by Dr. Manju Sheth 

We are also going to Launch our "Annual Souvenir 2021 & Share the Warmth - Share-A-Blanket Program" during these events.

 

IMANE would like to show our sincere gratitude and thank you all for your dedication in helping our communities. Please join us in welcoming the 2022 IMANE Leadership team as we continue our journey together to further IMANE mission and goals.

IMANE wishes you and your families a very safe, happy and healthy new year.

Thank you

IMANE 2021

Dear IMANE Community Members, 

It is with great sadness we share this news regarding Dr. Tejaswini Shah, MD Past President IMANE 1993 who passed away on Saturday October 2nd, 2021. She has been part of IMANE community for many years and has served in many leadership roles including Chair of Board of Trustees, Treasurer and more. We will all miss her greatly. 

Following is the announcement and funeral services details from family:

It is with deep sadness that we share the heartbreaking news that our Mother, Tejaswini Shah passed away peacefully Saturday evening, October 2nd,  2021, surrounded by her family.  She was a beloved mother, grandmother, and friend to so many.  She lived her life with passion and strength.  She was an amazing doctor who had a magic touch with her patients, an entrepreneur, community leader and even dabbled in politics. Mostly we remember her dedication to helping others and her unrelenting commitment to her family. 

We will be having final rites and cremation at the below location and time.  

Attendees must be vaccinated and wear a mask.

Date:  Tuesday October 5th 2021

Time:     3:00 pm

Location:   Carrier Funeral Home, 38 Range Road, Route 111, Windham NH 03087

In lieu of flowers, we request memorial contributions be sent in her name to:

The Indian Circle for Caring USA, 20 Hope Avenue, Suite 309, Waltham MA 02453

 

Sincerely

IMANE Leadership Team

BOSTON— Women Who Win, a Massachusetts-based women empowerment media platform, recently launched “The Shoe Project” charity program, which aims to provide footwear and health education to underserved global communities. It also donated over 700 pairs of shoes to underprivileged communities in Mumbai.

Dr. Deepa Jhaveri, co-founder of Women Who Win and a podiatrist, said that India has a slum population of over 80 million people, and slum residents have to walk miles every day to find back-breaking and grueling labor.

“They often work without proper (or any) footwear. Additionally, there is a significant population of women in slums and villages who live and work barefoot,” Dr. Jhaveri said in a statement. “This inspired the team to provide good quality, podiatrist – approved, and weather appropriate shoes to these communities because proper footwear is essential in preventing foot disease, infections, and amputations, and to keep safe while working.”

Dr. Jhaveri, who co-founded Women Who Win along with Dr. Manju Sheth and Shaleen Sheth, said that with thousands of people working barefoot everyday, they face significant risk to the health of their feet.

“Further, there are 62 million diabetics in India, and 25% result in DFUs (Diabetic Foot Ulcers) and 20% need foot amputations,” said Dr. Jhaveri.

With this in mind, not only are they providing the shoes, but the Women Who Win team is collaborating with podiatrists across the U.S. to educate and provide guidelines on foot health, which will also be donated with each pair of shoes.

Women Who Win collaborated with the Indian Medical Association of New England (IMANE) to provide the shoes and educational materials on proper foot health.

This summer, organizers received an outstanding response to their pilot program. They partnered with Lions Club of Juhu in Mumbai, to donate over 700 pairs of shoes to the women of the Adivasi village.

“These women were excited to finally have the right footwear to complete their work, and showed sincere blessings to our entire team,” said Dr. Sheth. “The donation of shoes project to those who need it the most has been the fulfillment of the dream of our co-founders. As a physician, I have seen up close the devastation caused by multiple medical conditions including diabetes on the feet including ulcers, gangrene leading to amputations. Many complications are preventable with good shoes and education on how to protect your feet. As always, good intentions bring together like minded people. We are very blessed to have received the support of great organizations like Lion’s Club,  especially the women’s team of Juhu, Mumbai and IMANE, led by Dr. Dhrumil Shah. It will be an ongoing project with multiple organizations In India followed by other places in the world as we are a global platform.”

Going into the next phase of the project, the team hopes to reach different underserved communities across India, providing all different kinds of footwear.

“It was striking to see how much receiving a simple pair of shoes can mean to people. I would love to provide different types of shoes for different needs as we grow the project – athletic shoes, shoes for particular health conditions etc.,” said Shaleen Sheth. “I would be most excited to partner more with women-led shoe companies and manufacturers, supporting their businesses, and helping in the cause of women empowerment, the mission of our platform. As a non-healthcare worker, I learned a lot about why taking care of your feet, and your body as a whole is so important, and a privilege in some way. Not all communities have the resources to do that, so it’s exciting that our organization can help solve a part of this.”

Added Dr. Jhaveri: “This project is very close to my heart as it ties in my profession and my Indian roots to create an immense impact in the daily lives of hundreds of people by preventing limb threatening foot infections. This project has also created a buzz in the podiatry community, particularly with Indian-American podiatrists as well as major footwear companies who have offered tremendous support of this initiative.”

Founded by three South Asian women from Boston, the platform is coming to its one-year anniversary, showcasing the stories of leading women across industries and all walks of life to an audience of thousands of people in over 80 countries. The team has created a global community with a passion for women empowerment, with weekly stories and forums for all topics such as women’s health, lifestyle, inspiration, business & entrepreneurship, and more.  To join this dynamic community, share your story, and be a part of initiatives like this, email the team at womenwhowin100@gmail.com

To donate to the cause, and for more information, visit their site below

https://www.womenwhowin100.com/shoes

Check out a video of their pilot program with the Lion’s Club of Juhu and Indian Medical Association of New England linked below 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOuD-M5BjjE

Thanks to the many volunteers, medical staff, organizations and community members that made the two vaccination camps on May 1st and 2nd such a huge success.  Dr. Dhrumil Shah, IMANE President, coordinated with IAGB and ISW on medical logistics, including IMANE member medical staff volunteers who administered the vaccine. The 2nd dose of the Pfizer-BionTech vaccine will be offered in 3 weeks (Sat, May 22nd and Sun, May 23rd) at the same two locations: Evergreen Adult Day Health in Woburn, MA and the ISW India Center in Shrewsbury, MA. For photos from the May 1st/2nd event, please visit:  FB Photos and Posts from May 1 and 2 Vax Camps

Dear IMANE Community Members, 

It is with great sadness we share this news regarding Dr. Manorma Saini, MD of Cambridge, MA, who passed away on Monday April 12, 2021. 

Her son & daughter-in-law law, Dr. Sanjay Saini  & Dr. Priti Saini, of Weston, MA, share the following announcement and funeral services details:

Please join us in remembering the life of Dr. Manorama Saini.

Time: Apr 15, 2021, 2:15 PM Eastern Time

Join Zoom Meeting Link:

https://zoom.us/j/2253680525?pwd=Rm5KRXhQTlpqRVJoQ0FJVld1Q3FCUT09

Meeting ID: 225 368 0525 

Passcode: Saini

Dr. Manorama Saini passed away on Monday April 12, 2021 at home in Cambridge, Massachusetts surrounded by her family.  She was alert and independent until the very end and expired peacefully.

She was born in Jalandar, India in 1928 where her parents Narain Singh Banwatt and Vidya Vati were practicing physicians.  Not surprisingly, she followed her parents’ footsteps and entered Lady Hardinge Medical College at the age of 16, graduating in 1949.  She trained to become a Radiologist in India, Canada and US and for over 30 years served on the faculty of Tufts University School of Medicine attaining the academic rank of Assistant Professor of Radiology specializing in bone radiology at the Boston VA Medical Center.  She was also active in the local community serving as the first female President of the Indian Medical Association of New England (IMANE).

She was married to Virender Kumar Saini, a cardiothoracic surgeon, for 61 years, who passed away in 2011.  Their children honored their parents by establishing the Manorama and Virender Saini Chair in Radiology Education at the Massachusetts General Hospital. 

Sincerely

IMANE Leadership Team

Heartiest congratulations to FAPI executive & AAPI executive committees, specially Women Physicians team for organizing such an outstanding GB meeting & CME. Special thanks to amazing leaders Anjana Samadder, who fought tooth & nail surviving all odds after COVID , Aarthi Sanjeevi, Udaya Shivangi, Hetal Gor & our office manager Vijaya Kodali. Congratulations to Sajani Shah & Kusum Punjabi, role models for young Physicians. Congratulations to Kusum & Mukerji for keeping strength in BOT.

I remember the days in 1993-94 when I became the BOT chair, AAPI used to be more like men’s club. It gives me immense pleasure to see so many accomplished & strong women in AAPI now. I am proud & humbled to receive this unique award from you for my leadership, dedication and service to AAPI.

I am happy that I could invite most of you on stage to share it with me & present you all with Women’s Health Calendars as token of love & appreciation & to remind you about AAPI Charitable Foundation.

Special thanks to Vipul Kabaria, Subhasis Misra & many others who kept us all together. My request is we must stand against bigotry and offer comfort & support to all who need it. When we treat each other badly, we loose out potential friends & good workers. My special thanks those of you , many I had never met before , who came to talk to me & wish me well, it was indeed great source of happiness.

IMANE team was very well presented as usual

Thank you 

Dr. Chander Kapasi

 

IMANE & AAPI in partnership with local organizations IAGB, TAGB and UIANE donated blankets to local shelters and charitable organizations taking are of our community needs

Through Share-A- Blanket Program we donated blankets to House Of Mercy, Lawrence, MA, We Do Care, LLC & Turning Point Shelter, Framingham, MA.

1.    
   

Thank you  

Shefali Desai Kalyani from House Of Mercy, Lawrence, MA

Julie Enos Brennan from We Do Care, LLC for everything you do

Thank you to 

Sanjay Gowda from IAGB Boston, 

Aditi Soni from United India Association of New England

Ramakrishna Penumarthy from TAGB Boston

Sudhakar Jonnalagadda from American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI)

for collaborating with 

Indian Medical Association of New England - IMANE

President’s Message 

 

"May You Live In Interesting Times" - I do not think any of us thought in our lifetime that we will experience what we have in 2020. IMANE members, friends and their families have shown us resilience and perseverance in these difficult times. I would like to show my sincere gratitude and thank you all for your dedication in helping our communities. We have amazing stories to be proud of, thanks to many IMANE members rising to the challenge as we started our fight against this global pandemic. From providing care on front lines, engaging & educating communities virtually, supporting social & humanitarian endeavors to becoming the voice inspiring many of us, this year we have seen the best out of the IMANE community. 

 

We are honored and humbled to report that during the Virtual General Body meeting on December 12, 2020, IMANE General Body Members unanimously voted to declare 2020 to be a ‘non year’ & elected current year Executive Committee and 2020 election slate to continue to serve IMANE one more year in 2021. This truly reflects how accommodative IMANE is as an organization and trying to move everyone together with our goals and mission collectively. 

 

Chief Guest & Key Note by Raj Sharma                                                                             

 

Most important highlight of the evening was the KeyNote topic by Raj Sharma, CIMA 

"Reboot & Refresh - Investing In Uncertain Times"

It was great to see an interactive session between IMANE President Dhrumil Shah & Raj Sharma, where Raj shared his perspectives on topics like Current state of economy and future outlook, Dynamic relationship between economy & markets, and Re-engineering allocation strategies and how to re-invest in spite of uncertainties. It was refreshing to learn and experience Raj’s optimistic outlook towards the next decade especially in times like this where pandemic has been devastating for the world economy in every dimension. Above all of these great insights from Raj, it was truly humbling to hear and learn about philanthropy & giving back as Raj shared his work as part of American India Foundation (AIF) disrupting poverty in India through programs in education, public health and entrepreneurship. 

Raj is Managing Director – Wealth Management and Head of The Sharma Group, a high end boutique within Merrill Lynch’s Private Banking and Investment Group and has over three decades of experience in customized investment and wealth management for entrepreneurs, corporate executives, families and institutions. 

 

Honoring Achievers for 2020 

 

"Leadership in Women Empowerment Award”

IMANE showcased the work of three women in our community, two of them being IMANE leaders, Dr. Manju Sheth, Dr. Deepa Jhaveri, and Shaleen Sheth, who have done extraordinary work to empower women globally in these tough times. Women Who Win, #Dreamcatchers is a global media platform for women's empowerment, conceptualized this year to bring positivity and inspiration, sharing the dreams and passions of many. It has become a powerful platform full of inspirational stories, life lessons of women's journeys and tackling many humanitarian, social, entrepreneurial & health related topics. Women Who Win team was honored during Virtual 42nd Annual Gala with the President’s award for “Leadership in Women Empowerment”

"Leadership in Crisis Award”

IMANE showcased the work of Immediate Past President Dr. Saraswathi Muppana. Dr. Muppana with her clinical background in Critical Care and Pulmonary Medicine became a crucial leader for our community. She has represented IMANE at numerous national and regional forums in 2020 spreading education and awareness around Coronavirus pandemic and continues to do so tirelessly as a true public servant. Dr. Muppana was honored during Virtual 42nd Annual Gala with the President’s award for “Leadership in Crisis”.

 

"Leadership in Crisis Award”

IMANE also showcased the work of Dr. Sapna Agarwal & Dr. Mohini Malhotra both of whom have reignited IMANE Women's Forum in 2020. They organized multiple zoom events including Virtual Zumba, Cook-in Lesson and Health & Wellness Talk this year. They also launched the Facebook Women's Forum group to expand IMANE’s reach. These forums were organized to engage and educate members and their friends & families. Both Drs. Sapna Agarwal & Mohini Malhotra were honored during Virtual 42nd Annual Gala with the President’s award for “Leadership in Crisis”.

Commitment For 2021 

Annual meeting concluded with an excellent presentation on COVID-19 updates & Closing Remarks given by Dr. Saraswathi Muppana. As much as I feel honored to be continuing my position as the IMANE President in 2021, I feel we have much more work still left to do before we can celebrate our ongoing recovery and collective success. Purpose of IMANE is not only to organize and support various professional and social activities within the region we serve, but also to create a dynamic environment for future generations to get inspired and promote our values of inclusivity, diversity and collaboration. My commitment to pursue this mission has only strengthened this year as many of you and your great work in the community continues to be an inspiration to myself and the rest of the IMANE leadership team. We hope to see you all engaged and involved as we all re-build the future together in 2021.