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Narayan J. Deshmukh, MD
Most Distinguished Physician and Service

Dr. Deshmukh graduated from Osmania Medical College in 1961 and has worked as a general and vascular surgeon at the Guthrie Healthcare System since 1973. Currently he is president of the medical staff, the first asian to hold that post.

He joined the U.S. Army Reserve in 1984 as a major. In 1986 he was promoted to Lt. Colonel and to Colonel in 1991. He is only one of a handful of Indians who has graduated from the Army Command and General Staff College. He has distinguished himself in his service to the military. In 1988 he went to Honduras with the U.S. Army on a humanitarian mission. In 1990/1991 he served in Saudi Arabia in a military medical unit during Desert Storm. He earned several medals during those tours of duty. In 1999 he went on humanitarian missions with the U.S. Army to Bolivia and Equador. In 2001 he went to Kosovo to participate in the NATO peace keeping mission where he performed several operations on wounded soldiers. Afterward, on special request from the Pentagon, lie went to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to use his language skills in Urdu to assist with the interrogation of the Taliban and Al Qaeda prisoners.

Over his years of service Dr. Deshmukh earned the Army Commendation Medal, the National Defense Medal, the Southwest Asia Service Medal and the Kuwait Liberation Medal. He went to the Air Assault School and won the Air Assault Badge in May 1992, the coveted Expert Field Medal Badge in July 1992 and the Flight Surgeons's Badge in 1994. He also has earned the right to wear the combat patch of both the 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions for going to Afghanistan in 2002.

Besides his military service, he has distinguished himself in many other ways. He is one of the founders of OGKMA and was its first Secretary. Over the years he has helped many Indian medical professionals pursue their careers.

He has authored over 70 scientific papers and was President of the Society of Asian Indian Surgeons of North America (1995-97). He was also President of the Central Pennsylvania Chapter of the American College of Surgeons (2001-03).

C. Venkata S. Ram, MD
Most Distinguished Teacher and Clinical Researcher

Dr. Ram graduated from Osmania Medical College and completed his residency in medicine at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island and a fellowship at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Ram's medical career has centered around the prevention of hypertension. Author of over 250 articles and a book on the treatment of hypertension, he is also medical director of the Texas Blood Pressure Institute, director of medical education and research at Dallas Nephrology Associates and he is a clinical professor of internal medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas. He is the youngest person ever to become the Master of the American College of Physicians.

Dr. Ram has made numerous contributions to our understanding of born the physiology and the management of hypertension. For more than two decades, Dr. Ram's work has explored the mechanisms of action of various antihypertensive drugs.

Dr. Ram is the regional president of the American Society of Hypertension and a trustee of the International Society of Hypertension in Blacks. Dr. Ram has been an invited professor at many of the top universities in the U.S. and abroad. He is also on the editorial boards of numerous national and international scientific journals.

In addition to expertise in clinical research and medical practice, Dr. Ram is considered a uniquely skilled communicator of scientific advances. He is one of the most sought after reviewers and speakers in the world today. Former Governor of Texas, Ann Richards, characterized Dr. Ram as an, "asset for the State of Texas," and Senator Phil Gramm described him as 'an asset to two countries-the U.S. and India'. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison introduced Dr. Ram recently as a, 'physician of unusual talent and impeccable discipline'.

Besides his contributions to research, Dr. Ram has served as the AAPI President and also as Chair of its CME Committee.


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The Mission of OGKMA is to bring together graduates of Osmania University - Osmania, Gandhi, and Kakatiya medical colleges and to function as a venue for charitable, educational and cultural activities that allow members to share common ideas and discuss concerns.