President’s Message

Dear Maulanians in North America

I am humbled by the trusted vote of confidence from all of you, to lead MAMCOAANA as your president again for the year 2021-2022. We share a common goal to remain connected and involved in mutual growth at personal and organizational level and I hope to further that for us, and our families.

Last two years have been very stressful by all means for every human being in this world with a pandemic of this magnitude. We all have lost a lot in these two long years. As you may recall, in 2020 the Atlantic City annual convention had to be cancelled. And then, again this year in 2021, the Pittsburgh annual convention being arranged by Dr. Ashish Dua had to be cancelled as well. As we can see hope of some normalcy coming into our lives in the next few months, we start preparations for our annual convention 2022, to be held at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Atlantic City.

The value of family, friends and colleagues have been revitalized in these trying times. We all shall continue to meet and support each other in these times, and beyond.

Talking about the MAMCOAANA family, I still vividly recall the month of November/December 1996, when I landed in JFK for my interviews for residency. I had no place to go in NY, and had no idea how I would manage once I landed at the airport. Alone and rather short on ideas and money, I was helped that day by a Maulanian who had come to the airport to pick up some other person. Thereafter I met many Maulanians during the course of my residency who helped me at every step. After my residency, I had to go back to India because I couldn’t find a J1-waiver in time, and again I was subsequently rescued by a Maulanian in processing my subsequent visa and work status to be in the United States. A senior Maulanian from Melbourne, Florida was one such instrumental in my journey to work and live in this land of dreams called the USA. I am sure many of us can relate to my struggles, experiences. And it is to you – the Maulanians out there – that I owe some of my story and achievements. Thank you!

After coming back to the USA in October 2002, like so many of us, I got busy with just living my life, finding my place to place my roots, build a home, have a family and start a private practice.

I recall attending my very first MAMCOAANA in Philadelphia 2011, hosted by Dr. Vikas Khurana, and his wife Dr. Ritu Khurana. Being able to meet so many people we knew and then a lot more who I met for the first time was indescribable. It gave a sense of friendship, home and warmth that nothing can equal. Over the years it now feels like a family reunion that I love attending with my wife and daughters every year.

Becoming a lifetime member of MAMCOAANA seemed to seal this connection of family and friendship – a commitment from me to my MAMC brotherhood, and a commitment from MAMCOAANA to me for forever warmth.

I urge each one of you to consider becoming life members of MAMCOAANA. Your membership fee allows the organization to stay alive for future Maulanians so they may find a similar platform for themselves when they are ready to re-establish the bonds they left behind in their alma mater. As in the past few years, we are reducing life membership rates until the end of 2021 again.

I personally invite all Maulanians, with family, to the 38th annual convention in Hard Rock Hotel, Atlantic City from July 28 to 31, 2022. Cyber connections via social media aside, there is nothing quite like the old fashioned, yet never out of fashion, face to face interaction. We have come a long way from where we started 38 years ago as an organization, and with the hard work done by our predecessors; we have a sound framework to be able to enjoy the exceptional CME, great entertainment and the priceless ‘gupshup’ that is forever rejuvenating like nothing else is.

Life membership enrollments are open already. Stay tuned for updates and convention registrations for Atlantic City, NJ 2022, on mamcoaana.org

Sincerely

Rajesh Malik, MD ( batch of 1990)

Oxygen Concentrators Fundraising Update

Dear colleagues,

I would like to thank all of you for the generous contributions towards MAMCOAANA’s COVID relief efforts. With your support and Dr. Pandya’s relentless perseverance, we were able to deliver 100 oxygen concentrators to Dr. Baweja in India. This will give our colleagues the valuable ammunition to fight the deadly COVID epidemic in India. The concentrators have been received, have cleared all custom formalities and are ready for distribution.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your commitment to the MAMCOAANA mission.

Sincerely,
Aashish Dua
President MAMCOAANA 2021

COVID Relief for MAMC

Dear fellow Maulanians,

We are all aware of the Covid catastrophe going on in our parent country, India, right now. Each one of has been directly or indirectly already affected by this disaster. Our doctors are struggling to provide something as basic as oxygen to their patients, and worse, even themselves when in need. Many of us have already volunteered our time, money and efforts to support delivery of oxygen in various ways to India.

In this context MAMCOAANA received an impassioned request for O2 concentrators for doctors from Dr. Hansraj Baweja. Dr. Baweja is a MAMC alumnus, former president of Delhi Medical Association (DMA) and a leader in Indian Medical Association (IMA).

In the past 72 hours frantic activity went on behind the scenes to honor this request. The MAMCOAANA EC met and felt it was our duty to step up as an organization to help our own across the globe.

We, on behalf of MAMCOAANA, are pleased to report that within this short time we have collaborated with IMA, bought 100 oxygen concentrators and have organized shipment out for physicians in Delhi and MAMC alumni. The distribution and redistribution will be overseen by Dr. Baweja from IMA. The MAMCOAANA fund, whose life blood is your contributions, has been utilized for this task, given the nature and urgency of the request.

We write not just to thank you for your contributions in the past to MAMCOAANA, but to ask you to please donate further to MAMCOAANA, our alumni association in USA. This is a marathon and not a sprint, we need to replenish and build our funds to continue doing the good job. MAMCOAANA is a tax-exempt organization, so please donate.

Regards all and keep safe,

Dr. Ashish Dua (President)
Dr. Bhushan Pandya (Treasurer and Past President)

Click here to donate, or mail a check payable to MAMCOAANA to P.O. Box 11954, Danville, VA 24541

2021 Convention Cancelled

Dear fellow Maulanians,

I would like to wish you and your families a very happy and healthy 2021.

We had our MAMCOAANA Executive committee zoom meeting on Jan 7 , 2021 to discuss plans regarding the 2021 convention. The uncertainty about the pandemic and travel restrictions coupled with unknown future risk would seriously jeopardize an in person convention. Hence, we have decided to cancel the 2021 convention scheduled to be held in Pittsburgh.

We are still in the process of identifying suitable means to have a virtual meet and greet session this year. I will continue to communicate through the MAMCOAANA website as more information becomes available.

We are hopeful that universal vaccination and new therapies will help return us to normalcy as soon as possible.

I would like to thank all of you for your support and patience during these challenging times.

Hope to see the MAMCOAANA family in person soon.

Please stay safe and healthy,

Sincerely,
Aashish Dua

2020-21 President’s Message

Dear Fellow Maulanians,

It gives me great pleasure to welcome you all to the Annual MAMCOAANA convention to be held in Pittsburgh next year. This has been a very difficult year for all of us amid the COVID-19 pandemic. I would like to thank Dr. Rajesh Malik for putting in extraordinary effort in trying to organize the 2020 convention amid such trying circumstances.

We as health care workers have been at the front lines during this crisis . We have all made tremendous sacrifice and put our patients first in these unprecedented times. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for the service that you are providing in these difficult times.

I would like to offer you all a ray of hope for the next year as we approach 2021. We look forward to celebrate, share stories of anguish and victory and just be together at our annual MAMCOAANA convention 2021.

My wife Monica is a graduate of MAMC 88 batch like me. We have been fortunate to be a part of this extended MAMC family and have attended some amazing conventions over the last few years.

We are looking forward to the year 2021 as a fresh start to this annual reunion and promise to deliver a safe yet fun packed convention. We would like you all to join us for our 37th annual MAMCOAANA Convention

Venue – Sheraton Hotel Station Square, Pittsburgh, PA
Dates – Aug 5th – Aug 8th, 2021

Sincerely,
Aashish Dua

Special GBM

Due to cancellation of MAMCOAANA Convention 2020, the usual GBM was not held. Therefore, a special general body meeting was conducted virtually and concluded successfully on August 1, 2020. We welcome our president for 2020-2021 Dr. Aashish Dua who will take on the workings of MAMCOAANA in some very challenging times!

The minutes of our special GBM will be made available as usual on this year’s Sandesh which will be published online as usual in the weeks to come.

2020 Convention Cancelled

Dear Maulanians,

Due to the current COVID19 pandemic situation, the Executive committee has unanimously decided to cancel the 2020 MAMCOAANA Atlantic City NJ convention.

Tentatively, the Atlantic City NJ event will now happen in 2022. The Pittsburgh PA convention for 2021 remains on schedule. All the registrants who have already paid the registration fee, will be reimbursed the full amount shortly.

Registration for the 2021 MAMCOAANA convention will be announced by Dr Ashish Dua.

While the medical community is busy fighting this pandemic with its full might, we want you to be-safe and stay-healthy.

– Rajesh Malik