Calling some published press reports about the BOT Chair election misleading, Dr Kaza looks forward to an amicable resolution

NEW YORK (TIP): Dr Sunil Kaza, an eminent cardiologist who has served in many leadership roles in AAPI and outside AAPI and is currently on its Board of Trustees (BOT), claims he was duly elected as the BOT Chair for the year 2024-25 on June 8, 2024. The election took place at a properly convened meeting of the Spring Governing Body of AAPI (American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin), as per the Bylaws of AAPI, at Mint restaurant in Garden City, NY with a full quorum. According to Dr. Kaza, 24 of the 25 who voted “in person” in the secret ballot endorsed his candidature.

“The election was conducted candidly and transparently by the sitting BOT Chair Dr. Lokesh Edara. The documentation, including meeting minutes, was sent soon after to the AAPI office,” Dr Kaza recounted to this correspondent on the phone. He is based in Nashville, Tennessee.

Dr. Lokesh Edara, Chair of the Board of Trustees, confirmed in a phone call that he conducted the meeting at which Dr Kaza was declared elected BOT Chair for 2024-25. There were two other candidates. Michigan-based Dr Edara adds that Dr Kaza’s election was “further ratified” on June 19 by a majority of the Board of Trustees.

The majority of the Board stands by the results of the BOT Chair election conducted on June 8 at Spring Governing Body and affirms Dr. Kaza as the Incoming BOT Chair. Yet, Dr Kaza’s election to the prestigious position of the reputed national organization has been disputed. He says, “A second, unconventional, alternate duplicate election was conducted by the AAPI President. The President traditionally is not supposed to get involved in the BOT Chair election. It was done via Election Buddy software in an “extremely cryptic” manner without declaring who received the ballots and who voted.”

The AAPI Bylaw No. 5.5 (D) states that the BOT Chair will be elected by the Governing Body members (although until last year, for 40 years since the inception of AAPI, only BOT members elected their Chair).

Dr. Kaza argues that many legitimate Governing Body members did not get the ballot in the alternate duplicate election conducted by the President. Several discrepancies were found in the alternate duplicate election and have been reported to all concerned.

Some Indian community papers have published misleading press releases about the alternate duplicate election result. This may be premature because AAPI traditionally announces its new Chair of the Board of Trustees during its annual convention, which has been renamed World Health Congress and is scheduled for July 18-22 in New York. Dr Kaza is still hopeful of a resolution to the contested election. “The senior leaders in the organization can initiate a dialogue with the parties involved, hash out the differences and reach a compromise. In precedence from a few years ago, when a similar impasse occurred, both Chairs of the Board of Trustees agreed to share the term for six months each. Dr. Kaza is confident of a resolution because both parties have an interest in working for the betterment of the organization.

“I would like to work with everybody, the Executive Committee and Board and continue to do the right thing for the organization and move it forward,” he says.

“I’ll continue to work on charitable and educational activities, mentoring students and Residents.”

As BOT Chair, Dr Kaza is raring to implement AAPI’s ongoing projects in India, such as promoting the HPV vaccine to reduce cervical cancer deaths, growing CPR awareness that can save lives, and strengthening free health clinics nationwide.

Dr Kaza has served in many leadership roles in AAPI, the largest ethnic medical organization, including on its Board of Trustees (2022-25). He has practiced as an interventional cardiologist for 23 years in Nashville and is currently serving veterans who served the country. He is Board-Certified in Internal Medicine, Cardiology, Nuclear Medicine, and Echocardiography.

He has held leadership roles including Chair of the Department of Medicine, Chief of Staff at Skyline Medical Center, and Board Member and Director of Interventional Cardiology. He has also been on the board of Cigna Medicare Advantage Plan. Hyderabad-born and educated, Dr. Kaza has been the Regional Director of OGKTMA (Osmania, Gandhi, Kakatiya, and Telangana Medical Colleges Alumni Association).

With his motto of ‘Manava Seve, Madhava Seva’, Dr. Kaza’s charitable and philanthropic activities have spanned many years in America and India. He has personally donated over $500,000 to various causes. He raised significant funds for Covid relief in India. As Fundraising Chair for Sri Ganesha Temple in Nashville for 15 years, he collected over $5 million for temple expansion. As Convener of the AAPI GB meeting, he raised another $80,000 to fight human trafficking in India. Recently, as President of ATMGUSA (Association of Telugu Medical Graduates in the USA), he partnered with Ekam USA and raised over $40,000 to empower women and children in India.

Dr Kaza can be contacted by email at: sunilkaza@hotmail.com