Key Recognitions and Professional Memberships
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Inducted as a Member of Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society in July 2025, in recognition of sustained contributions to cardiovascular surgery and translational research.
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Became a Professional Member of the American Heart Association in May 2025.
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Elected as a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology (FACC) in August 2025, with formal convocation scheduled in March 2026.
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Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS) since 1997, reaffirmed in 2025.
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Recipient of the Dr. Yellapragada Subbarao Award to be conferred in January 2026 by Dr. NTR University of Health Sciences, Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh.
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Awarded the Blackbuck Pioneer Researcher Award (2024) for lifetime contributions to cardiac surgical research.
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The Sajja Heart Foundation received the Blackbuck Outstanding Research Institution Award (2025).
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Recipient of the Yelavarthy Nayudamma Science and Technology Foundation Award (2022).
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Elected Active Member of the American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) in May 2013, one of the very few cardiac surgeons from India to receive this honour.
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Member of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (USA), European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, and Asian Society for Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery.
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Founder President of the Society of Coronary Surgeons (SCS) since December 2020.
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President, Indian Association of Cardiovascular-Thoracic Surgeons (IACTS) for the term 2023–2024.
Research Leadership and Major Clinical Trials
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Principal Investigator – PROMOTE Patency Trial: India’s first multicentric randomized controlled trial in coronary artery bypass surgery comparing off-pump and on-pump multivessel CABG, presented at an international scientific forum in 2018.
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Principal Investigator – PREDICT Trial: An ongoing multicentric randomized study evaluating graft patency and long-term outcomes following CABG, supported by national research funding.
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Co-Investigator in major international trials including global arterial revascularization studies and multicenter coronary surgery registries.
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Designed a novel mechanical prosthetic heart valve aimed at reducing or eliminating long-term oral anticoagulation; granted United States patent (2020) and Indian patent (2023).
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Invented the Mammary Artery Support Platform (MASP) to facilitate advanced multi-arterial coronary grafting techniques; granted Indian industrial design registration.
Innovations and Surgical Contributions
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Faculty contributor to the international consensus statement on cardiac surgery–associated acute kidney injury published in 2018.
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Developed a modified technique for bilateral internal mammary artery harvesting that significantly reduces sternal wound infections; published in 2012.
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Introduced extrafascial radial artery harvesting for CABG and popularized its use in India (2000).
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Among the first surgeons in India to use right internal mammary artery and radial artery composite in-situ grafts for coronary revascularization (2002).
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Introduced retrograde coronary sinus perfusion for patients with critical left-main coronary artery disease (2000).
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Re-established the role of closed mitral valvotomy in patients with mitral stenosis and severe pulmonary hypertension, a cost-effective approach relevant to Indian populations (2001).
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Modified the Portland Protocol for postoperative glycemic control to suit Indian diabetic patients, making it safer and more economical.
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First Indian cardiac surgeon to present India-based original randomized research at the American Association for Thoracic Surgery Annual Meeting (2006), with subsequent journal publication (2007).
Academic, Teaching, and Outreach Activities
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Delivered the Dr. C. S. Sadasivan Memorial Oration in 2014 on the evolution of coronary surgery in India.
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Delivered an endowment lecture on Recent Advances in Cardiac Surgery at Guntur Medical College (February 2016).
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Conducted India’s first national survey on the use of bilateral internal mammary artery grafting in CABG.
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Actively involved in drafting Indian clinical guidelines for coronary artery bypass surgery in collaboration with national professional bodies.
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Through the Sajja Heart Foundation (established 2013), continues to promote investigator-initiated research, training in research methodology and biostatistics, and community education on cardiovascular disease prevention.
Editorial Roles and Scholarly Output
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Assistant Editor, Indian Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery.
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Section Editor (Cardiothoracic Surgery), Indian Heart Journal (since 2012).
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Member of the International Advisory Board, Asian Cardiovascular and Thoracic Annals.
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Author of over 125 peer-reviewed scientific publications in national and international journals.
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First Indian author to publish a current review in The Annals of Thoracic Surgery (2005) on radial artery grafting.
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Presented 16 original research papers at international scientific meetings and over 70 presentations at national and international conferences.
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Peer-reviewed more than 160 manuscripts for leading cardiothoracic and cardiovascular journals.
Awards, Distinctions, and Surgical Milestones
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Andhra Pradesh Scientist Award (2007) for contributions to medical research.
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One of the youngest cardiac surgeons from India to become a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (1997).
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Achieved a rare surgical milestone of 345 consecutive cardiac surgeries with 100% survival and discharge, including complex redo CABGs, valve repairs and replacements.
Current Appointments
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Senior Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon & Director of Cardiovascular Surgical Research, Star Hospitals, Hyderabad (since 2008).
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Chairman, Sajja Heart Foundation (since 2013).
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Past President, Indian Association of Cardiovascular-Thoracic Surgeons (2023–2024).
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Founder President, Society of Coronary Surgeons (since 2020).
