IAGES

Indian Association of Gastrointestinal Endo-Surgeons (IAGES)

About IAGES

The Indian Association of Gastrointestinal Endo-Surgeons (IAGES) was started in 1993 by leading surgeons in India under the leadership of Prof T E. Udwadia, who is widely regarded as the Father of Laparoscopy in India. He performed the first Lap Cholecystectomy in India in 1990. IAGES has now happily completed more than 27 years in its academic and social commitments towards its members, surgical fraternity, and the people as a whole.

We have now close to 8,000 active life members. IAGES is blessed with members from all parts of India from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, with many honorary overseas members too. IAGES has now become one of the foremost active minimal access surgeons’ Associations in India.

IAGES organizes a variety of training programs in Laparoscopy and Flexible GI Endoscopy. For young budding laparoscopic surgeons, IAGES organizes FIAGES in various parts of the country, providing thorough teaching and training in laparoscopic surgery. This is an entry-level training program in laparoscopy. The candidates are examined by IAGES-approved senior colleagues in the field and the successful candidates are provided with their Fellowship Certificate in the Annual Convocation at the National Congress of IAGES. This course is very famous and now nearly 5,000 surgeons have participated in and benefited from this fellowship training program.

Now FIAGES is also available in an online platform. Please refer to the online fellowship courses on the website. Please also see FIAGES guidelines to verify the eligibility criteria to register for the fellowship course.

To keep the members abreast of recent advancements and train surgeons for Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery Procedures, IAGES organizes FALS courses looking after the interests of senior surgeons. Advance Laparoscopic Fellowship (FALS) courses are organized in various sub-specialties such as Hernia, Bariatric Surgery, UGI Surgery, Colorectal Surgery, and Oncology. The successful candidates are awarded FALS Fellowship Certificates in the Annual Convocation Program at the National Congress of IAGES. IAGES has also started online modules for these advanced fellowship courses in September 2020

IAGES organises basic and advanced courses in Flexible GI Endoscopy. These courses are for surgeons willing to master the art and science of GI Endoscopy.

The candidates attend various didactic sessions along with hands-on training using both inanimate and animate models and also on virtual trainers before going for actual theatre experience of live cases. Successful candidates on these courses are provided certificates at the Convocation Ceremony at the National Congress of IAGES.

In addition, IAGES organises the Laparoscopic Suturing & Knotting Workshop, on how to write and publish a research paper, dedicated short courses on Lap Hernia repair, and other scientific endorsed events from time to time.

IAGES organises its National Congress once a year in February. The venue changes among the various parts of the country and the National Congress is a very famous and well-attended academic event among the laparoscopic surgeons of India. It is a 3-day event that includes a live surgery workshop, free paper presentation and hands-on training modules along with the final day of the colourful Convocation Ceremony for all fellowship candidates and their family members. Faculties and delegates from all parts of the country participate and enjoy the event. It also provides an occasion for networking, friendship, and fellowship among IAGES member and their families. IAGES nurtures the members’ abilities in Academics and Cultural activities. The average attendance at this conference has been 1500 delegates.

IAGES also publishes its journal JMAS. It is a well-reputed peer-reviewed and pub med indexed journal. The journal has now gone green with mainly an online version. All the members receive the online quarterly issues through e-mail.

INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION

IAGES has in recent years collaborated with various international surgical bodies to share knowledge and technological advancement. Prominent among these are the Indo-British collaboration with the Association of Laparoscopic Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland (ALSGBI) – please click HERE for the Memorandum of Understanding and HERE for the IAGES-ALSGBI Core Group Summary of Recommendations & Suggestions.

Other collaborations include the Indo-Sri Lanka collaboration, the Indo-Maldives collaboration, and the collaboration with the Society of Laparoscopic Surgeons of Bangladesh (SELSB).

WCES 2024

IAGES is also a member of IFSES (International Federation of Societies of Endoscopic Surgeons) and has been approved by the board of Governors to host the World Congress of Endoscopic Surgery in 2024 in Kolkata. The event is expected to be attended by over 5,000 members from nearly 20 countries.

Past president and present Trustee Prof. Subhash Khanna is the organising chairman and Trustee Dr. Ramesh Agarwalla is the organising secretary with the President IAGES (2021 -2022) Prof Sunil D Popat being the treasurer of this major event.

IAGES has always stood by its fellow countrymen in testing times of natural calamities including during Covid. IAGES has supported such a cause both monetarily and medically. The IAGES Covid Taskforce has been very active for the past 16 months with an initial supply of PPE and body bags for several Government and Private medical institutions across India.

We welcome all the surgeons in India and our international colleagues interested in this field of MAS to become its members and benefit from its extensive academic activities. It also meets like-minded Surgical Colleagues and exchange provides them a platform for the exchange of knowledge and ideas.

Long Live IAGES !

Prof. Dr. Sunil D. Popat

President

IAGES

Prof. Dr. Subhash Khanna

International Academic Convenor

IAGES