Dr S Raja Sabapathy, a pioneering figure in plastic, hand, and microsurgery, and the Chairman of Ganga Hospital in Coimbatore, has been appointed as the new President of the International Federation of Societies for Surgery of the Hand (IFSSH). The leadership transition occurred on March 28, during the closing ceremony of the Federation’s triennial congress in Washington, DC, USA.
Founded in 1966, IFSSH comprises 62 member nations and stands as the world’s largest network of hand surgeons. The federation is known for its efforts to standardize hand surgery practices globally and holds a major international congress every three years to discuss innovations and clinical developments. This appointment marks a historic milestone, as Dr Sabapathy is the first Indian to lead the organization in its 59-year history.
In his inaugural address, Dr Sabapathy expressed deep gratitude and outlined his core mission: to extend quality hand surgery care to millions of underserved patients worldwide. He will be supported by an executive committee with representatives from the United States, the United Kingdom, China, Japan, Belgium, Colombia, and Ecuador.
Dr Sabapathy previously held the presidency of the Asian Pacific Federation of Societies for Surgery of the Hand and has led several major Indian associations in the fields of plastic, hand, and microsurgery.
Ganga Hospital’s Department of Plastic and Hand Surgery, which was established in 1991, has emerged as a global training hub, having welcomed over 3,300 surgeons from 83 countries—a remarkable feat unmatched by any other surgical unit in India.
Dr Sabapathy’s global contributions have earned him numerous accolades, including Honorary Fellowships from the Royal Colleges of Surgeons in Glasgow and England, as well as the American College of Surgeons—an honor bestowed on just around 15 plastic surgeons globally in the institution’s 135-year existence. He also holds honorary memberships in the British and South African Societies for Surgery of the Hand and the Serbian Microsurgery Society, highlighting his widespread impact in the field.
