WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), the largest ethnic medical organization in the United States, plans to honor India with a special celebration of the 75th anniversary of India’s Independence on Capitol Hill. With Indian Americans doctors playing important roles in shaping healthcare policies and programs at the federal and state level, AAPI celebrations in honor of their motherland will be held at the US Senate Hart Building, Room # 902 in Washington, DC on Sep 21 at 2 pm, according to an AAPI release.

“India @ 75! It’s a milestone with mixed feelings, one with a sense of pride and joy for all the accomplishments and progress we have made, while preserving our integrity, unity, core values of freedom, democracy and respect for different cultures and the groups that live and thrive in our beloved motherland,” said Dr. Ravi Kolli, president of AAPI. “We are proud to be part of this historic celebration of India on Capitol Hill, where we will have an opportunity to exchange views and express our concerns with dozens of US lawmakers, who will come to be part of the celebrations.”

“Indian American physicians have made vital contributions to the health care field,” said Dr. Sampat Shivangi, chair of AAPI’s legislative committee. “As physicians, we provide critical care to patients from rural and urban communities across the Country. Indian American doctors are playing a critical role in filling the nationwide physician shortage.”

“The India Day on Capitol Hill will be a unique opportunity for AAPI members to be part of the decision-making process on matters related to healthcare and advocate for stronger and closer ties between India and the United States, the two largest democracies of the world,” he said. “We expect to have the participation from dozens of key congressmen and senators.” India day Celebrations on the Hill will include interactive sessions with the US lawmakers, according to Dr. V. Ranga, chair of AAPI Board of Trustees. Indian ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, will host a reception and dinner that evening. “AAPI has been serving India and contributing to the effective healthcare delivery in the US and in India,” Dr. Anjana Samadder, president-elect of AAPI said.

“In keeping with the mission AAPI, the celebrations on the Hill will provide us with a forum to facilitate and enable Indian American physicians share our concerns with the lawmakers in pursuit of our aspirations in matters relating to professional and community affairs,” she said.

“AAPI has been seeking to collectively shape the best health care for everyone in the US, with the physicians at the helm, caring for the medically underserved as we have done for several decades when physicians of Indian origin came to the US in larger numbers,” Kolli said. “AAPI is once again in the forefront in bringing many burning health care issues facing the community at large and bringing this to the Capitol and to the US Congress,” he said.

Kolli urged all AAPI colleagues and everyone interested in or connected with providing health care to attend this event to ensure that their concerns are heard by the lawmakers and they act on them.