PremiumThe shortlisted contenders are Dr Nikhil Tandon, currently heading the dept of endocrinology at AIIMS, Dr Rajesh Malhotra, head of orthopedics dept and also the chief of AIIMS Apex Trauma Centre, and Dr Pramod Garg, a professor in the gastroenterology dept of the institute
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NEW DELHI : An expert panel of the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare headed by Rajesh Bhushan, Union Health Secretary has shortlisted three names for the post of the director, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS- New Delhi).
The shortlisted contenders are Dr Nikhil Tandon, who is currently heading the department of endocrinology at AIIMS, Dr Rajesh Malhotra, head of orthopedics department and also the chief of AIIMS Apex Trauma Centre, and the third contender is Dr Pramod Garg, a professor in the gastroenterology department of the institute, said an official familiar with the development.
The members in the committee are -- Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan, Secretary of Department of Biotechnology Rajesh S. Gokhale, Principal Scientific Advisor to the government K. Vijay Raghavan, and Delhi University vice chancellor Yogesh Singh. It received at least 32 applications from candidates across the country out of which three names have been shortlisted.
“These shortlisted names will be sent to institute body of AIIMS. Once institute body approves it, it will be sent to ACC for final selection," the official said. Email, text messages and phone calls made to AIIMS spokesperson were unanswereed till press time.
Mint on Wednesday had reported that Dr Randeep Guleria, present director of AIIMS was given a three-month extension as his tenure was supposed to end on 24th March 2022. Guleria was granted extension by the union health minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya who is also the president of AIIMS, Delhi.
Citing the reference of office memorandum issued on 28.3.2017, Vishal Chauhan, Deputy Director (Adm) stated in a 22 March office memorandum reviewed by Mint said, “President, AIIMS is pleased to extend his tenure with effect from 25 March 2022 or by three months or by the time new director is appointed, whichever is earlier."
Dr Guleria, a noted pulmonologist has played a key role in India’s covid-19 management and was appointed as AIIMS director in 2017 for a period of five years. Guleria’s tenure is ending at a time when the country is reeling with the crucial waves of the pandemic and therefore it becomes very important for the government to identify the right candidate for the top post at AIIMS.
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