Dr. Gourdas Choudhuri

MD, DM, FACG, FICP, FAMS, FRCPI, FRCP (Edin)

  • Chairman, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepato-biliary Sciences, Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurgaon, Haryana.
  • Hon Professor, Vivekananda Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow.
  • Founder, HOPE Initiative (www.hope.org.in)
  • Former Professor & Head-Department of Gastroenterology, Sanjay Gandhi PG Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow,
  • Former President, Indian Society of Gastroenterology
Dr. Gourdas Choudhuri is a gastroenterologist, educator, social worker, researcher and a columnist, who has advanced the specialty of Gastroenterology in the India and made seminal contributions in creating and spreading awareness on health issues in the country, especially among school and college students.
He pioneered several areas in Gastroenterology in the country, being the first person to start Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS) in 1990 and Extra Corporeal Shockwave Biliary Lithotripsy (ESWL) in 1994 in India.
Under his leadership of the Department of Gastroenterology at Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, became the top 5 Institute in the country.  He played a leadership role in developing liver and digestive health in the country as the honorary secretary (for two terms) and then president of the Indian Society of Gastroenterology.
He is a revered teacher and has over 200 scientific publications, orations and awards to his credit. In recognition of his achievements, he has been awarded and inducted as a fellow of the American College of Gastroenterology (FACG), Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (FRCPI), Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (FRCP), Academy of Medical Sciences (FAMS) and Indian College of Physicians of India (FICP).
His unique contribution to society has however been in the field of health promotion in India.  After a WHO fellowship in Public Health to University of Sydney in 2004, he became one of the first to initiate health promotion in schools in India in partnership with and technical support from WHO India.
Dr. Gourdas Choudhuri founded HOPE Initiative (Health Oriented Programs and Education, (www.hope.org.in) a not-for-profit philanthropic organization in 2004 to create awareness on health issues among school students with the aim of preventing a large proportion of diseases and disability that are caused by lack of knowledge, unhealthy attitudes and faulty practices
HOPE has touched the lives of over 5 million children of over 6000 schools across 65 districts In Uttar Pradesh. It has cut across socio-economic hurdles, and has been hailed as a major achievement by international experts.   It has now started operations in NCR and across other states of India. The achievements of HOPE Initiative have featured as the sole example from India in an international book on “Case Studies in Global School Health Promotion” published from USA by Springer.
Dr. Choudhuri has been a tireless campaigner for creating awareness on health issues in society. He has written over 600 informative and reflective articles in reputed newspapers impacting the attitude and health practices of the common man. He has been a conscience keeper reminding and encouraging health care providers to add the human touch to hi-tech medical care. His articles cover a wide range of topics from “How to choose a right doctor” to “What to keep in the emergency home medical kit”.
Dr. Choudhuri’s teaching skills make him a guest faculty in almost all national conferences in gastroenterology. He has recently initiated a national course (twice yearly) in Gastroenterology through the national Indian Society of Gastroenterology, called the Gastroenterology Young Masters. It has received overwhelming response from trainees. He has also been inducted as a core faculty in the Train the Trainers program of the World Gastroenterology Organization, the highest international body in the field that teaches teachers across the globe on how to teach and train their trainees. He is also the founder/director of a national course, Gastroenterology Excellence Meet (GEM) for mentoring and guiding young India Gastroenterology consultants in choosing and excelling in their careers.
Dr. Choudhuri’s role has moved beyond that of an exemplary medical specialist-care giver in Gastroenterology, to that of a unique social worker, using his medical knowledge and skills to improve the health of the nation through school students as ambassadors of change.