Suresh Bodiwala
CHICAGO: Dr. Vemuri Murthy, well known international volunteer of the American Heart Association (AHA) for more than three decades, was honored by US Congressmen Danny K. Davis (Democrat) and Peter J. Roskam (Republican) with a Medal of US Congress as a Global Champion of Resuscitation.
The award was presented at the 38th Annual Gala Banquet of the Indian American Medical Association, (IMA) Illinois in Willow Brook on November 17. The Medal was presented by the two Congressmen with the plaque (citation) signed by them “in recognition of his life’s mission to enhance the Global Resuscitation Outcomes with ongoing community and physician education and training”.
“I am deeply humbled to receive this honor,”said Dr. Murthy in response to being chosen to receive this honor. “I believe it recognizes the efforts of millions of global volunteers and many organizations such as the American Heart Association (AHA) that dedicate themselves to saving precious lives that would otherwise be lost to sudden cardiac arrest.”
AHA has recognized him for “outstanding support and contributions in advancing the mission of the AHA”.
Dr. Naresh Parikh, President of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) said. “AAPI is proud to represent thousands of U.S. physicians of Indian origin who make contributions to the motherland and to the adopted homeland,” he added.
Dr. Murthy, the current President of the historic Chicago Medical Society (CMS) founded in1850, is considered “a pioneer of resuscitation education in Indian Medical Colleges” for initiating mandatory resuscitation training courses in all medical colleges affiliated with NTR University of Medical Sciences, Andhra Pradesh.A visiting Medical University Professor and Advisor of the Medical University Resuscitation Training Programs in India, Dr. Murthy established a wide network of Physician resuscitation instructors in India. He is instrumental in establishing some of the AHA International Training Centers in India.
Dr. Murthy says his motivation as a community CPR volunteer is “linked to my decades of professional practice, reviving victims of cardiac emergencies and rescuing one of my own family members.”
