JAANA Committees 2025–2027

Our Legacy. Our Support. Our Future.

JAANA Committees (2025–2027)

Following the successful 2025 Biennial Meeting in San Antonio, the JAANA Executive Body established a pilot committee structure to help preserve our alumni legacy, strengthen member support, and build a sustainable future for generations of JIPMER alumni. The committees are intended to serve as knowledge-sharing, volunteer-engagement, and continuity groups that connect alumni efforts across the organization. Participation remains open to all alumni, and the success of JAANA continues to depend on the contributions of members both inside and outside the committee structure.

Why Committees?

Building Continuity, Collaboration, and Sustainability

  • Many JAANA activities are already happening today through dedicated volunteers.
  • Much of this work occurs informally and relies on individual initiative.
  • Committees help document successful practices and make it easier for future volunteers to participate.
  • Committees are intended to facilitate collaboration, not control activities.
  • Participation in JAANA activities is open to all alumni regardless of committee membership.
  • This is a pilot effort that will help inform future JAANA governance discussions.

Many alumni have contributed to JAANA and JIPMER for decades through mentoring, fundraising, scientific programs, social engagement, student support, communications, and numerous other activities. These contributions have largely been driven by individual initiative, personal commitment, and informal networks.

As JAANA grows, an important organizational challenge emerges: how do we ensure that successful activities continue across generations of alumni?

The committee structure is our answer to that question.

The purpose of these committees is not to replace existing efforts, control activities, or create barriers to participation. Rather, committees serve as knowledge-keeping and coordination groups that help document successful practices, welcome new volunteers, connect interested members, and ensure continuity from one Executive Body to the next.

This 2025–2027 cycle is a pilot effort. Each committee will refine its scope, identify practical approaches that work for JAANA, and develop recommendations for future Executive Bodies. We anticipate that lessons learned during this pilot phase will help shape future governance discussions at the 2027 Biennial Meeting.

All JAANA members are encouraged to participate, contribute ideas, and collaborate with committees regardless of formal committee membership.

For questions or to connect with any committee, please contact jaana@jipmer.net.

Committee Directory

Committee Focus
Mentoring Mentorship and sponsorship opportunities
Social Alumni engagement and events
Scientific CME and scientific programs
Fundraising Donations and fundraising initiatives
Communications Newsletters and announcements
IT Operations Technology and infrastructure
Finance Financial stewardship and compliance

Mentoring Committee

Purpose

To strengthen and highlight the many mentoring activities already happening throughout the JIPMER alumni community.

Our Philosophy

Mentoring has always been one of the greatest strengths of the JIPMER alumni network.

Every day, alumni help students, residents, fellows, early-career physicians, researchers, and fellow alumni through advice, introductions, career guidance, sponsorship, teaching, and personal support. Much of this work happens quietly and informally. Some mentoring efforts are highly visible, while many others occur behind the scenes.

The Mentoring Committee is not intended to centralize mentoring activities or become the sole pathway for mentorship within JAANA.

Instead, the committee exists to:

  • Recognize and showcase mentoring happening across the community
  • Connect people seeking guidance with alumni willing to help
  • Identify mentoring opportunities that may otherwise be overlooked
  • Welcome new volunteers interested in mentoring
  • Share successful mentoring practices across generations
  • Promote a culture of mentorship and sponsorship throughout JAANA

The committee views mentoring as a community-wide responsibility rather than a committee-owned activity.

Areas of Focus

  • Students
  • Residents
  • Fellows
  • Early-career physicians
  • Academic mentoring
  • Career development
  • Sponsorship opportunities
  • Alumni-to-alumni mentoring

Executive Liaison

Latha Prasannan (1977)

Committee Members

  • Shyam Viswanathan (1983)
  • Venkatesh Madhugiri ( 1996)
  • Pallawi Torka (2000)

Social Committee

 

Purpose

To strengthen alumni engagement, connections, and community spirit.

Areas of Focus

  • Alumni engagement activities
  • Social events
  • Biennial meeting networking opportunities
  • Membership outreach
  • Building connections across generations and specialties

Executive Liaison

Punam Bhandari (1977)

Committee Members

  • Rajiv Dattatreya (1979)
  • Sushovan Guha (1982)
  • Sanjay Aurora (1980)

 

Scientific Committee

 

Purpose

To support JAANA’s scientific and educational mission.

Areas of Focus

  • Continuing Medical Education (CME)
  • Speaker identification and recruitment
  • Scientific session planning
  • Educational programming
  • Review of JAANA-supported scientific and educational grants

Executive Liaison

Latha Prasannan (1977)

Committee Members

  • V. Ramachandran (1977)
  • Sushma Bhusal (1999)
  • Shashi Sahai (1988)
  • Giridhar Kalamangalam (1983)

 

Fundraising Committee

 

Purpose

To support charitable fundraising activities that advance JAANA’s mission.

Areas of Focus

  • Alumni giving
  • Donor engagement
  • Corporate sponsorship opportunities
  • Fundraising campaigns
  • New fundraising initiatives
  • Support for JAANA charitable programs

Executive Liaison

Deevakar Rogith (2004)

Committee Members

  • Razia Hashmi (1977)
  • Harjeet Kaur (1977)
  • Ragesh Thandassery (1998)

 

Communications Committee

 

Purpose

To improve information sharing throughout the JAANA community.

Areas of Focus

  • Quarterly newsletters
  • Alumni accomplishments
  • JIPMER news
  • Organizational announcements
  • Storytelling and member engagement

Executive Liaison

Punam Bhandari (1977)

Committee Members

  • Gayatri Mohan (1984)
  • Ravi Shankar (1970)
  • Varun Muppidi (2018)

 

IT Operations Committee

 

Purpose

To provide the technology infrastructure that enables JAANA operations.

Areas of Focus

  • @jipmer.net services
  • Website operations
  • Teams meetings
  • Meeting technology support
  • Online payment systems
  • Email systems
  • Domain and server infrastructure
  • Archiving and institutional records

Executive Liaison

Deevakar Rogith (2004)

Committee Members

  • Sumant Inamdar (1999)
  • Namasivayam (1984)
  • Asif Padiyath (2004)

 

Finance Committee

 

Purpose

To support the financial management, compliance, and stewardship responsibilities of JAANA.

Areas of Focus

  • Bank account oversight
  • Financial controls and documentation
  • Tax filings and compliance
  • Donation processing and receipts
  • Asset stewardship
  • Long-term financial sustainability

Executive Liaison

Deevakar Rogith (2004)

Committee Members

  • Deevakar Rogith (2004)
  • Vijay Goyal (1977)
  • Ganesh Iyer (1977)
  • Pradeep Bansal (1974)

 

Looking Ahead

R

The goal of this pilot initiative is simple:

 Preserve what works. Welcome new volunteers. Share knowledge. Build continuity.

JAANA’s strength has always come from alumni who contribute their time, expertise, and passion for JIPMER. These committees are intended to support those efforts, connect people with shared interests, and help ensure that successful activities continue for future generations of alumni.

We welcome your ideas, participation, and feedback as we continue building the next chapter of JAANA together.