Prof. S. Choodamani Gopal, Lt. Gen. (Prof.) B.N.B.M. Prasad, and Prof. Ved Prakash grace the valedictory ceremony
Lucknow: The four-day international conference ICAAICON 2025, hosted at King George’s Medical University (KGMU), Lucknow, concluded on Sunday under the leadership of Prof. (Dr.) Ved Prakash, Head of the Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine.
The valedictory ceremony was graced by Padma Shri Prof. (Dr.) S. Choodamani Gopal, former Vice-Chancellor of KGMU, who attended as the Chief Guest. In her address, Prof. Gopal inspired the audience by emphasizing the importance of advancing research, education, and innovation in the fields of allergy, asthma, and immunology to achieve better patient outcomes.
The dais was also shared by Prof. Suresh Kulwal, President of ICAAI; Prof. (Dr.) Rajendra Prasad, Organizing Chairperson; and Prof. (Dr.) Ved Prakash, Organizing Secretary. They extended heartfelt gratitude to all delegates, faculty members, and collaborators for their contributions to the success of the conference.
During the ceremony, academic excellence and research achievements were recognized through a series of prestigious awards:
- Dr. Rashmi Ranjan Das from AIIMS Bhubaneswar received the V. Raju Award.
- Dr. Shubhra Srivastava from KGMU was honoured with the UCB ICAAI Award.
- The M. Sundaram Young Scientist Award was presented to Dr. Shruti from RML Hospital.
- Dr. Saif Rehman from Kashmir won the Best Poster Award, while Dr. Gaurav received the Best Free Paper Award.
A special lecture was delivered by Lt. Gen. (Prof.) B.N.B.M. Prasad, former DGHS and Honorary Surgeon to the President of India, who joined from Mumbai. He shared his insights on prevention and management of allergy and asthma, highlighting his extensive experience in pulmonary medicine.
Prof. Prasad, a distinguished pulmonologist, played a pivotal role in establishing the DM course in Pulmonary Medicine at KGMU and served as a medical advisor to the Uttar Pradesh government during the COVID-19 pandemic. His tireless service—personally visiting COVID ICUs and treating critically ill patients—saved countless lives. Notably, he once served as personal physician to Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, caring for him until his last days.
During the ceremony, Prof. Gopal commended Prof. Prasad for his extraordinary contributions to pulmonary medicine and his selfless service during the pandemic, praising his courage and dedication even while battling COVID-19 himself.
The valedictory session concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Prof. Ved Prakash, who expressed appreciation to all participants and institutions that contributed to making ICAAICON 2025 a grand success.
The conference served as a dynamic platform for clinicians, researchers, and academicians to exchange knowledge, foster innovation, and strengthen collaborations in the fields of allergy, asthma, and immunology, marking another milestone in KGMU’s legacy of medical excellence.
