Five candidates shortlisted for the post of AIIMS Director

Five candidates have been shortlisted for the post of Director of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) by the search-cum-selection committee.

The candidates are Dr Balram Airon head of cardio-thoracic and vascular (CTV) surgery, Dr M C Mishra, Head of Department of Surgery and also Chief Trauma Centre, Dr V K Paul, HOD of Pediatrics, Dr S K Acharya, HOD of Gastroenterology and Dr Y K Gupta, HOD of Pharmacology and also AIIMS chief Spokesperson.

The names would forwarded to the Institute's Board of Governors for deliberations, after which the list would be sent to the Prime Minister's office for a final call on choosing the person to head the prestigious institute.

The process of selection of the Director, AIIMS, was set in motion two months ago by forming a search-cum-selection committee and applications were invited from overseas Indian doctors also.

According to sources, more than 70 doctors, including Indian doctors from the US and the UK, had applied for the job.

The Committee headed by President AIIMS and Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, after screening the applications, shortlisted the five candidates.

The present Director of AIIMS R C Deka, who was appointed in May 2009, is slated to retire on September 30.

PTI