Karnataka State Chapter is one of the most active & vibrant chapters of Association of Surgeons of India. The motto of our organization is "Vayam Sevamahe", meaning we are for service. The chapter was started in 1982 under the leadership of Dr. AJ Narendran. Gradually the membership grew and presently we have membership strength of more than 1800. We have both urban as well as rural surgeons as members. We have 18 city branches. We hold annual conference every year in the month of February. It is held for two and a half days. One day of CME and one and a half days of conference. During conference, four prestigious orations named after Dr. AJ Narendran, Dr. HS Bhat, Dr. MP Pai and Dr. SS Narasanagi are delivered by renowned orators. We also have two symposia named after Dr. RB Patil and Dr. Balakrishna Rao during the conference. We have various awards as well as free papers and poster sessions.
The first meeting to discuss formation of KSCASI was held in KMC Manipal on 02nd October 1981. The idea of formation of Karnataka State Chapter was in the minds of some surgeons for many years, but there was no progress. Many had felt that it was high time to have our state chapter. Dr. P. Venugopal (Manipal) and Dr. M.Srinivasan (Mangalore) and their colleagues took upon themselves the onerous task of getting together the surgeons of Karnataka to discuss about it.
They convened the historic meeting on the auspicious 2nd October 1981, and placed the proposal of starting a state chapter before them. In effect a "General Body Meeting" of Karnataka surgeons was convened. There was unanimous decision to support the proposal. Everyone was very happy about it. "The State Chapter" was duly launched and the "general body" unanimously elected the first office bearers of the chapter. Dr. A.J. Narendran was elected as the charter president (now called "chairman") of the chapter. Dr. Venugopal was elected Secretary of the chapter and Dr. M.G.Shenoy as Treasurer.
The proposed Constitution that was circulated earlier was found wanting in many aspects and so a committee was formed under the chairmanship of President Dr. Narendran to draft out a formal constitution and bye-laws. This new proposed draft of the constitution and bye-laws was duly passed by the general body of the second (one at Manipal being considered as the first) conference at Hubli.
It may be noted that the Karnataka State Chapter was, perhaps, the first chapter of ASI to have recognised the services of rural surgeons in the health care of the masses; it gave “rural surgeons†special privileges like reserved seats on the executive committee and the reservation of the office of President of the chapter periodically.