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{{Short description|Indian surgeon}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{BLP primary sources|article|date=January 2018}}
{{BLP sources|date=December 2016}}
{{Cleanup press release|date=November 2019}}
}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Mahendra Bhandari
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1945|12|24}}
| image = Bhandari_Mahendra_6529.jpg
| alma_mater = [[Sawai Man Singh Medical College]]
| occupation = Urologist and Senior Bio-Scientist and Director of Robotic Surgery Research & Education at the [[Vattikuti Urology Institute]] at the [[Henry Ford Hospital]] in [[Detroit, MI]]
| spouse = Sushma Bhandari
| children = [[Dr. Akshay Bhandari]]
| nationality =
}}

'''Mahendra Bhandari''' (born 24 December 1945){{Citation needed|date=January 2025|reason=BLP}} is an Indian surgeon who has made substantial contributions to the specialty of [[urology]], medical training, hospital administration, robotic surgery and [[medical ethics]]. For his efforts, he was awarded the [[Padma Shri]] by the government of India in 2000.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dashboard-padmaawards.gov.in/?Name=Mahendra%20Bhandari|title=Padma Awards | Interactive Dashboard|access-date=8 February 2018|archive-date=2 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210602213842/http://www.dashboard-padmaawards.gov.in/?Name=Mahendra%20Bhandari|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=Padmashri>{{cite web |url=http://www.organiser.org/16apr2000/cyclone.html |title=Bhandari a Padma Shri winner |access-date=13 June 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090717035044/http://www.organiser.org/16apr2000/cyclone.html |archive-date=17 July 2009 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref> Bhandari is currently Senior Bio-scientist and Director of Robotic Surgery Research & Education at the [[Vattikuti Urology Institute]] (VUI) in [[Detroit, MI]].<ref name=VUI>[http://www.henryford.com/body.cfm?id=38441&action=detail&ref=4064 Mahendra Bhandari - The Vattikuti Urology Institute] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090526003141/http://www.henryford.com/body.cfm?id=38441&action=detail&ref=4064 |date=2009-05-26 }}</ref> He was the Symposium coordinator of the [[International Robotic Urology Symposium]]. He also has been the CEO of the Vattikuti Foundation since 2010.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://vfrsi.vattikutifoundation.com/vf-fellowships-1-23-2017 |title=Vattikuti Fellowships Applications Open! |access-date=29 January 2018 |archive-date=30 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180130091301/https://vfrsi.vattikutifoundation.com/vf-fellowships-1-23-2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== Academic career ==

A medical graduate of [[Rajasthan University]], Bhandari completed his urology residency at Christian Medical College, Vellore, [[India]]. Beginning his academic career as a lecturer at the [[Sawai Man Singh Medical College]] and Hospital in [[Jaipur]], Bhandari would eventually rise to become the Head of the Department of Urology and Kidney Transplantation at the [[Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences]] (SGPGIMS) in [[Lucknow]], India. He was the Vice Chancellor of [[King George's Medical University|King George's Medical University, Lucknow]]. Here, Bhandari mentored urologic surgeons who have since assumed leadership posts in medical institutions in India and around the world. He is the founder of the Center of Biomedical Magnetic Resonance in Lucknow, India and is currently enlisted as an honorary professor.<ref name=cbmr>[http://cbmrlucknow.brinkster.net/honorprofs.html Centre of Biomedical Magnetic Resonance] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130221202435/http://cbmrlucknow.brinkster.net/honorprofs.html |date=2013-02-21 }}</ref>

Bhandari's eclectic interests include [[kidney transplantation]], [[stone disease]], and [[urethroplasty]].<ref name=Bhandariresearch>[https://web.archive.org/web/20230908012335/http://www.biomedexperts.com/Profile.aspx?n=Mahendra_Bhandari&auid=116169 Bhandari Research Profile]</ref> Bhandari's research would substantially improve the management of urethral strictures, the narrowing of the [[urethra]], caused by either injury or infection. Bhandari also established the [[Indian Journal of Urology]] in 1984, an open-access and widely read source of literature.<ref name="IJU">[http://www.indianjurol.com/aboutus.asp Indian Journal of Urology]; http://www.indianjurol.com/editorialboard.asp</ref>

In April 2008, Bhandari completed a graduate bio-statistic course at the Faculty of Arts and Science at [[Harvard University]] alongside two of his most promising associates. Dr. Bhandari received his Masters in Business Administration at the [[Ross School of Business]] at the [[University of Michigan]] in [[Ann Arbor]] on 30 April 2010. He also earned a certificate in a course conducted by Prof. John B. Taylor: Principles of Economics from Stanford University 19 September 2017, (With Distinction).<ref>https://verify.lagunita.stanford.edu/SOA/eac42144ffe845a595d52699a23f122b/ {{Dead link|date=March 2022}}</ref>

==Administration==

Upon promotion to Director and lead administrator of the Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS) in Lucknow, Bhandari began a long, productive, and colorful administrative career, including the post of Vice Chancellor at Lucknow Medical University.<ref>Kekre NS. Training of a urology resident. Indian J Urol 2009;25:153</ref> Despite severe resistance from entrenched interests and the general bureaucratic nature of government of India, Bhandari played a key role in advancing India's medical training as the country entered the 21st century.

Serving on the boards of multiple journals and as the president of several medical societies,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://usi.org.in/New/Archives.html#04 |title=Official website of Urological Society of India |access-date=6 February 2018 |archive-date=15 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191215211534/http://usi.org.in/New/Archives.html#04 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Bhandari exerted vast influence on the practice and teaching of medicine, especially the development of residency programs for the specialty of urology. After a successful span at the SGPGIMS, he was named director and became the first Vice-Chancellor of Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj Medical University (now King George's Medical University) in Lucknow, India in 2003.<ref name=cbmr/><ref name=KGMU>[http://www.kgmcindia.edu/history.htm History of KGMU] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080526233701/http://www.kgmcindia.edu/history.htm |date=2008-05-26 }}</ref> His leadership also included a founding role in the production of medvarsity.com, an online portal for medical education.<ref name=medvarsity>[http://www.financialexpress.com/old/fe/daily/20001010/efe10006.html Creation of MedVarsity] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130123005604/http://www.financialexpress.com/old/fe/daily/20001010/efe10006.html |date=2013-01-23 }}</ref>

[[File:Bhandari Operates.JPG|thumb|Bhandari Operating in Malaysia.]]

==Medical Ethics Activism==

Bhandari's interest in renal transplantation sparked an active role in creating regulations for safe donor practices while addressing gender and economic inequality in access to care. In 2004, Bhandari was a member of the select Vancouver forum that created a definitive statement for ethical live lung, liver, pancreas, and intestinal organ donation.<ref name=Vancouver>[http://www.livingdonorassistance.org/documents/Ethics%20Statement%20of%20Vancouver%20Forum.pdf Vancouver Ethics Forum] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727035243/http://www.livingdonorassistance.org/documents/Ethics%20Statement%20of%20Vancouver%20Forum.pdf |date=2011-07-27 }}</ref>

==Vattikuti Urology Institute==

Bhandari made his move to [[Detroit]], [[Michigan]] to join [[Dr. Mani Menon]] and his team of robotic surgeons at the [[Vattikuti Urology Institute]] (VUI) in 2005, to aid them in advancing methods to treat [[prostate cancer]] and other urology procedures robotically. At the VUI, Bhandari has focused on developing the clinical research program and improving the use of biostatistics in medical research. He is also actively promoting the development of robotic surgery in Indian urology.<ref name=RoboticSurgeryIndia>[http://span.state.gov/wwwhspnovdec0638.html Robotic Surgery in India ] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090205000726/http://span.state.gov/wwwhspnovdec0638.html |date=2009-02-05 }}</ref> He was part of the VUI-Medanta team which developed the Robotic Kidney Transplant With Regional Hypothermia, a new means of cooling a donor kidney- before insertion into the recipient- and during the transplant (anastomosis) process itself inside the body.<ref>{{cite journal| pmc=4431703 | pmid=26000230 | doi=10.1007/s40472-015-0051-z | volume=2 | title=Robotic-assisted Kidney Transplantation: Our Experience and Literature Review | year=2015 | journal=Curr Transplant Rep | pages=122–126 | last1 = Tzvetanov | first1 = I | last2 = D'Amico | first2 = G | last3 = Benedetti | first3 = E| issue=2 }}</ref>

==Vattikuti Foundation==
In 2010, Dr. Bhandari was appointed CEO of the Vattikuti Foundation. Some of his accomplishments include:
November, 2011: Launching the "Vattikuti Road Show," a tour of major Indian cities promoting the benefits of robotic surgery to surgeons, hospitals and the public.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://vfrsi.vattikutifoundation.com/the-road-to-the-future|title=The Road to the Future}}</ref> 2012 & 2015 sponsoring the Vattikuti Global Robotics Multispecialty Robotic Surgery Conferences.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://vfrsi.vattikutifoundation.com/vgr-2012-an-unqualified-success|title=VGR 2012 an Unqualified Success}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://health.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/industry/vattikuti-global-robotics-2015-conference-ushers-a-new-era-of-innovation/46089523 | title=Vattikuti Global Robotics 2015 Conferenceushers a new era of innovation | date=2 February 2015 | newspaper=Economic Times | access-date=18 October 2018 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pharmabiz.com/NewsDetails.aspx?aid=86483&sid=2|title=Delhi hosts Vattikuti Global Robotics 2015 confrence [sic]|access-date=8 February 2018|archive-date=8 September 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230908012531/http://www.pharmabiz.com/NewsDetails.aspx?aid=86483&sid=2|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2014, Indian robotic surgeons gathered in what was one of the first meetings of the Vattikuti Foundation sponsored 'Robotic Surgeons Council of India.' Dr. Robert Cerfolio was the guest International Faculty, speaking to a large audience.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://vfrsi.vattikutifoundation.com/new-advances-in-robotic-surgery-are-announced-at-the-robotic-surgeons-council-of-india-meeting|title=New Advances in Robotic Surgery Are Announced at the Robotic Surgeons Council of India Meeting}}</ref> The group continues to meet bi-annually, holding academic discussions and sharing robotic surgery knowledge. The most recent meeting hosted over 200 members.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://vfrsi.vattikutifoundation.com/rsc-mb-opening-remarks|title=Robotic Surgeons Council of India: Dr. Mahendra Bhandari Opening Remarks}}</ref> The Vattikuti Collective Quality Initiative (VCQI) is a prospective robotic surgery database established by the Vattikuti Foundation to provide trustworthy material for researchers to study surgeon and patient outcomes.<ref>{{cite journal |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/318734608 |doi=10.1111/bju.13967|title='Trifecta' outcomes of robot-assisted partial nephrectomy in solitary kidney: A Vattikuti Collective Quality Initiative (VCQI) database analysis |year=2018 |last1=Arora |first1=Sohrab |last2=Abaza |first2=Ronney |last3=Adshead |first3=James M. |last4=Ahlawat |first4=Rajesh K. |last5=Challacombe |first5=Benjamin J. |last6=Dasgupta |first6=Prokar |last7=Gandaglia |first7=Giorgio |last8=Moon |first8=Daniel A. |last9=Yuvaraja |first9=Thyavihally B. |last10=Capitanio |first10=Umberto |last11=Larcher |first11=Alessandro |last12=Porpiglia |first12=Francesco |last13=Porter |first13=James R. |last14=Mottrie |first14=Alexander |last15=Bhandari |first15=Mahendra |last16=Rogers |first16=Craig |journal=BJU International |volume=121 |issue=1 |pages=119–123 |pmid=28749068 |s2cid=4115983 |hdl=11343/293327 |hdl-access=free }}</ref> Several Vattikuti Foundation partner institutions have been established around the world.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://vfrsi.vattikutifoundation.com/network-institution|title=Network Institutions}}</ref> Indian news media have reported that there are 60 'da Vinci Surgical Systems' in use in India, with 360 surgeons using them as of January, 2018.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.newkerala.com/news/fullnews-314041.html |title=da Vinci Surgical Robot to be a star attraction for AICOG 2018 attendees |date=2018 |website=newkerala.com}}</ref> The Vattikuti Foundation also has Scholarship and Fellowship programs to guide and help train young Indian surgeons.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://vfrsi.vattikutifoundation.com/vattikuti-scholarships-apply-now|title = Vattikuti Scholarships Application Deadline Nears}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://vfrsi.vattikutifoundation.com/vf-fellowships-1-23-2017|title = Vattikuti Fellowships Applications Extended!}}</ref>

== Honours and awards ==
# Padma Shri, Government of India, 2000 [[List of Padma Shri award recipients (2000–2009)]][[File:MB.SI.display.jpg|thumb|Photo of part of a current display in the Smithsonian National Museum of American History 'Many Voices, One Nation' exhibit containing the personal visa belonging to Dr. Mahendra Bhandari.]]
# Dr. B. C. Roy Award, 1995<ref>{{cite web |url=http://kgmu.org/awards_bc.php |title=BC Roy Award |website=[[King George's Medical University]]}}</ref>
# President's Gold Medal, Urological Society of India,
# Urology Gold Medal, Urological Society of India, USICON 2006
# Dr. Pinamanneni Gold Medal, Urological Society of India
# Dr. Himadari Sarkar Memorial Orator, Urological Society of India<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.usi.org.in/ |title=Urological Society of India – Official Website |publisher=Usi.org.in |date= |accessdate=2022-06-04}}</ref>
# Col. Sangam Lal Oration, National Academy of Medical Sciences of India
# Indian American Urological Association President Award, 2014 <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.iauanet.org/awardsscholars/awards |title=IAUA Awards |website=Indian American Urological Association}}</ref>

==Recognition==
1 Smithsonian Institution National Museum of American History 'Many Voices, One Nation' exhibit, display of professional visa, website mention, 2016<ref>{{cite web|url=http://americanhistory.si.edu/many-voices-exhibition/new-americans-continuing-debates-1965%E2%80%932000/transnational-lives/working-across |title=Working Across Nations | National Museum of American History |publisher=Americanhistory.si.edu |date=2012-12-17 |accessdate=2022-06-04}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
*{{PubMedAuthorSearch|Mahendra|B}}

{{Commons category}}

{{Authority control}}
{{Padma Shri Award Recipients in Medicine}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bhandari, Mahendra}}
[[Category:1945 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:University of Rajasthan alumni]]
[[Category:Indian urologists]]
[[Category:Medical doctors from Rajasthan]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri in medicine]]
[[Category:Place of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Ross School of Business alumni]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian surgeons]]
[[Category:Sawai Man Singh Medical College alumni]]

Mahendra Bhandari - Revision history

Piniteinfra at 16:06, 31 July 2025