Dr. Ketan Desai is an Indian
urologist
Urology (from Greek οὖρον ''ouron'' "urine" and ''-logia'' "study of"), also known as genitourinary surgery, is the branch of medicine that focuses on surgical and medical diseases of the urinary-tract system and the reproductive organ ...
from Gujarat. He was head of
Medical Council of India
The Medical Council of India (MCI) was a statutory body for establishing uniform and high standards of medical education in India until its dissolution on 25 September 2020 when it was replaced by National Medical Commission. The Council grante ...
in 2001 when he was removed for corruption.
Desai began teaching at
B.J. Medical College, Ahmedabad
B. J. Medical College (BJMC) is a public medical college situated in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. It is affiliated to the Gujarat University and Ahmedabad Civil Hospital.
History
Ahmedabad Medical School affiliated with Ahmedabad Civil Hospit ...
following his graduation in 1983
and served as head of the urology department from 2005
until his resignation in 2010.
He was president of the
Indian Medical Association
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) is a national voluntary organisation of physicians in India. It was established in 1928 as the All India Medical Association, and was renamed the Indian Medical Association in 1930. It is a society registered ...
from 2001—2003
and the
World Medical Association
The World Medical Association (WMA) is an international and independent confederation of free professional medical associations representing physicians worldwide. WMA was formally established on September 18, 1947 and has grown to 115 national m ...
for the year 2016/2017.
Early life and education
Desai was raised in Gujarat’s
Maroli
Maroli is a town in the state of Gujarat, India. The town is also one of the satellite towns of Surat Metropolitan Region. It is located 25 kilometers from Surat on Surat-Navsari Highway.
Demographics
India census, Maroli had a population of 3 ...
village.
He completed his school graduation from
Hansraj Morarji Public School
Hansraj Morarji Public School is a combined primary, junior and senior school in Mumbai, India. It was founded in 1939 by the Bai Kabibai and Hansraj Morarji Trust. The foundation stone was laid by Sardar Patel. The school was earlier an all-bo ...
, where his father Dirubhai Desai was a teacher for the primary section.
After school, he completed his
MBBS
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery ( la, Medicinae Baccalaureus, Baccalaureus Chirurgiae; abbreviated most commonly MBBS), is the primary medical degree awarded by medical schools in countries that follow the tradition of the United King ...
and
M.Ch in
urology
Urology (from Greek οὖρον ''ouron'' "urine" and '' -logia'' "study of"), also known as genitourinary surgery, is the branch of medicine that focuses on surgical and medical diseases of the urinary-tract system and the reproductive org ...
in the year 1983 from
B.J. Medical College, Ahmedabad
B. J. Medical College (BJMC) is a public medical college situated in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. It is affiliated to the Gujarat University and Ahmedabad Civil Hospital.
History
Ahmedabad Medical School affiliated with Ahmedabad Civil Hospit ...
.
Career
In 1983, Desai became a professor in the urology department at B.J. Medical College in
Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad ( ; Gujarati: Amdavad ) is the most populous city in the Indian state of Gujarat. It is the administrative headquarters of the Ahmedabad district and the seat of the Gujarat High Court. Ahmedabad's population of 5,570,585 (per t ...
after graduating from the school earlier that year.
Desai was president of Gujarat Medical Council in the 1990s.
He was appointed head of urology at B.J. Medical College from 2005 until his resignation in 2010.
In 2001, while Desai was head of the
Medical Council of India
The Medical Council of India (MCI) was a statutory body for establishing uniform and high standards of medical education in India until its dissolution on 25 September 2020 when it was replaced by National Medical Commission. The Council grante ...
(MCI), he was removed for corruption after the
High Court of Delhi
The High Court of Delhi (IAST: ''dillī uchcha nyāyālaya'') was established on 31 October 1966, through the ''Delhi High Court Act, 1966'', with four judges, Chief Justice K. S. Hegde, Justice I. D. Dua, Justice H. R. Khanna and Justice S. ...
found him guilty of corrupt practices and
abuse of power
Abuse is the improper usage or treatment of a thing, often to unfairly or improperly gain benefit. Abuse can come in many forms, such as: physical or verbal maltreatment, injury, assault, violation, rape, unjust practices, crimes, or other t ...
.
He served as president of the
Indian Medical Association
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) is a national voluntary organisation of physicians in India. It was established in 1928 as the All India Medical Association, and was renamed the Indian Medical Association in 1930. It is a society registered ...
(2001—2003)
and
Dental Council of India
The Dental Council of India was incorporated under The Dentists Act, 1948 to regulate dental education and the profession throughout India. It is financed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and through the local state dental councils. ...
.
Desai returned to the MCI in 2007 and was again appointed president in 2009. In 2007 and 2009, he also ran for president of the
World Medical Association
The World Medical Association (WMA) is an international and independent confederation of free professional medical associations representing physicians worldwide. WMA was formally established on September 18, 1947 and has grown to 115 national m ...
(WMA).
Desai was to be inaugurated in late 2010 but was arrested on 23 April 2010 and jailed on charges of
corruption
Corruption is a form of dishonesty or a criminal offense which is undertaken by a person or an organization which is entrusted in a position of authority, in order to acquire illicit benefits or abuse power for one's personal gain. Corruption m ...
for conspiring to extract a 20 million rupee bribe from officials at Gian Sagar Medical College in the northern state of
Punjab
Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...
.
His medical practitioner's license was suspended by the MCI on 9 October 2010.
Desai became
syndicate
A syndicate is a self-organizing group of individuals, companies, corporations or entities formed to transact some specific business, to pursue or promote a shared interest.
Etymology
The word ''syndicate'' comes from the French language, Frenc ...
and senate member of the
Gujarat University
The Gujarat University is a public state university located at Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. The university is an affiliating university at the under-graduate level and a teaching university at the postgraduate level. It is accredited B++ by N ...
in November 2010 with most of the time uncontested. In 2013, the Gujarat University senate unanimously nominated him to the MCI,
though he did not join.
In late 2014, he participated in a public rally with health minister
J. P. Nadda
Jagat Prakash Nadda (born 2 December 1960) is an Indian lawyer and politician serving as the president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) since 20 January 2020. He was the BJP's working president from June 2019 to January 2020.
Nadda is the ...
of the
Bharatiya Janata Party
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP; ; ) is a political party in India, and one of the two major Indian political parties alongside the Indian National Congress. Since 2014, it has been the ruling political party in India under Narendra Modi ...
.
He served as president of the WMA for the year 2016/2017.
Desai is a longtime member of Gujarat Medical Council.
Conspiracy and corruption allegations
While serving as president of the MCI, Desai was arrested by the
Central Bureau of Investigation
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is the premier investigating agency of India. It operates under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions. Originally set up to investigate bribery and governmen ...
(CBI) on 22 April 2010. Desai, alleged middle-man J. P. Singh and doctors Sukhwinder Singh and Kanwaljit Singh were booked under the
Prevention of Corruption Act
Prevention of Corruption Act (with its variations) is a stock short title used for legislation in India, Malaysia and the United Kingdom relating to corruption and bribery. The Bill for an Act with this short title will have been known as a Prevent ...
. The CBI recovered 1.5 kg of gold and 80 kg of silver from Desai's premises. Further, gold worth ₨ 35 lakhs were recovered from Desai's bank lockers in Ahmedabad.
Following Desai's arrest, the MCI was dissolved by the President of India on 15 May 2010.
However MCI continued to operate until it was fully abolished by the government on 25 September 2020 and replaced by the
National Medical Commission
National Medical Commission (NMC) is an Indian regulatory body of 33 members which regulates medical education and medical professionals. It replaced the Medical Council of India on 25 September 2020. The Commission grants recognition of medic ...
.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Desai, Ketan
Indian urologists
Living people
People from Gujarat
Gujarat University alumni
Indian medical academics
People from Navsari district
Year of birth missing (living people)