IASNM Presidents

2015 – Present:

Amol Takalkar, MD, MS, MBA, FACNM

2012 – 2015:

Puneet Chandak, MD

2011 – 2012:

Vibhudutta Awasthi, PhD

2008 – 2010:

Alexander Kurikeshu, MD

2005 – 2007:
Joseph Rajendran, MD, MBBS
2003 – 2005:
Chaitnya R. Divgi, MD
2001 – 2003:
Sanjiv Sam Gambhir, MD, PhD
1999 – 2001:
Pradeep Garg, PhD
1998 – 1999:
Jagat Narula, MD, PhD
1997 – 1998:
Christy John, PhD
1996 – 1997:
Diwakar Jain, MD
1995 – 1996:
Amolak Singh, MD
1994 – 1995:
Lalitha Ramanna, MD
1993 – 1994:
Mathew Thakur, PhD
1992 – 1993:
Mohan Makhija, MD
1991 – 1992:
G.V.S. Rayudu, PhD
1990 – 1991:
Tuhin Chaudhuri, MD
1989 – 1990:
Suresh Srivastava, PhD
1988 – 1989:
Padmakar Kulkarni, PhD
Padmakar Kulkarni Bio
1987 – 1988:
C. Chandarlapaty, MD
1986 – 1987:
Vijay M. Varma, MD
1985 – 1986:
G.T. Krishnamurthy, MD
1984 – 1985:
Gopal Subramanian, PhD
During his tenure as the President of the IASNM Dr. Rajendran built upon the strong foundations of the founding members and past Presidents of the Society. His work underscored the primary focus of our Society – that of fostering collaborations with our colleagues in India and encouraging development of the field of Nuclear Medicine. Encouraging the younger generation has been one of the highlights that our society undertook as also our annual gathering at the time of the Annual Meeting of the SNMMI. Likewise, Dr.Rajendran saw the importance of communication, for maintaining and nurturing participation and collaborations amongst our membership and beyond by being guided by the past, celebrating the present and being optimistic for the future.

-Best Wishes
Joseph Rajendran
A big group went to India for the annual meeting there – including Steve Larson, and several physicians/physicists (Joe O’Donoghue from MSKCC)/chemists (Mathew Thakur)/biologists (the Director of the Cancer Immunology group in Barcelona)… the meeting was in Mysore.

-Best Wishes
Chaitanya Divgi
My fondest memories of my term are helping to sponsor more trainees in India to come to the SNMMI meeting in the USA.

-Best Wishes
Sanjiv Sam Gambhir
I served as the President of the IASNM in 1994. I organized a group of distinguished speakers (Barry Zaret, Avijit Lahiri, Mathew Thakur and others) to participate in the annual meeting of the SNM (india) in Gwalior.

-Best Wishes
Diwakar Jain
I served as the president of Indo-American Society of Nuclear Medicine (IASNM) from 1995-1996. This was the year of centennial celebration of x-rays by Dr. Roentgen by the Indian Radiological and Imaging Association (IRIA). At the invitation of IRIA, our group gave one day educational program at the 49th Congress of IRIA held at Bangalore, Karnataka, India. Our group consisted of many renowned international physicians and scientists from United States and Europe.
One week after IRIA meeting, we gave another educational program at the Annual Meeting of Indian Society of Nuclear Medicine (ISNM) held at Tirupati, India. Our participation at both meetings was made possible by accommodation from IRIA which changed the dates of their meeting and moved it close to the ISNM meeting. Dr. G. Krishnamurthy, our immediate past-president of IASNM was most instrumental to make this event special for all of us at the IASNM.

-Best Wishes
Amolak Singh
I was the IASNM President in 1993-1994, nearly a quarter of a century ago. At that time technology transfer to SNMI was the major thrust of IASNM activities and my memory calls for three distinguished events that took place during that year.
1993 was a Silver Jubilee year for SNMI and late Dr. Ajit Padhy was the SNMI President. To celebrate the SNMI Silver Jubilee year, as the IASNM president, I decided to do three following things.
i) To honor 12 founding members of the SNMI: I asked Dr. Padhy to form a committee, select those 12 members and give me their names which he did. On behalf of IASNM, I honored each of the twelve members by giving them a plaque which I carried in a big cardboard box. (When I arrived in New Delhi airport, the custom officers gave me a hard time by making me open the box and then to explain what was it all about. When they understood, they congratulated me and offered to come to their office for a cup of tea.)
In addition, I gave each of the 12 founding members a fixed sum of rupees to cover the cost of their travel to the meeting. Some founding members as they later told me, worshiped the plaque and shed tears of joy.
ii) Transfer technology: I took to that SNMI meeting, two distinguished physicians (Drs. Steve Larson and Carol Marcus) and one basic scientist (Dr. Michael Welch). I flew them in business class and took to Mumbai and Bangalore, I believe, to give more lectures. Of course I took care of their additional expenses. They did a great job.
iii) Honoring young scholars from India: In June 1994, at the then SNM annual meeting, in Los Angeles I believe, I held the IASNM Annual Meeting in the Hilton Hotel. We honored young scholars from India, with speeches and a sit-down, served, meal. Everybody enjoyed it.
I must thank all the industries, including GE which was major donor for their generosity which made this all possible.

-Best Wishes
Mathew Thakur
As president of IASNM, I had taken Dr. Richard Holmes (President SNM) to India to participate in SNM India annual conference in Dibrugadh, Assam. There was no imaging facility there, the emphasis was on in vitro diagnostics-Radio Immuno Assay set up, Reestablished communication with SNMI. Made arrangements to supply certain precursors for radio labeling (agents for imaging and therapy) such as MIBG for Radiation Medicine Center (RMC), Mumbai.

-Best Wishes
Padmakar Kulkarni

Padmakar Kulkarni, Ph.D.
UT Southwestern Medical Center
Dallas, TX, USA

  • Ph. D. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY
  • Sr. Scientific Officer, BARC, Mumbai, India
  • Diagnostics Division, Abbott Labs, Chicago, IL
  • Radiology Faculty at UT Southwestern Med Ctr. since 1976
  • Consultant to International Atomic Energy Agency
  • Founding member, Past President, Executive Director:

Indo-American Society of Nuclear Medicine (IASNM)

Research interests:
  • Myocardial Infarct Imaging Agents, I-123 fatty acids
  • Alzheimer’s plaque Imaging agents
  • Drug delivery systems development
  • MR Imaging agents