Mumbai: Marking a unique honour, renowned gynaecologist Prof. (Dr.) Niranjan Narayanrao Chavan – serving at the BMC’s Sion Hospital for 35 years – has been named for the prestigious Fellowship (ad eundem) of The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (FRCOG), officials said.
Dr. Chavan, 58, becomes the first gynaecologist and professor of a BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)-run institution to receive the top global honour recognising his lifetime dedicated to women’s health in a major public hospital of Mumbai.
The RCOG President (Ms.) Alison Wright and CEO Dr. (Ms.) Kate Lancaster have invited him to formally receive the coveted Fellowship at the RCOG World Congress 2027, scheduled at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, Malaysia, in April 2027. Over 3,000 delegates from 100-plus countries will converge there and Dr. Chavan will present a research paper at the meet.
Boasting an impressive career spanning clinical practice, complex surgery, research and medical education with an array of qualifications including MD, FCPS, DGO, DFP, DICOG, MICOG and FICOG, besides a Diploma in Endoscopy from the USA, in 2000, he received specialized training in ‘minimal-access gynaecological surgery’ at Royal Free Hospital, London.
“This honour is not mine alone. It belongs to my teachers, my students, my colleagues at Sion Hospital, and the thousands of women we serve daily. I am deeply grateful to the RCOG authorities and will strive to further strengthen Indo-UK collaboration in women's health,” Dr. Chavan said modestly to ‘The Perfect Voice.’
For 35 years, his operating theatre has witnessed daunting medical challenges which were transformed into stories of survival against all odds. His department at the Sion Hospital manages around 12,000 deliveries every year including many rare or complicated cases, and the rate is higher than several other BMC-run healthcare institutions.
Critical surgeries
In Feb. 2011, he conducted a remarkable laparoscopic surgery on a patient to extricate a massive 28-week-size ovarian tumour, during pregnancy. The achievement became extraordinary as the anxious mother subsequently delivered a healthy 2.8-kg baby through normal delivery.
Another big achievement came in Jan. 2012 when Dr. Chavan and his team removed a huge 2.8-kg ovarian tumour from a 14-year-old girl, making it the first of its kind case in India and among a handful of documented similar ones internationally.
Dr. Chavan’s surgical expertise also includes the removal of a massive ovarian tumour discovered during an emergency Caesarean section, while successfully preserving the patient’s remaining ovary.
With over 125 research publications, 42 book chapters and 35 years of teaching experience, Dr. Chavan has also helped shape and nurture generations of medical professionals, besides holding leadership roles in MOGS and FOGSI.
