Dr Shashank Shah

Experience • 1989–2025

Dr. Shashank Shah embarked on his surgical odyssey in the late 1980s, following completion of his MBBS and MS in General Surgery. From the outset, he demonstrated a passion for innovation and excellence, rapidly mastering both open and laparoscopic general surgery. By the early 2000s, he had already performed tens of thousands of operations, including hernia repairs, appendectomies, GI procedures, and emergency surgery.

2000–2008 – The Rise of a Minimally‑Invasive Specialist

As minimally-invasive surgery came to the forefront, Dr. Shah dove headfirst into laparoscopic techniques. He pioneered single-incision laparoscopic hernia surgeries and became widely known for setting a Limca Book of Records record in 2005: 45 hernia surgeries in 10 hours. By 2006, he presented India’s first revision bariatric surgery video at the IFSO World Congress and was the first Indian invited to speak at the Cleveland Clinic’s “Innovations in Surgery” conference—a live, intercontinental broadcast reaching 36 universities.

2008–2012 – Building the Foundation of Bariatric Metabolic Surgery

This period saw Dr. Shah refine his focus on metabolic surgery—particularly the surgical management of obesity-induced type 2 diabetes. He performed India’s first single-incision sleeve gastrectomy (Metasurg 2009), and delivered the nation’s first India-sourced data on low-BMI metabolic surgery outcomes at major global summits. He received IIT Mumbai’s “Innovator Award” in 2009 for his pioneering work on visceral interventions for type 2 diabetes. That same year, his team reported early mechanistic insights into sleeve gastrectomy’s effects on small-bowel transit and diabetes resolution.

2012–2016 – Leadership, Recognition & Global Collaboration

Dr. Shah’s influence grew as he took on presidency roles: OSSI (Obesity Surgery Society of India, 2012–16), IEF India Chapter (2016), and AIAARO (2014–16). International bodies—including SAGES, ASMBS, IFSO and IRCAD (France & Taiwan)—invited him as faculty and visiting professor.

In June 2016, his study comparing gastric bypass versus lifestyle care in South Asian diabetics earned him the prestigious American Diabetes Association Vivian Fonseca Scholar Award—the first-ever Indian to receive it.

2016–2020 – Consolidation & Breakthroughs

At Poona Hospital and Research Centre, and through the Laparo Obeso Centre, Dr. Shah built one of Asia’s highest-volume bariatric-metabolic units. During this period, he surpassed a major milestone: performing more than 12,000 bariatric surgeries, making him one of the most experienced bariatric surgeons in Asia.

He continued publishing in indexed journals—investigating glycemic control, gut microbiota, and obesity surgery in Asian populations. He also pioneered a minimally invasive thoracoscopic thymectomy for myasthenia gravis, later accepted into the SAGES Video Library.

2020–2023 – Record‑Breaking & Institutional Excellence

He broke records again by operating on the world’s heaviest woman (300 kg → 86 kg weight loss), earning recognition in World, India & Limca Books of Records indialaparoscopysurgerysite.com+5pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov+5locmumbai.com+5. In 2020, OSSICON honored him for metabolic surgery contributions. In 2021, the IFSO site published his biography—making him the first Asian bariatric surgeon featured in the federation’s journal.

By July 2023, Laparo Obeso Centre earned OSSI certification as a Centre of Excellence (2020–23), and had trained over 2,000 surgeons—spawning bariatric services throughout India and the Asia–Pacific region.

2024–2025 – Guiding Future Standards

Co-authoring new obesity treatment guidelines published in JAPI (2024), Dr. Shah contributed to redefining severity metrics beyond BMI, emphasizing functional, metabolic, and psychological health indianexpress.com+1business-standard.com+1. Even today, at well past 30 years of practice, he continues to steer training programs, serve on editorial boards (J Minimal Access Surgery, Bariatric Times, Obesity Surgery, JOMR), and teach DNB/general surgery students .

By the numbers (1989–2025):

• Surgical volume: 40,000+ total operations, including more than 12,000 bariatric procedures
• Surgeon training: 2,000+ surgeons mentored, and dozens of centers built
• Research & recognition: Pioneering research on metabolic surgery, guest faculty at premier global forums, and lauded by ADA, IIT Mumbai, OSSICON, Limca & World Records, etc.

From an ambitious young surgeon honing his skills in the 1990s to a globally heralded bariatric-metabolic pioneer, Dr. Shashank Shah’s career over the past 36 years has redefined obesity and diabetes treatment in India and beyond. His work has blended cutting-edge clinical innovation, high-volume surgical practice, rigorous research, and—most importantly—a commitment to training the next generation of surgeons.