OUR STORY
One wintry afternoon on February 11, 2018, a group of local Indian physicians came together and unanimously agreed that there was a need for a professional, social, and philanthropic organization in Toledo. Their efforts led to the founding of the Toledo Physicians of Indian Origin. TOPI is a local chapter of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) and is a nonprofit organization with 501(c)(3) status.
TOPI’s leaders are committed to unifying and engaging medical professionals to give back to the community, network with other members both socially and professionally, and to share and celebrate our Indian culture with colleagues and friends.
OUR EVENTS
Each year TOPI holds two large events a Spring Picnic and Fall Gala, as well as, participates in the Hero Hustle 5K.
SPRING PICNIC
The annual Spring picnic is free for members and is a casual event for families. Our first annual picnic was at the Brandywine Country Club (2018). We had food stations serving Indian comfort food staples like Chaat, Dosas, Bhatura, etc. There were also fun activities for children like face painting and balloon animals.
FALL GALA
The annual Fall Gala is an elegant adult only event that is geared towards fundraising and the proceeds go towards local Toledo area charities. Attire is Western or Indian Formal. The first Fall Gala (2018) was at the Pinnacle with Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz giving the keynote address. 25K was raised for both the Bethany house and the Mareda center. The second annual Fall Gala (2019) was at the Hilton, Perrysburg where we raised $25K for Lucas County Children Services. 2020 and early 2021 was a busy year with our members giving back to the community by being the frontline medical workers during Covid-19 pandemic.
Being part of an organization give the Toledo Physicians of Indian Origin strength and power as they actively come together to make a change in our community as well as help each other in time of need. We are stronger because we are together.
– Dr. Maneesha Pandey | Founder & Past President
With healthcare evolving, I thought it was imperative for physicians of Indian origin to have a voice on a local and national level. As one of the largest and fastest-growing ethnic groups in the medical profession, we want to promote unity and ensure our members are achieving their full potential while serving as mentors to the next generation of physicians.
– Dr. Murthy Gokula | Founder & Past President
TOPI
EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE
PRESIDENT
Srini Hejeebu, DO
VICE-PRESIDENT
Sanjoy Banerjee, MD
TREASURER
Raj Kattar, MD
SECRETARY
Ankit Modh, MD
PHILANTHROPY
Shaila Fernandes, MD
MEMBERSHIP
Sanjoy Banerjee, MD
CME
Srini Hejeebu, DO
PAST PRESIDENTS
Murthy Gokula, MD
Maneesha Pandey, MD
Arjun Das, MD
Raj Kattar, MD
MEMBERS AT LARGE
Balhinder Brar, MD
Shaila Fernandes, MD
Bhaskar Gundabolu, MD
Viswas Mashalkar, MD
OUR MISSION
To foster fellowship between physicians of Indian Origin, promote health and wellness, and support local charities in the Toledo area.
THINK GLOBALLY, ACT LOCALLY.
VISION & GOALS
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Advocate for higher standards in patient care
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Support the local community through charitable and philanthropic contributions
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Provide opportunities for networking, collaboration, and mentorship
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Connect physicians, dentists, podiatrists, fellows, residents, and medical students from a common cultural background
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Have a collective voice that reaches local and national levels
PHILANTHROPIC & CHARITABLE GIVING
TOPI held its first “Give Back to Toledo” gala event on November 16th at The Pinnacle in Maumee. The Executive committee of TOPI decided to donate the funds raised to Mareda Center which helps educate and serve disadvantaged kids and mothers in need, and Bethany House which helps abused and battered women.
The Guest of Honor was our Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz. He gave a heartwarming welcome to all and praised the effort being made by TOPI to serve Toledo and the service provided by our worthy charities Mareda Center and Bethany House. More than $20,000 was raised and will be distributed equally between the two charities.
Promedica was the platinum sponsor for the event and several other business entities joined hands with TOPI to make a difference in Toledo. The event was attended by 150 people. The excitement and dedication of TOPI members to serve Toledo was evident during the meeting as they promised to partner with Dr. Richard Paat, University of Toledo Community Care Clinic run my UT medical students as their long-term commitment to mentor young aspiring students choosing medicine as their profession and provide free, quality health care to the underserved and to raise healthcare awareness in the Toledo community. TOPI will partner with Mayor of Toledo office to help with the health care initiatives that help our Toledo community.
The Philanthropy chair Dr.Kattar along with the Executive team Drs. Murthy Gokula, Arjun Das, Maneesha Pandey, and Praveen Tamirisa will present the checks to both organizations. Each year TOPI will do fundraising during the November gala event and will choose a not for profit organization that is making an impact in the Toledo community.