BAPIO Paediatric Forum hosted a very successful gala dinner on 25 March 2024 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Birmingham during the annual conference of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH). The dinner, which was over-subscribed, was attended by 120 guests who enjoyed a sumptuous Indian meal accompanied by cultural performances and Bollywood-inspired entertainment. The attendees included senior clinicians, academics, and leaders from paediatrics as well as other specialties, chief medical officers / medical directors, and junior doctors.
The evening was skillfully compered by Dr. Neha Sharma. Dr. Renu Jainer, Chair of BAPIO’s Paediatric Forum welcomed the guests.. This was followed by recitals of Ganesh Stuti, a composition in praise of Lord Ganesha, by Dr. Rashmi Manjunath. 13-year-old student Sarisha Mehta, one of the top 15 young poets in The Foyle Young Poets of the Year Awards, recited her winning poem.
The guests were then addressed by Dr. Ramesh Mehta CBE, President of BAPIO, Prof. Geeta Menon, Chair of BAPIO, Dr. Camilla Kingdon, outgoing President of RCPCH and Prof Steve Turner, incoming President of RCPCH. RCPCH CEO Rob Okunnu spoke about the close collaboration BAPIO has with the college. Dr Kiran Patel the CMO of Birmingham University Hospitals was felicited as a role model for members. David Melloy from Ascot Lloyd, the main sponsors of the evening, spoke about how the firm can help doctors with independent financial advice.
The evening’s entertainment included Ankita Goswami, a medical student from University of Norwich Medical School, who sang beautifully and music with a Bollywood flavour by Dr. Rounak Ahlawat. The night concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr. Satheesh Mathew. It was also announced during the evening that BAPIO has donated a set of height measuring scales to University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Trust.
The dinner was a celebration of diversity and inclusion, which all
owed everyone to network, dance as well as enjoy excellent Indian food. The atmosphere was made even more special by the fact that the dinner took place on the day of Holi, the Indian festival of colours, which celebrates love and the advent of spring.
BAPIO Paediatric Forum looks forward to hosting an even more enjoyable event during next year’s RCPCH conference in Glasgow.