Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu) [India], March 26: Ganga Hospital, Coimbatore, a pioneer in Plastic Surgery, Complex Hand and Microsurgery and Burns proudly announces the reaching of a landmark milestone in its mission to advance global surgical standards. As of March 2026, the Department of Plastic, Hand, and Reconstructive Microsurgery of Ganga Hospital has hosted over 3,534 surgeons from 89 countries and 166 Indian cities, establishing the institution as one of the most visited surgical training units in the world.
Dr. S. Raja Sabapathy, Chairman of Ganga Hospital and Head of the Department of Plastic, Hand, and Microsurgery, shared his reflections on this achievement: “Among the many achievements of Ganga that bring me pride, our unit becoming a preferred centre for training for surgeons across the world ranks very high. What began as a trickle of visitors in the early nineties has grown into a steady stream of over 150 surgeons every year (182 in 2026)’.
Over the last three and a half decades, Ganga Hospital has evolved from a regional center of excellence into a global reference point. Surgeons from across the globe travel to Coimbatore to immerse themselves in the hospital’s extraordinary clinical volume, unmatched depth of its surgical diversity and its model of delivering high quality care at an affordable cost.
While international travel saw a global decline during the early 2020s, Ganga Hospital experienced a remarkable post-pandemic surge. The institution recorded its highest-ever visitor numbers in recent years, with 234 surgeons visiting the Plastic Surgery Department in 2023 and 223 surgeons in 2024, signaling a robust demand for the specialized expertise nurtured within its walls.
By January 2026, the Plastic Surgery department crossed the milestone of hosting over 3,500 surgeons. While published records of visitors to other surgical units in India are scarce, we believe we are, arguably, among the most visited units in the country in any specialty. It is deeply rewarding to see our commitment to learning and discipline resonate so strongly with the global surgical community. The visitors come not only from developing nations but also from the top units of the developed world. The United Kingdom with 272 surgeon visitors and USA with 139 surgeon visitors top the list of nations from where the visitors came. Since they come from top universities Dr Hari Venkatramani, consultant in the Department of Plastic Surgery said ‘there gets established a two way learning process and our unit also keeps improving’.
The week-long Microsurgery laboratory course conducted by the department is considered as one of the best in world. Having a capacity to train 4 surgeons at a time, nearly 2000 surgeons have taken the course.
A Legacy of Excellence
The list of past visitors and fellows at Ganga Hospital reads like a “Who’s Who” of Plastic and Reconstructive Microsurgery, featuring many of the most accomplished plastic, hand, and trauma surgeons of our time. By fostering an environment of transparency and hands-on learning, Ganga Hospital continues to influence surgical practices on nearly every continent.
Dr Raja Shanmugakrishnan, another consultant in the Department of Plastic Surgery said, ‘Hand and Microsurgery and complex trauma reconstruction has been our strong fields. By a process of continuous improvement, by taking up new subspecialties like Burns, Diabetic Foot Surgery, Breast and Cancer reconstruction and following the principle of Process Excellence in every thing that is done, the Plastic Surgery Department is confident of leading the world in the future’.
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