The Taj Medical Group - Recognition by the Government of India (GOI).

The Taj Medical Group has recently been congratulated by the Indian High Commission, in London for their achievements in successfully promoting and encouraging world - wide patients to experience the high standards of clinical excellence and good value for money offered by the private healthcare systems in India.

Furthermore, The Government of India (GOI) has in turn rewarded their efforts by prominently featuring them in an article titled Incredible Healing in their official publication - Incredible India (published November 2005 by the Ministry of Tourism - MOT).

As a leading authority on International Medical Tourism to India, The Taj Medical Group in partnership with the GOI and the MOT are assisting and advising key Indian Ministers, Doctors and Managers of Super-Specialty Hospitals to focus, develop and harness the wider benefits of Medical & Health Tourism in India.

The main objectives of The Taj Medical Group, together with the Government of India are to regulate, achieve and maintain high standards of patient care, comfort and hygiene; coupled with excellent clinical follow up at their designated and approved hospitals & clinics.

A part of this initiative entails the development of MediGate, in collaboration with The University of Warwick, the first and only up-to-date medical portal with patient feedback and comments offering help & key information to those wanting to know about medical treatment & facilities in India. For example - from finding the best Hospitals, Doctors, Dentists, Surgeons (with their resumes vetted and credentials checked and verified) together with hotels, retreats, spas, flights etc..

Medigate is based on the same technical architecture as Gateway Asia (www.gatewayasia.co.uk) a portal developed to bridge Asian engineering companies with Europe and the rest of the world. The portal development is funded and supported by a wide range of partners from the public, private and voluntary sectors. The investment currently exceeds £0.5 million.

Mr S. Jagadeesan, Chief Minister of Economics for the GOI, June 2006, London, UK.

The Taj Medical Group are doing an exceptional job in facilitating International patients to come to India for immediate, high class, private medical treatment. They are the original and of course, leaders in this new wave of “medical tourism” to India. Well done and keep up the good work.

We at Escorts Heart Institute and Research Centre are very pleased to be associated with the Taj Medical Group.

To relieve the pain and suffering of people, as The Taj Medical Group help to do is a great thing.

Sometimes it takes a terrible tragedy to help us discover the true strength of our spirit...and the true purpose of our lives. The story of the Indian Spinal Injuries Centre is really the story of one man's journey of faith...of accomplishing an almost impossible mission...of completely dedicating his life to help transform the lives of others.

Major Ahluwalia was just 26 years old when he climbed the world's highest peak, Mount Everest. Tragically just a few months later he was wounded in the Indo-Pak war which resulted in his confinement to a wheelchair. It was a tragedy that would have destroyed most people. Though he nearly lost his life, he never lost his courage or his fighting spirit. "Life is all about conquering the other summit - the Summit of the Mind," he says even today.

To his dismay, Major Ahluwalia discovered that there were no specialised hospitals for people with spinal injuries in India. Determined to rebuild his life, he finally travelled to the UK to undergo intensive rehabilitation at Stoke Mandeville Hospital. It was an experience that totally transformed him. He realised that though he himself had been lucky to get expert care millions of Indians were not so fortunate and were forced to lead marginalised lives. It became his life's mission to help others like him and he determined to set up a similar hospital in India. In the early 1990s, Major Ahluwalia's dream project began to take shape, when the Government of India gave him a financial grant. To ensure the highest standards, he sought collaboration with leading institutes around the world. Impressed with his vision, the Government of Italy invested US $ 10 million in the project - the largest ever Italian collaboration with any country in this sector.

The Indian Spinal Injuries Centre (ISIC) was a true landmark, not only in India, but in the whole of Asia. In recognition of his unique contribution to society, the Government of India awarded Major Ahluwalia the country's highest honours - the Padma Bhushan, the Padma Shri and the Arjuna Award. The President of India has also conferred the National Award for Best Work in the Field of Disability on him, for his humanitarian efforts and tireless service for the welfare of persons with disabilities. The Indian Spinal Injuries Centre has been set up in collaboration with the Government of Italy, through San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, along with support from the Government of India. Today it is a model institution comparable to the best in the world. A 153-bed hospital, it has 30 beds reserved for poor patients, many of whom cannot afford to pay. No one is turned away due to lack of funds and there is no discrimination in the quality of medical care.

With the latest state-of-the-art diagnostics and surgical equipment and a highly qualified team of doctors, surgeons, physiotherapists, who have all been trained at the world's best institutions, ISIC has become a major referral centre. Its patients come not only from across India, but from all over the world.

"The Taj Medical Group are providing an excellent service for patients world-wide to be treated in our Country. They are leading the way in regulating and refining this industry and we at ISIC are pleased to be associated with The Taj Medical Group & whole heartedly support their work".

Major HPS Ahluwalia, Chairman and Founder Member of Indian Spinal Injuries Centre (ISIC), July 2006, New Delhi, India.

You guys are doing a fantastic job in promoting medical tourism to India, but more importantly are letting everyone know about India’s superb medical facilities with our highly trained and dedicated Doctors who rank amongst the best in the World, they are ever ready to help treat and heal the sick.

Good luck & keep up the fantastic work.

Shreemati Ambika Soni is a member of the Indian National Congress and is an elected Member of Parliament. In her discussions with Dr Jethwa she congratulated the efforts of The Taj Medical Group in choosing & promoting India as a destination of choice for medical treatment. In particular, their model of providing pre and post operative care in the UK.

Shreemati Soni emphasised the importance of continuity of care on returning home for all patients undergoing major surgery.