Dr Jagadeesh assumes charge as BIRRD Director

Tirupati: Following his reappointment as the Director of BIRRD (Balaji Institute of Surgery, Research and Rehabilitation for the Disabled) Hospital on a one-year contract, renowned orthopaedic surgeon Dr Guduru Jagadeesh assumed charge on Wednesday.

His appointment is seen as a significant move by the State government and the TTD management toward strengthening the hospital’s services, which had seen a decline in recent years due to a lack of full-time leadership.

Speaking after assuming charge, Dr Jagadeesh affirmed his commitment to advancing the hospital in line with the aspirations of both the state government and TTD. He recalled that the hospital was established to fulfil the vision of former Chief Minister NT Rama Rao, and expressed confidence in expanding services to gain national and international recognition for BIRRD.

The long-standing absence of a full-time director had affected the quality and scope of medical services at the institute. With Dr Jagadeesh back at the helm, expectations are high that the hospital will regain its status as a premier orthopaedic centre. Several dignitaries, doctors, and staff members gathered to extend their congratulations and support on the occasion.

Dr Jagadeesh is widely credited with transforming BIRRD into one of Asia’s foremost institutions for orthopaedic surgery and rehabilitation during his earlier 23-year tenure as Director. Under his leadership, the hospital conducted over 183,000 surgeries and organised numerous medical outreach camps across India, delivering free care to underserved communities.

His departure in June 2019 came in the wake of a political transition in the state after which BIRRD functioned under a series of temporary leadership arrangements—initially overseen by TTD Joint Executive Officer P Basanth Kumar, followed by a brief stint from Dr M Madan Mohan of Apollo Hospitals, and more recently under Dr R Reddeppa Reddy, who served as Officer on Special Duty (OSD).