Overview

IGOF Comes Into Being

During the academic career and training at the University of Liverpool, Prof. Dr. P.V.A. Mohandas had the opportunity to meet with Prof. Maurice Muller and Prof. Hans Willenegger. This was followed by an invitation to work with Prof. Maurice Muller at the University of Berne, Switzerland. During this period of fellowship, Prof. Dr. P.V.A. Mohandas met another person who was to play a big role in MIOT Hospitals and IGOF – Prof. Siegfried Weller, who had come to attend a fracture course. This was way back in 1970 and both became firm friends. Prof. Dr. P.V.A. Mohandas was fascinated by the technique of internal fixation of fractures and the basic principles of AO. In 1974, he returned to India and was able to practice the technique. Prof. Dr. P.V.A. Mohandas invited Prof. Siegfried Weller and Prof. Maurice Muller to India for a seminar, followed by a Basic Course.

In the next decade, Prof. Hans Willenegger, Prof. Maurice Muller and Prof. Dr. P.V.A. Mohandas traveled the length and breadth of the country, teaching the technique of internal fixation of various fractures in centers all over India. Thanks to Prof. Siegfried Weller, an increasing number of German doctors became involved in teaching in India. By 1990, about 300 young Orthopaedic Surgeons in India had learnt the technique from a 100 young German Doctors who had traveled to India to teach.

Meanwhile aware of their advancing years, Prof. Dr. P.V.A. Mohandas and Prof. Weller wanted to perpetuate this association for posterity. They decided to set up an Indo-German Foundation of Orthopaedic Doctors.

Thus “IGOF – Indo German Orthopaedic Foundation” was born.

“Prof. Dr. P.V.A. Mohandas in one of his early visits to Switzerland”

From the interaction between Prof. Dr. P.V.A. Mohandas and Prof. Siegfried Weller, and their friends and coworkers in both countries, was born the foundation of IGOF – Indo German Orthopaedic Foundation in 1992. With this step, they officially wanted to establish a bridge between India and Germany, and to transfer clinical and scientific medical knowledge, while also building friendship, comradeship and collaboration between the people of both the countries. Many successful events have been organized since under the aegis of IGOF, supported by industrial partners.

Regular IGOF meetings and training courses with visits, fellowships, personal “meets” during national and international congresses and other events offer a continuous update and exchange of surgical techniques and experiences. These events also give an opportunity to meet as friends.

IGOF motto as envisaged by its Founders

• Let us foster a culture which supports innovation
• Tie our strategy to humanity and medicine as an art
• Build sufficient diversity in the process of advancing Orthopaedics and Traumatology
• Let us involve the younger generation actively in our training and coaching concepts.