NEW YORK — Ravishankar Bhooplapur has been unanimously elected chairman of the Association of Indians in America (AIA), the organization announced.
Bhooplapur, a longtime member of AIA, has served on its National Executive Committee and previously chaired the group’s 40th and 50th anniversary celebrations. He currently serves as an AIA trustee and has been associated with the organization since 1993.
AIA leaders said Bhooplapur’s appointment reflects his decades of service and commitment to the community, adding that the organization expects to expand its initiatives and outreach under his leadership.
An education leader and philanthropist, Bhooplapur is the founder and president of Xavier University School of Medicine in Aruba, a role he has held since 2008. The institution has graduated more than 1,300 physicians who now work in hospitals and clinics across the United States and other countries. The university has also expanded into veterinary and nursing education programs approved by the Government of Aruba.
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Bhooplapur’s contributions to education and public service have earned international recognition, including features in Forbes India and Outlook Magazine. He was named Person of the Year by The SouthAsian Times in 2022.
Beyond higher education, Bhooplapur has been active in academic and community initiatives in the United States. He serves as a trustee of SUNY Old Westbury and has co-chaired its fundraising committee. He also contributed to the development of the Mahatma Gandhi Peace Garden, a 50-acre site promoting peace and intercultural understanding.
His leadership roles have included work with the Stony Brook University Center for India Studies and the India Center at Jefferson University, among other organizations.
Bhooplapur is also known for his humanitarian efforts. As founder and chairman of Gift of Life India and the Gift of India Project, he has helped facilitate more than 6,500 free heart surgeries for children with congenital heart disease, primarily from underserved communities. The surgeries have been conducted at hospitals across India and neighboring countries.
His philanthropic initiatives have included establishing a 100-bed charitable hospital in Ghataprabha, supporting blood banks, donating ambulances, funding a mobile cancer care unit and contributing to advanced cancer treatment infrastructure. His work has extended to more than 16 countries, including disaster relief and COVID-19 assistance.
AIA officials said Bhooplapur’s leadership marks a new phase for the organization as it continues to focus on community development, education and service initiatives.