Srinivas Mukkamala Appointed As First Indian-Origin President Of American Medical Association
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Mukkamala has long advocated within the AMA, leading the Substance Use and Pain Care Task Force and developing evidence-based policies to address the overdose crisis.
Srinivas Mukkamala became the American Medical Association's president, marking a historic milestone as the organisation's first leader of Indian origin in its 178-year history.
He is the first physician of Indian heritage to lead the influential organisation.
Mukkamala's appointment follows just months after he had surgery to remove an 8-cm brain tumour. He recalled, 'As I lay in recovery from brain surgery at the Mayo Clinic, with tubes and wires monitoring my every movement, this night — this honour — this opportunity to improve health care seemed a very distant dream."
Mukkamala emphasised the need for US healthcare reform, stating, 'There are tremendous gaps in our health care system that require our attention." 'That's why continuing to fight for adequate health coverage for our patients is so important… and why fighting for a sustainable, equitable health care model is so important," he added.
Please join us in celebrating the inauguration of Bobby Mukkamala, MD, the 180th president of #OurAMA. Dr. Mukkamala is an accomplished otolaryngologist based in Flint, Michigan, with over two decades of dynamic leadership in organized medicine and public health. He is also the… pic.twitter.com/xTSUAZDzsF — AMA (@AmerMedicalAssn) June 11, 2025
Mukkamala has long advocated within the AMA, leading the Substance Use and Pain Care Task Force and developing evidence-based policies to address the overdose crisis.
Mukkamala completed his medical degree at the University of Michigan and residency at Loyola University in Chicago and returned to Flint to practise medicine alongside his wife, Nita Kulkarni, an obstetrician-gynaecologist. The couple have two sons, Nikhil, a biomedical engineer, and Deven, a PhD candidate in political science.
As AMA president, Mukkamala spotlighted growing health disparities in cities like Flint, noting, 'Life expectancy in Flint is about 12 years shorter than its suburbs," he said, adding that he and his wife have witnessed those disparities firsthand through their work.
As president, Mukkamala plans to continue advocating for accessible, affordable care and greater government investment in research and public health. 'Our patients deserve better. Our physicians deserve better. Our nation deserves better," he said.
The AMA has introduced a policy to raise public awareness about the differences between unhealthy ultraprocessed foods and nutritious foods, highlighting the benefits of minimally processed and whole foods. The policy also advocates for incorporating nutrition education into medical training, enabling doctors to better advise patients on reducing consumption of unhealthy ultraprocessed foods.
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First Published:
June 12, 2025, 07:39 IST
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