Dr. Randeep Guleria's 30-year AIIMS-Delhi journey ends with voluntary retirement
What's the story
Dr. Randeep Guleria, former director of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, has taken voluntary retirement. With this, his 30-year-long association with the premier institution came to an end. Guleria's five-year term as the director, which was to end in March 2022, had been extended twice till September. He recently applied for the voluntary retirement scheme (VRS), which has been approved.
Context
Why does this story matter?
The former AIIMS Delhi director has reportedly ended his association with the institute to join a private hospital as "he is already in talks with its management." Guleria is the institute's only director who completed a five-year tenure besides getting two extensions before he decided to leave. His retirement comes more than a month after the institute appointed Dr. M Srinivas as its director.
Association
Dr. Guleria's journey from assistant professor to director
In 1992, Dr. Guleria joined AIIMS Delhi as an assistant professor in the Department of Medicine. After 19 years, in 2011, he instituted the Department of Pulmonary, Critical care, and Sleep Medicine, which he headed until he was elevated to head the institute. On March 28, 2017, Dr. Guleria was appointed as the AIIMS director for a period of five years.
Twitter Post
He had long association with the premier institute
Ex-AIIMS Delhi boss Dr Randeep Guleria takes voluntary retirement
— ANI Digital (@ani_digital) November 12, 2022
Read @ANI Story | https://t.co/VM9pPSi4Vf#AIIMS #DrRandeepGuleria pic.twitter.com/aACXKDkyoM
Roles played
Played key role during COVID-19 pandemic
During the COVID-19 pandemic that broke out in India in March 2020, Dr. Guleria—as the head of AIIMS Delhi—played a key role in leading the government's response efforts. He's credited with creating awareness about the novel coronavirus that has caused the deaths of 5.3 lakh people and infected 4.4 crore across India. Notably, in 2015, Dr. Guleria was honored with the prestigious Padma Shri.