Dr. Satheesh Kathula Honored with Lifetime Achievement in Global Healthcare Leadership

Dr. Satheesh Kathula, President of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), was honored with Lifetime Achievement in Global Healthcare Leadership

by the Global Healthcare Leaders Foundation at the 2025 Gala on May 14, 2025 held at the prestigious Harvard Club of Boston. 

The Gala 2025, while celebrating the top healthcare leaders worldwide at the Global Healthcare Leaders Foundation, was an exclusive gathering of influential healthcare executives, AI Innovators, and Global Health Policymakers. 

Dr. Kathula was chosen for the award along with several healthcare leaders for his contributions to the country, particularly in the healthcare field, and his dedication to his patients and the broader community. 

The Award was presented to Dr. Kathula by Anya Ohavi Neizler, Co-Founder, Co-Executive Director, and Richie Hosein, Co-Founder, President of the Board, the Global Healthcare Leaders Foundation (GHLF), a mission-driven nonprofit founded by Harvard University alumni, dedicated to addressing healthcare’s most pressing challenges through innovation and collaboration.

Dr. Satheesh Kathula is a renowned hematologist and oncologist based in Dayton, Ohio, currently serving as the President of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI). Dr. Kathula, in his response after receiving the award, said, “I am truly humbled to receive this Lifetime Achievement in Global Healthcare Leadership alongside several other remarkable individuals. This inspires not only me, but the people who are serving the community and society at large.”

Dr. Kathula strongly believes that acquiring new knowledge is crucial for professionals, especially physicians, with a changing healthcare environment. Recently, Dr. Kathula acquired a certificate from Stanford University in Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare. An alumnus of the Global Healthcare Leaders Program at Harvard University, Dr. Kathula has been instrumental in promoting global health initiatives. 

Dr. Kathula recently launched a transformative campaign titled “Stop 3 and Start 3,” focused on cancer prevention through lifestyle changes and vaccination. Under his leadership, AAPI has also partnered with the Global Association of Indian Medical Students (GAIMS) to combat cervical cancer through comprehensive efforts in education, screening, and immunization.

Dr. Kathula dedicated his career to treating patients and actively supporting various nonprofit organizations and those advocating for healthcare policies that are equitable and help us provide the best care to the patients. Dr. Kathula has served AAPI in various capacities. He was the Regional Director, a member of the Board of Trustees. He was elected overwhelmingly by AAPI members as the national Treasurer, Secretary, and Vice President of AAPI, and has served as the President-Elect of AAPI during the year 2023-34, before assuming charge as the President of AAPI in July 2024. 

Under his leadership, AAPI has launched a program called “Million Miles of Gratitude” to honor veterans by promoting physical activity. Participants can log their walking or running miles, with each mile serving as a tribute to the veterans. The goal is to collectively reach a million miles in the coming year. In May this year, he led a highly successful AAPI Legislative Day on Capitol Hill, where AAPI sought to collectively shape the best health care for the people of US, with the physician at the helm, caring for the medically underserved.

Dr. Kathula, who graduated from Siddhartha Medical College, Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, India, in 1992, is a clinical professor of medicine at Wright State University-Boonshoft School of Medicine, Dayton, Ohio. Dr. Kathula is a Diplomate of the American Board of Lifestyle Medicine. He has authored several papers and articles in medical journals and is in the process of writing a book, describing his journey as an immigrant physician. “For the past 22 years, I've been proudly serving as a Hematologist and Oncologist in the Dayton community, considering it my home.” 

Dr. Kathula was the President and founding member of the Association of Indian Physicians from Ohio, President of the Miami Valley Association of Physicians of Indian Origin, as well as the President of the ATMGUSA (Association of Telugu Medical Graduates in USA). In addition, he has worked with the Ohio State Medical Association on various issues. He has been actively involved in community service locally, nationally, and internationally for the last two decades. He was awarded ‘Man of the Year - 2018’ by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Among many others, Dr. Kathula has initiated a bone marrow drive, as the donor pool among South Asians is very limited, Dr. Kathula said. “So, we are trying to recruit potential donors for the stem cell or bone marrow transplant donations. Because people are getting affected by lymphomas and leukemias, and they need transplants. Since they do not get the matched donors in this country, we are trying to increase that pool.”

Not satisfied with his personal and professional achievements, Dr. Kathula has been active in the Indian community. Since taking office as AAPI President in July 2024, he has led three major global healthcare conferences in India and has chaired the Oncology Tracks at several international health summits organized by AAPI.

Dr Kathula’s love for his motherland has manifested in him setting up humanitarian and medical projects in India. The most important of them is establishing a state-of-the-art pharmacy college in Warangal in Telangana, where he grew up. Named the Pathfinder Institute of Pharmacy and Educational Research (PIPER), the non-profit with Dr Kathula as the Chairman provides quality education and has already graduated over 1,000 students who are now working in different parts of India and abroad. He conducted several medical camps close to his native place and donated a defibrillator, water purification plant, and library to his native place. 

GHLF is committed to advancing value-based healthcare globally. Founded by alumni of Harvard Medical School’s Global Health Care Leaders Program, GHLF excels in transforming patient outcomes, healthcare innovation, and empathy. GHLF acts as a catalyst for change, uniting leading healthcare professionals to drive compassion and excellence. Through collaboration, we pioneer transformative solutions that elevate standards and revolutionize patient care.

Among the many awards, Dr. Kathua was most recently, on May 3rd, 2025, honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Indo-American Press Club in the Poconos in PA. In 2024, he was bestowed with the Inspiration Award by the Raising Awareness of Youth with Autism Foundation. In October, 2024, Dr. Katrhula received the Daniel Blumenthal Award on behalf of AAPI from the American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM) in recognition of the efforts to promote health equity.