RC Deka to be new director of AIIMS

NEW DELHI: RC Deka, dean All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), is to be the institute's new director.

A high-level selection committee on Monday cleared the name of Deka for the post which was lying vacant after the retirement of renowned cardiologist P Venugopal in early July.

According to health ministry sources, the 17-member selection committee headed by Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss, after a marathon meeting on Monday afternoon, forwarded Deka's name to the appointment committee of the cabinet.

Initially eight names were picked from a set of 60 applicants, but finally Deka's name was selected.

“The name has been forwarded to the appointment committee headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. A formal announcement will be made soon,” a ministry source said.

Deka, who has been serving AIIMS for over two decades, is currently the head of the ENT (ear, nasal, throat) department.

Deka's two years' as dean of AIIMS and also in a senior administrative post at the Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry, went in his favour.