All India Association for Advancing Research in Obesity (AI AARO)
All India Association for Advancing Research in Obesity (AI AARO, earlier known as Advancing Research in Obesity – AARO) was formed on 1st November 2000.
Dr. Vinod Dhurandhar had a noble idea of forming an organization for Obesity Practitioners and to see that quackery is not encouraged in this field. He expressed these views to his son Dr. Nikhil Dhurandhar based in the USA.
Dr. Nikhil suggested that Dr Vinod Dhurandhar contact notable practitioners managing Obesity Practices and ask them to express their thoughts.
Dr. Rajesh Parekh on behalf of Dr Vinod Dhurandhar called up a few Obesity Practitioners who were in this field for almost 15 years and the first meeting took place on 17th October 2000 at Dr. Vinod Dhurandhar’s residence at Nani Nivas, Opp Natural Ice Cream, Dixit Road, Vile Parle(E), Mumbai 400057, India.
Voluntarily like-minded, dedicated Obesity Consultants came together, the organization was formed, and an application was submitted to the Charity commission on 1st November 2000.
Members who played a key role in forming the society included Dr. Vinod Dhurandhar, Dr. Rajesh Parekh, Dr. Girish Gadkari, Dr. Pallavi Patankar, Dr Chaya Badkamkar, Dr Asmita Shah, Ms Aarti Batavia and Dr. Surekha Dhurandhar to name a few.
In March 2001 AI AARO was registered with the Charity commission.
With just a strength of 50 members initially, AI AARO has grown into a large multidisciplinary body of almost 600 members. AI AARO got its affiliation to International Association for the Studies in Obesity (IASO) in the year 2004. Dr. Pallavi, the then secretary, with her intensive efforts and the guidance of Dr Nikhil Dhurandhar who knew the IASO committee members well, started the procedure in 2003. The portfolio was handed over to Dr Ramen Goel the next secretary of the association who accomplished the task very well.
As off now, AI AARO has five chapters across India viz AP Chapter, Gujarat Chapter, Karnataka Chapter, Delhi Chapter and Tamil Nadu Chapter.
AI AARO has a dedicated team of National Governing Council Members who regularly conduct academic programmes, seminars and conferences at state and national levels to solve and fight this Battle of the Bulge.
