Indo American News

Tag: suneja

  • A Distinction for Suneja by Katy Chamber Heralds His Contributions in Medicine

    A Distinction for Suneja by Katy Chamber Heralds His Contributions in Medicine

    By Jawahar Malhotra

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    Dr. Randeep Suneja, with his wife Seema (with flowers) after the award presentation from the Katy Chamber of Commerce with Texas State Senator Lois Kolkhorst (second from left) and US Congressman Michael McCaul (on left of Suneja) and the Directors and Committee members of the Katy Chamber of Commerce at the Gala held on Friday, February 20 at Safari Texas Ranch in Sugar Land.

    SUGAR LAND: Its probably one of the largest professional services medical practice in the bustling and rapidly-growing city of Katy, not only in physical size of the building but also in the number of patients that have visited for treatment, a fact that was not lost on the President of the Katy Chamber of Commerce as she spoke from the podium at the organization’s gala held this past Friday, February 20 at the Safari Texas Ranch.

    “It’s an honor to present this (night’s) final award to Dr. Randeep Suneja,” said Ann Hodge, “who is one of the most incredible physicians I have ever met. He has treated over 58,000 patients in his long career as a cardiologist.” In introducing Suneja as the recipient of the Chamber’s Citizen of the Year Award, Chamber Chairman of the Board Ted Adams referred to him as “the J.J. Watt of the cardiology world”, a reference to the acclaimed defensive end of the Houston Texans. Adams went on to read from Suneja’s biographical sketch printed in the gala souvenir. Suneja is the first physician and first Indo-American to be recognized by the KCC in its 48 year history, a testament to his skill, reputation and the presence of other Indo-American businesses in Katy.

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    Dr. Randeep Suneja and his wife with his partners Dr. Pai (extreme left) and Dr. Desikan (fifth from right) and their office staff at the Katy Chamber of Commerce Gala last Friday, February 20.

    As Suneja’s wife Seema, partner cardiologists Dr. Ram Pai and Dr. Kamal Desikan who recently joined the practice, several members of the staff and many of his friends listened, they heard of the remarkable growth of Houston Cardiology Center which Suneja established 25 years ago in 1993 with a $75,000 loan, no patients and one employee. He opened the Katy office in 1998 and relocated from the West Houston Professional Building on Richmond near Kirkwood to the 10,000 building he built. The practice now has 25 employees and provides a full range of cardiovascular services.

    The gala brought together 540 business people, and their guests, to an evening of entertainment by a five-member soul group that hit all the notes right, and were accompanied by the stunning Theresa Grayson who played a mean set of saxophones. Among the speakers and presenters were US Congressman Michael McCaul doing the Pledge of Allegiance to the US Flag and State Senator Lois Kolkhorst doing the Pledge to the Texas Flag. Others in attendance were US Congressman John Culberson and Jay Guerrera from US Senator John Cornyn’s regional office. Suneja was presented with the US and Texas flags that were carried aboard jets on a ceremonial flyover of the Texas Capitol building in Austin earlier in the day.

    An elated Suneja could not contain his enthusiasm at receiving the honor. “I am humbled by this award,” he said onstage at the mic. “Next to God, I want to thank my team, my staff, wife and especially my parents – my mom for developing a faith in God, and my dad for leadership skills.” A congenial man who genuinely enjoys spending time with his patients when so many others are too overworked to try, Suneja follows up with each one of them. We take care of our patients with heart and soul,” he added, referring to the catchy slogan of the practice, ‘I treat, HE cures’.

    In closing, Suneja shared his vision for the future of Cardiology Center of Houston, and in doing so threw out a challenge for the next decade. “Our new goal is ’25 by twenty-twentyfive’, or to reduce cardiovascular disease by 25 per cent by 2025 and we need you all to help in that effort.”

  • The Pursuit to Honor His Guiding Light, the Gayatri Mantra, Leads to World Hindu Congress

    The Pursuit to Honor His Guiding Light, the Gayatri Mantra, Leads to World Hindu Congress

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    Dr. Randeep Suneja attended the World Hindu Congress in New Delhi with his brother Dr. Pradeep Suneja (right).

    By Jawahar Malhotra

    KATY: Without a doubt, he is sure, that his unshakeable faith in the Gayatri Mantra has been one of the reasons for his success in his career as a physician and has also guided him to courageously face the challenges in his life. Growing up in Karol Bagh in New Delhi and attending the Arya Samaj mandir with his father Om Prakash Suneja (who was the Secretary of the mandir for 25 years), he learnt not only the importance of the Gayatri Mantra and memorized the Sandhya and havan which he continues to recite faithfully every day. It has become second nature to him to quickly recite and seek strength from the shlouk, even as he starts any medical procedure.

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    Dr. Suneja with American Hindu spiritual leader and author David Frawley at the Congress

    “The Gayatri Mantra has always given me the strength and wisdom to go on the path of righteousness,” said Dr. Randeep Suneja, who has a large practice in Katy and is consistently listed among the top renowned cardiologists in the area. He was referring to the ancient Vedic Sanskrit verse from the Rigveda (3.62.10) which is believed to have been revealed to the Brahmarishi Vishvamitra. It consists of 24 syllables, three line of eight syllables each with the first line being an invocation, thus: Aum Bhur Bhuvah Swah, Tat Savitur Varenyam Bhargo Devasya Dhimahi, Dhiyo Yo Nah Prachodayat.

    A basic translation of the Gayatri Mantra is: “Oh God, the Protector, the basis of all life, Who is self-existent, Who is free from all pains and Whose contact frees the soul from all troubles, Who pervades the Universe and sustains all, the Creator and Energizer of the whole Universe, the Giver of happiness, Who is worthy of acceptance, the most excellent, Who is Pure and the Purifier of all, let us embrace that very God, so that He may direct our mental faculties in the right direction.”

    Suneja’s pursuit to spread the benefits of reciting the Gayatri Mantra led him to found the Gayatri Mantra Global Foundation on November 16, 2014 and while researching information on Hinduism, he learnt of the World Hindu Congress which was to be held in New Delhi this past November 21 to 23. Convinced that it would provide him with a network of like-minded people, Suneja registered and attended the event in his home town and his brother, Pradeep, a just-retired physician, came along too. They were among the 1,800 delegates from 53 countries and who heard from over 200 speakers.

    The opening address was by the Dalai Lama who spoke for over an hour to pin-drop silence as he explained his philosophy of universal love and peace, his life, as of other Tibetans in exile in Ladakh and how much he had learnt from Hinduism and ancient Hindu culture. “You could feel his Divine, spiritual aura,” said Suneja of the experience, “as he connected with the hearts of people. It was an experience of a lifetime!”

    Before the program started, Suneja had a chance encounter with Ashok Singhal, the previous President for over 20 years of the Vishva Hindu Parishad. Suneja mentioned that he thought that Prime Minister Narender Modi’s election was the best thing that had happened to India in 67 years. He replied “No!! That’s not right.” “I was taken aback by Singhalji’s response,” recalled Suneja, “but then he added ‘It’s the best thing that has happened to India since 1192 when Prithvi Raj Chauhan ruled India!’”

    Suneja was also impressed by the young and dynamic new Minister of Human Resources Development, Smriti Irani who explained how the education initiative was permeating down to villages on a mass scale through free web-based learning. Another speaker was David Frawley, the American Hindu spiritual leader and author. Encouraged by the contacts he made, Suneja was further heartened by learning that the next World Hindu Congress will be held in the US in 2018 and has even suggested that the venue be in Houston and hopes to be included in the organizing committee.

    Meanwhile, Suneja continues on with his plans for a global launch of his Gayatri Mantra Global Foundation website this summer and will be heading off to India in late May to oversee its final production.  His ultimate goal is to hold a World Gayatri Mantra Day with 24-hour chanting to spread the power of the message contained therein. “The message is simple but powerful,” said Suneja of his guiding force. “God is omnipresent, omnipotent and universal and gives direction and strength,” he added with a glowing, confident look, “and this is the message I want to spread.”

  • Jetlagged, but He Couldn’t Pass Up a Chance to Run the New Delhi Marathon

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    Dr. Randeep Suneja in his running outfit prior to the Air New Delhi Tel half Marathon on November 23. He says he always packs a running outfit whenever he travels.

    By Jawahar Malhotra

    KATY: Though he had arrived at his brother’s house just a few hours earlier and was jet lagged, Randeep Suneja’s eyes popped when he picked up the Hindustan Times Saturday morning over tea with his family. “The Airtel New Delhi Half Marathon was scheduled to run the next day and my mind immediately started to wonder if I could participate,” Suneja said after he returned from his two week overseas trip, of which a week was in Delhi.

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    A hydration station along the marathon route, with the actress Bipasha Basu, Vinod Khanna and others manning it

    Suneja, a well-known respected cardiologist with a large practice in Katy, immediately picked up the phone to check but was disappointed with the response. “They told me that the registration was closed on October 31,” he was disappointed to learn, but his mind was racing for an answer. He knew a close professional colleague in Houston who had talked about having “a brother pretty high up in Air Tel, so I decided to give her a call in Houston” where it was 11pm of the night before.

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    Randeep Suneja (right) and his brother Pradeep (center) with veteran film actor and MP Vinod Khanna.

    She told Suneja she would call her brother right away and a few minutes later Suneja heard from him in New Delhi. “He said it would be really difficult, next to impossible as 32,500 people had already registered and security was tight following the Boston Marathon tragedy, but he would try to see if I could be registered,” recalled Suneja. Thirty minutes later, he got the call that his registration had been processed and that his credentials would be ready at the Le Meridien hotel on Jan Path, where he was invited for an exclusive VIP lunch.

    Surprised, but elated by the news, Suneja went to the hotel “where I was treated like royalty’” he said. He feasted on a lunch of pasta, derigeur for carb loading before a marathon, with only another 100 guests, among who were the veteran Bollywood actor and current Member of Parliament, Vinod Khanna and many other celebrities like actress Vispasha Basu and actor Rahul Bose. “I asked Khanna for a picture with him and much to my surprise, he agreed,” said Suneja, whose brother Pradeep, a retired ENT surgeon, could not believe his younger brother’s connections had brought him in touch with celebrities and pomp.

    The next morning, Suneja showed up at 5:45am on a chilly Sunday morning, November 23, at the Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium in the Jangpura district. A few hundred people were doing a 20-minute warm up session and then the run started by 7am. The 13.1 mile (21.09km) route ran from the stadium all the way past India Gate, Vijay Chowk, Jan Path to the Jantar Mantar and back and thousands of people lined the streets to cheer the marathoners on. There were plenty of hydration stations handing out juices and water and peeled oranges with salt, unique to this marathon, porta-potties and plenty of security.

    A passionate marathoner who has run in the Houston Marathon this January and will again next month, Suneja was surprised by the organization and efficiency of the Delhi race. “It was completely professionally planned out by Procera International, a worldwide marathon organizer and Air Tel, the cellular multi-national has sponsored it for the past nine years,” he said of the largest sporting event of its kind in India. What surprised him most was the prize money, which totaled $210,000, with 40 prizes awarded, 20 for men and 20 for women. The men’s race was won by Guye Adola of Ethiopia in 59.06 minutes and the women’s race by Florence Kiplagat, another Ethiopian in 1hr 10.04 minutes.

    As busy as Suneja is with his medical practice, it is a wonder that he has had the time to train so passionately for a marathon. He finished the Delhi Half Marathon in 2 hrs 50 minutes, though he has finished the Houston Half Marathon in 2 hours 33 minutes. Still, he was elated by the rare opportunity to run in his hometown, all thanks to a Houston connection, and has come back with a deeper respect for the dedication of the younger Indian professionals towards healthy living.