Dr Vinay Dhir
Director (Dept. of Gastroenterology)
Methods like Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopan creatography (ERCP), Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS), third-space endoscopy, and natural orifice transluminal procedures are revolutionizing the standards of diagnosis and treatment of digestive diseases. India, which was once dependent on Western expertise, is quick to become a world leader in this new era. This change is being driven by clinicians who embody a mixture of technical expertise and academic excellence.
Leading this revolution is Dr Vinay Dhir, a renowned gastroenterologist with more than three decades of experience. Internationally acclaimed for his therapeutic endoscopy pioneering efforts, he is responsible for bringing ERCP and EUS to India. He is presently the Head of the Institute of Digestive and Liver Care, S.L. Raheja Hospital, Fortis Associate, Mumbai.
There, he also founded one of the nation’s first dedicated Schools of Endoscopic Ultrasound. His work goes beyond the clinical arena. With more than 130 peer-reviewed papers, many international lecturing invitations, and a highly popular training program with a two-year waiting list, his influence is far-reaching and striking.
His philosophy is to provide ethical, affordable, and world-class gastro - enterological care, demonstrating his unshakeable resolve to take the specialty forward in India and worldwide. “Medicine is not about profit, it is about purpose, technology should help us serve more people, not just more affluent ones”, he says.
Landscape Less Chosen into Gastroenterology
Raised in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, Dr Vinay Dhir completed his MD in General Medicine at a time when gastroenterology was neither popular nor well-resourced. Cardiology and neurology dominated the landscape. Yet he sought to explore uncharted territory. “I wanted to do something different. Gastroenterology intrigued me because it was still developing it gave me room to grow with it”, he recalls.
He relocated to Mumbai and attached himself to Tata Memorial Hospital, India’s leading cancer institute. His 15 years there laid the ground work. He worked with cancer patients and at the same time delved into endoscopy, going on to obtain his DNB in Gastroenterology in 1994. After learning more, he was given the Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship, which sent him to Amsterdam for a year of advanced training in ERCP.
He was first introduced to EUS, which at the time was still in its infancy, there. Captivated by what it could do, he came back to India with the firm resolve of bringing it back home. It took him five years to persuade Tata Hospital to buy a EUS machine, and another visit to Amsterdam to receive additional training. But his efforts were worth while.
In 2002, he moved into private practice, associating with organizations such as Leelavati, Jaslok, and Global Hospitals, with his long-term presence at SL Raheja Hospital. In 2018, he came up with a grand academic and clinical endeavor with a theme in gastroenterology. This created the Institute of Digestive and Liver Care, which was
initiated in 2019, with special thrusts in training, innovation, and patient-centered treatment.
Dr Vinay Dhir’s bedside manner combines highly technical manoeuvres with a very human touch. While procedures such as gastroscopy and colonoscopy are now routine, he insists that technique and empathy have to be hand in hand. “A gastroscopy performed poorly misses the very disease it is supposed to detect. It’s not a matter of doing the test, it’s a matter of doing it correctly”, he insists.
Breaking New Ground through Innovation, Challenges & Global Perspective
Adopting ERCP and EUS in India was a daunting task, mainly because of the expense of technology and a lack of trained medical personnel. Making protocols, purchasing machinery, and gaining confidence in these tests demanded unrelenting perseverance. But Dr Vinay Dhir did not give up. He raised funds from donors, oriented junior doctors, and wrote regularly to gain credibility.
Keeping pace with global developments, he monitored developments like Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery (NOTES) and third-space endoscopy developments that brought new scope for minimally invasive management of complicated GI ailments like achalasia cardia. Through methods like EMR, ESD, and POEM, he has allowed patients to bypass massive surgeries and enjoy faster recovery.
Today, even obesity is being addressed through endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty, a procedure lasting under an hour, often allowing same-day discharge. “We used to go abroad to learn. Now, we go to give back”, he reflects. India’s gastroenterology landscape has since evolved, with local practitioners matching global standards in both skill and outcomes.
A committed teacher,Dr Vinay Dhir has guided more than 150 gastroenterologists, most of whom are now running practices around the world. According to him, young doctors need to be curious, value-based, and dedicated to a lifetime of learning. To simplify the daunting learning curve of EUS, he created the Alpha Maneuver, a systematic training model that brings down the classic 400-procedure requirement to about 100.
He also helped create the Magic Box, a handheld simulation device that lets learners practice complicated procedures in workshops and conferences. His classes see international involvement, with students from USA, France, Australia, Middle East, and entire India training under him. Apart from institutional work, he has a strong involvement in community health outreach.
He holds liver health camps regularly for creating awareness on GERD, fatty liver disease, and obesity, and pens articles in newspapers and online publications for spreading prevention and early detection. He has created an educational program called EUS360, in which renowned experts go to peripheral cities of India to teach endoscopic ultrasound to young gastroenterologists. His goal continues to be closing the gap between advanced medical treatment and greater public exposure.
Future Vision
Dr Vinay Dhir envisions a future where India leads in gastrointestinal innovation and training. Embracing AI and robotics to improve precision and outcomes, he remains cautious about adopting technology without clear patient benefits. He champions indigenous development; recently guiding the creation of India’s first locally made metal stents for obstructive jaundice.
With these in human trials, he hopes to reduce dependence on costly imports. His mission includes expanding the School of EUS, advancing simulation-based training, and driving international research collaborations ultimately shaping a new generation of GI specialists who combine clinical excellence with deep compassion.
“I never set out to leave a legacy, but if I’ve helped build a culture of teaching, questioning, and caring that’s legacy enough”, he says.
Awards:
•Best Teaching Video Award – Digestive Disease Week(American Society for
Gastrointestinal Endoscopy)
•Fellowship of the Japanese Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy
Publications:
•Comparison of EUS-guided rendezvous and precut papillotomy techniques for biliary access
•Multicenter comparative evaluation of endoscopic placement of expandable metal stents for malignant distal common bile duct obstruction by ERCP or EUS-guided approach
Dr Vinay Dhir’s bedside manner combines highly technical manoeuvres with a very human touch. While procedures such as gastroscopy and colonoscopy are now routine, he insists that technique and empathy have to be hand in hand. “A gastroscopy performed poorly misses the very disease it is supposed to detect. It’s not a matter of doing the test, it’s a matter of doing it correctly”, he insists.
Breaking New Ground through Innovation, Challenges & Global Perspective
Adopting ERCP and EUS in India was a daunting task, mainly because of the expense of technology and a lack of trained medical personnel. Making protocols, purchasing machinery, and gaining confidence in these tests demanded unrelenting perseverance. But Dr Vinay Dhir did not give up. He raised funds from donors, oriented junior doctors, and wrote regularly to gain credibility.
Keeping pace with global developments, he monitored developments like Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery (NOTES) and third-space endoscopy developments that brought new scope for minimally invasive management of complicated GI ailments like achalasia cardia. Through methods like EMR, ESD, and POEM, he has allowed patients to bypass massive surgeries and enjoy faster recovery.
Science evolves, and so should we but never forget, behind every image and every procedure is a person trusting you to do your best
Today, even obesity is being addressed through endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty, a procedure lasting under an hour, often allowing same-day discharge. “We used to go abroad to learn. Now, we go to give back”, he reflects. India’s gastroenterology landscape has since evolved, with local practitioners matching global standards in both skill and outcomes.
A committed teacher,Dr Vinay Dhir has guided more than 150 gastroenterologists, most of whom are now running practices around the world. According to him, young doctors need to be curious, value-based, and dedicated to a lifetime of learning. To simplify the daunting learning curve of EUS, he created the Alpha Maneuver, a systematic training model that brings down the classic 400-procedure requirement to about 100.
He also helped create the Magic Box, a handheld simulation device that lets learners practice complicated procedures in workshops and conferences. His classes see international involvement, with students from USA, France, Australia, Middle East, and entire India training under him. Apart from institutional work, he has a strong involvement in community health outreach.
He holds liver health camps regularly for creating awareness on GERD, fatty liver disease, and obesity, and pens articles in newspapers and online publications for spreading prevention and early detection. He has created an educational program called EUS360, in which renowned experts go to peripheral cities of India to teach endoscopic ultrasound to young gastroenterologists. His goal continues to be closing the gap between advanced medical treatment and greater public exposure.
Future Vision
Dr Vinay Dhir envisions a future where India leads in gastrointestinal innovation and training. Embracing AI and robotics to improve precision and outcomes, he remains cautious about adopting technology without clear patient benefits. He champions indigenous development; recently guiding the creation of India’s first locally made metal stents for obstructive jaundice.
With these in human trials, he hopes to reduce dependence on costly imports. His mission includes expanding the School of EUS, advancing simulation-based training, and driving international research collaborations ultimately shaping a new generation of GI specialists who combine clinical excellence with deep compassion.
“I never set out to leave a legacy, but if I’ve helped build a culture of teaching, questioning, and caring that’s legacy enough”, he says.
Awards:
•Best Teaching Video Award – Digestive Disease Week(American Society for
Gastrointestinal Endoscopy)
•Fellowship of the Japanese Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy
Publications:
•Comparison of EUS-guided rendezvous and precut papillotomy techniques for biliary access
•Multicenter comparative evaluation of endoscopic placement of expandable metal stents for malignant distal common bile duct obstruction by ERCP or EUS-guided approach
