Hyderabad, Nov 16 (IANS): Eminent breast cancer surgeon P. Raghu Ram has been elected as the President of The Association of Surgeons of India (ASI), which represents the surgical fraternity across the country.

The director for KIMS-Ushalakshmi Centre for Breast Diseases, Raghu Ram has become one of the youngest surgeons to be elected to the ASI.

Raghu Ram polled 4,450 votes against 2,621 votes secured by Tamonas Chaudhuri from Kolkata. Arvind Kumar, Chief Election Officer, declared the results on Friday after the counting process was completed at the ASI headquarters in Chennai, according to a statement released here.

Padma Shri awardee Raghu Ram is also a recipient of B.C. Roy National Award. With illustrious surgical career spanning 23 years, he is currently the immediate former President of the Association of Breast Surgeons of India.

His mother's diagnosis of breast cancer was the turning point in his life. He conceived, designed and established KIMS-Ushalakshmi Centre for Breast Diseases, which is South Asia's first dedicated breast health centre in Hyderabad, in 2007.

Established in 1938, ASI is the largest surgical Association in the Asia-Pacific region and the second largest in the world after The American College of Surgeons.

ASI has a strong presence in the form of state chapters in all the 29 states and union territories. It has 12 speciality sections.