Dr. Raj Bhayani Honored by Mayor Eric Adams at Gracie Mansion During AAPI Heritage Month Celebration

New York, USA May 16, 2025
A Pioneering Surgeon and Philanthropist Honored for His Outstanding Contributions to India, Medicine, and Community Service-U.S. Relations.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams honored renowned ENT surgeon and philanthropist Dr. Raj Bhayani at a special reception held at Gracie Mansion as part of a spectacular celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. In addition to receiving a formal mayoral commendation for his lifetime commitment to medicine, community activism, and international charity, the ceremony honored the outstanding contributions made by AAPI people to the city's cultural and civic life.

In his official remarks, Mayor Adams praised Dr. Bhayani as "an authentic force for good and a pillar of the Asian American community," emphasizing his fellowship in facial plastic and microvascular surgery as well as his groundbreaking role as the first ENT surgeon in India to complete neurosurgical training. The Mayor pointed out that his accomplishments represent the commitment, quality, and inclusivity that characterize the AAPI community in New York.

Dr. Bhayani's services to healthcare have been acknowledged by the esteemed Marquis Who's Who in America, and he has presented and published more than fifty medical research publications. As the chairman of the ENT and facial plastic surgery departments at multiple prestigious New York hospitals, he was recognized for his research with the Triologic Society Award in the United States.

In addition to his illustrious medical profession, Dr. Bhayani has a strong commitment to charitable and humanitarian activities. He has held positions on the boards of more than 20 nonprofit organizations, such as Hindu Center New York and Save Life Foundation, where he has been instrumental in projects including the Good Samaritan Law, traffic safety laws, and the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan in India. As the lead organizer of Delhi's Football for Nation program, he brought together celebrities and lawmakers to generate money for sanitation projects.

A significant event in India-U.S. relations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's historic speech to the Indian American community at Madison Square Garden in 2014, was made possible in large part by Dr. Bhayani. As a fervent supporter of Indian development programs, he keeps raising awareness and garnering support from the Indian diaspora in the US.

As President of the New York chapter, Treasurer, Board Trustee, and Convention Chair of the 2017 National Convention, he has demonstrated similarly significant leadership in the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI). The Mahatma Gandhi Pravasi Samman at the House of Lords in London, the Bharat Gaurav Puraskar, the Hind Ratan Award, the Delhi Ratan, and the Asian American Heritage Honoree of the Year 2016 are just a few of the many honors that Dr. Bhayani has received for his contributions. In addition, he has been called one of the most significant Indian American leaders and received a Congressional Achievement Award from the US Congress.

Dr. Bhayani is committed to conserving and advancing Hindu philosophy and Indian culture among the younger generation. To this end, he is involved in World Hindu Day, the Global Dharma Conference, and the Vishwa Dharma Chetana Manch, which enable young people to connect with their spiritual roots.

Thanking Dr. Bhayani for his "unparalleled selflessness and ambition," Mayor Adams concluded the event by expressing confidence in his continued service to India and the United States. The evening at Gracie Mansion was a celebration of the significant contribution Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders make to the future of New York City, not just an homage to one man's achievements.