Honoring Vision and Impact: The CAPI Legacy Leadership Award

For nearly 20 years, the Central Florida Association of Physicians from the Indian Subcontinent (CAPI) has united more than 600 medical and dental professionals who share a commitment to advancing healthcare excellence, strengthening communities, and celebrating cultural heritage. In recognition of members whose impact reaches far beyond their clinical expertise, CAPI established one of its highest honors—the CAPI Legacy Leadership Award.

Awarded annually during the annual CAPI Evening of Hope Gala, the CAPI Legacy Leadership Award celebrates a CAPI member or community leader whose career reflects extraordinary leadership in healthcare, philanthropy, and community-building. Recipients embody CAPI’s mission: to uplift the Central Florida region through service, education, and the sharing of Indian culture.

2024 CAPI Legacy of Leadership Award

The CAPI Legacy Leadership award was introduced in 2024 by the 2024 CAPI President, Dr. Alka Arora. Dr. Amish M. Parikh named as its inaugural honoree—recognizing a visionary leader whose dedication to service and community helped shape the very foundation of CAPI. A respected physician leader and steadfast advocate for the organization, Dr. Parikh has long championed initiatives that strengthen healthcare access, support medical education, and bring the Indian community together in meaningful and lasting ways.

In 2015, Dr. Parikh launched CAPI’s Partnerships Program, a defining initiative that expanded the organization’s reach and forged lasting relationships across healthcare, business, and community sectors. His leadership helped transform collaboration into a strategic pillar of CAPI’s growth and influence. Dr. Parikh also served as Financial Chair for eight years, providing thoughtful stewardship, fiscal discipline, and long-term vision during a period of organizational expansion. His steady guidance ensured CAPI remained strong, sustainable, and well-positioned to invest in programs that advance its mission.

Through his generosity, leadership, and unwavering belief in the power of service, Dr. Parikh helped lay the groundwork for many of CAPI’s signature programs. His influence continues to guide CAPI’s evolution as a force for compassion, collaboration, and community impact in Central Florida.

2025 CAPI Legacy of Leadership Award

In 2025 under the leadership of 025 CAPI President, Dr. Neelima Katukuri -- CAPI proudly recognized f Dr. Jogi V. Pattisapu with the coveted CAPI Legacy of Leadership —honoring a career defined by medical excellence, global advocacy, and profound community impact.

Dr. Jogi V. Pattisapu is a nationally respected pediatric neurosurgeon, educator, and global humanitarian whose leadership has shaped pediatric neuroscience care in Central Florida and beyond. As the founding medical director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and Florida Children’s Hospital, he played a pivotal role in establishing world-class care for children in our region.

A longtime faculty leader at the UCF College of Medicine, Dr. Pattisapu has mentored and educated future physicians while advancing curriculum development and academic service. His commitment to service extends globally through decades of volunteer neurosurgery missions, childhood injury prevention advocacy, and leadership within cultural and service organizations, including the Hindu Society of Central Florida and Rotary.

As lead author of a landmark Journal of the American Medical Association study, Dr. Pattisapu helped spearhead an innovative public-health initiative demonstrating that fortifying iodized salt with folic acid can significantly reduce neural tube defects. His work in rural India showed measurable increases in folate levels among women of childbearing age—research with the potential to influence global health policy and prevent childhood brain injuries worldwide. Through his clinical excellence, visionary research, and unwavering compassion, Dr. Pattisapu exemplifies CAPI’s core values of healing, service, and community impact.

Celebrating the Spirit of CAPI

Through the CAPI Legacy Leadership Award, we honor leaders whose work transforms lives—physicians who elevate healthcare, enrich culture, and strengthen community. Dr. Parikh and Dr. Pattisapu represent the highest ideals of service and inspire us all to continue building a healthier, more connected Central Florida and beyond. In 2026, under the leadership of the 2026 CAP President, Dr. Shveta Gupta the 2026 CAPI Legacy Leadership Award will be revealed at the CAPI Evening of Hope Gala, taking place on December 5, 2026 at The Conrad, in Orlando, Florida.