[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 9]
[EX]
[Page 12864]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FOR DR. VIDYA KORA

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. PETER J. VISCLOSKY

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, September 5, 2017

  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, it is with sincere admiration that I 
recognize the Indian Medical Association of Northwest Indiana, which 
will host its 36th Annual Gala on Saturday, September 9, 2017, at the 
Halls of Saint George in Schererville, Indiana. The Indian Medical 
Association of Northwest Indiana has always been an outstanding asset 
to Northwest Indiana. Its members have dedicated themselves to 
providing quality medical services to the residents of Northwest 
Indiana while focusing on compassion for others, improving patient 
care, and lighting the way for change.
  At this year's Annual Gala, the Indian Medical Association will 
present the Lifetime Achievement Award to one of Northwest Indiana's 
finest citizens, and my good friend, Dr. Vidya Kora. For his 
outstanding contributions to his community, he is to be commended.
  As a young boy in India, Vidya Kora's passion for his field emerged, 
leading him toward a lifetime of service in the medical community. It 
was after completing his studies at Gandhi Medical School in Hyderabad, 
India, in 1978, that Dr. Kora came to the United States. He completed 
his internship at Edgewater Hospital and Medical Center in Chicago, 
followed by his residency in internal medicine at Chicago's Cook County 
Hospital. Dr. Kora was selected to serve as chief resident from January 
to July of 1986. Upon completion, he joined the team at the Marion VA 
Medical Center in Marion, Illinois, where he served our nation's 
veterans.
  Dr. Kora's remarkable resume reflects not only his profession but 
also his devotion to public service. As a member of the Indiana Medical 
Association, he has served on its Commission on Legislation, as both 
Vice-Speaker and Speaker of its House of Delegates, and as the 
President of the Indiana State Medical Association from 2006 to 2007. 
He is also a current delegate to the American Medical Association. A 
tireless advocate for the improvement of his community, Dr. Kora is 
also a board member for Unity Foundation of LaPorte County and chairs 
the Northern Indiana Regional Board of the Franciscan Alliance. He has 
further served the residents of Michigan City and LaPorte County in 
numerous capacities. He has been a board member for the Michigan City 
Area Schools and served two terms as LaPorte County Coroner, while also 
completing two terms as LaPorte County Democratic Chairman. Dr. Kora 
has continued to seek an improved quality of life for his community 
while in his second term as LaPorte County Commissioner. As a public 
servant, Dr. Kora has always sought the betterment of our nation's 
health care system, so it is no surprise that he is also very active in 
the American Medical Association and Board of Indiana Medicine's 
political action committees.
  Dr. Kora's passion for medicine and commitment to the people he 
serves is exceeded only by his devotion to his wonderful family. Dr. 
Kora and his loving wife, Sudha, have one daughter, Shilpa, and one 
son, Rishi, both of whom are physicians specializing in internal 
medicine and have made their parents very proud as they follow in their 
father's footsteps.
  Dr. Kora is committed to his family, to improving the lives of the 
patients he treats, and serving selflessly to enhance the quality of 
life of all those who live in Northwest Indiana. His is a life we 
should all seek to emulate. It is an honor to call Dr. Vidya Kora my 
friend.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and my other distinguished colleagues 
join me in commending the members of the Indian Medical Association of 
Northwest Indiana, as well as this year's Lifetime Achievement Award 
recipient, Dr. Vidya Kora, for their outstanding contributions to the 
medical field, as well as to their communities and beyond. Their 
unwavering commitment to improving the quality of life for the people 
of Northwest Indiana and throughout the United States is truly 
inspirational, and I am proud to serve as their representative in 
Washington, D.C.

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