IAOHNS 2026 Concludes in Jaipur with Focus on AI, Innovation, Hackathon and Advanced ENT Care

Three-day conference brings together more than 800 doctors, medical students, engineers and healthcare professionals

— Suman Munshi,IBG NEWS

Jaipur, September 27, 2026: The 12th conference of the Indian Academy of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery (IAOHNS 2026) concluded at the Rajasthan International Centre in Jaipur, following three days of discussions, academic sessions and innovative presentations on the evolving landscape of ENT and head and neck healthcare.

The conference brought together more than 800 registered participants, including ENT specialists, doctors, medical students, engineers and other healthcare professionals. The programme covered a wide range of subjects, including artificial intelligence in healthcare, advanced surgical techniques, head and neck reconstruction, medico-legal issues, medical research, innovation, hackathon-based problem solving and the mental well-being of doctors.

AI and Technology Take Centre Stage

Artificial intelligence and its growing role in clinical practice featured prominently during the scientific sessions.

Dr Pawan Singhal, Senior Professor in the Department of ENT at SMS Hospital and Scientific Chairman of the conference, said a special lecture focused on the use of AI for medical image analysis and intelligent clinical decision support.

The session featured Professor Avinash Gautam of BITS Pilani, along with Dr Vikrant Mathur and Dr Kuldeep Rana.

Another important lecture addressed comprehensive head and neck reconstruction, delivered by Dr Neizhekhotuo Brian Shunyu, Head of the Department at AIIMS Guwahati.

A thematic session explored the subject, “One Phase, Different Story: Can Ancient Health Codes Explain Differences in Modern Outcomes?” The discussion featured Dr Mitali Mukherjee, Professor at IIT Jodhpur, along with Professor Avinash Gautam.

Medico-Legal Issues Put Under the Spotlight

The conference also devoted a dedicated symposium to issues that increasingly affect clinical practice beyond the operating room.

The medico-legal programme used an interactive voting-pad quiz and discussions covering informed consent, medical records, clinical documentation and insurance-related issues. Sessions also examined practical questions concerning who should provide consent, why it matters, and when and how documentation should be maintained.

Dr Neeraj Nagpal addressed several of these subjects, while Dr Rajendra Dinesh served as quiz master. Dr Pankaj Garg and Dr Deepak K. Sangwan coordinated the quiz session.

IAOHNS 2026 Hosts Its First Hackathon in Jaipur

One of the distinctive features of IAOHNS 2026 was the introduction of a hackathon, described by the organisers as the first such initiative in the history of the ENT conference in Jaipur.

The problem-solving exercise began during the pre-conference workshop, when eight multidisciplinary teams were assigned a practical healthcare challenge. The participants were given three days to develop solutions that were expected to be practical, implementable, sustainable and cost-effective.

On the concluding day, the teams presented their ideas before a jury comprising Dr Sumit Kalra of IIT, Professor Avinash Gautam of BITS Pilani, Dr Amit Goyal, Professor and Head at AIIMS Jodhpur, and Dr Nidhin Das, Assistant Professor at AIIMS Bilaspur.

The teams were deliberately structured to bring together participants from different educational backgrounds. Each team included a senior faculty member, an ENT postgraduate student, an MBBS student, an IIT student and a student from a private engineering college.

Hackathon Awards

The first prize of ₹1 lakh went to the team comprising Rajendra Dinesh Kumar, Akash Gupta, Sachin Singh and Shanta Bishnoi.

The second prize of ₹50,000 was awarded to the team of Dr Dharmaram Poonia, Vardhman Kaloli, Rohan Karna, Harshin Kaur and Divyanshi Choudhary.

The third prize of ₹30,000 went to Leena Jain, Tisha, Sushantak Parashar Jha and Avisha Goyal.

The fourth prize of ₹20,000 was secured by Mihir Agrawal, Aryan Daga, Kshitij Budhnathoki and Sindhamani M.

The fifth prize of ₹10,000 went to Tvisha Chatterjee, Lipi Singhal, Kunal Kumar Mishra, Akhila Gupta and Samriddhi Sobti.

Experts associated with the innovation sessions included Dr Amit Goyal, Dr Avinash Gautam, Dr Nidhin K. Das, Dr Bidhu Sharma, Dr Mitali Mukherjee and Dr Sumit Kalra, with Dr Vijaya Krishnan Paramasivan also contributing to the session.

Focus on Doctors’ Mental Well-Being

Recognising the pressures associated with medical practice, the conference also included a session titled “Life Beyond ENT”, with a special discussion on “Meditation for Doctors: From Stress to Balance.”

The session brought together Dr Vijay Rangachari, Dr Renu Rajguru, Dr Vijay Gakhkhar, Dr Deepanshu Gurnani and Dr Siddharth Nirvan.

The discussion examined work-related stress and burnout among doctors and considered meditation as one possible approach towards maintaining greater balance in professional and personal life. The session was moderated by Dr Vijay Rangachari.

Specialists Discuss Complex ENT Cases

Another scientific session addressed a range of challenging ENT and head and neck conditions.

Dr Deepak Chauhan spoke on the declining use of pneumatic otoscopy, while Dr Aishwarya M. discussed clinical experiences and treatment dilemmas involving midline neck masses in children at tertiary-care hospitals.

Dr Kaushik Das presented on coblation in nasal surgery and Castleman’s disease. Dr Shubhangi Gupta discussed challenging cases of mucormycosis involving the orbital region.

Other presentations covered the role of macrolides in antimicrobial resistance, comprehensive management of allergic rhinitis, laser versus conventional stapedotomy in otosclerosis, and the role of sentinel lymph node biopsy in early oral cancer.

The session was coordinated by Dr Navnita Gangwar.

Recognition for Academic and Innovative Contributions

The concluding ceremony also saw the presentation of awards to winners in the paper presentation, poster presentation and quiz competitions.

The conference brought together clinical expertise, academic exchange and interdisciplinary innovation, with its programme extending beyond conventional ENT practice to include artificial intelligence, engineering-based solutions, medico-legal awareness and physician well-being.

Through the hackathon and other scientific sessions, IAOHNS 2026 also provided a platform for medical and technology students to collaborate with experienced clinicians and academic experts on practical healthcare challenges.

Photo Captions

1. IAOHNS 2026 Scientific Chairman Dr Pawan Singhal addressing the ENT conference, with doctors and students in attendance.

2. Members of the winning teams at the IAOHNS 2026 Hackathon.

— Suman Munshi, IBG NEWS