We are all witness to an unprecedented revolution of the surgical sciences. This era has seen the transformation of surgery to an entirely new patient friendly technique. It was the amalgamation of the miniaturized camera, digitalized images and fibre optics, which made laparoscopy possible. Unlike the past, resistance to acceptance of laparoscopy was rapidly wiped out by the phenomenal success of laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The minimal access was responsible for all the benefits attributed to the technique viz. less pain, less discomfort, less hospitalization, early mobilization and return to normal activities. It is important to realize that the surgical procedure performed, essentially remains the same. The Department of Minimal access surgery (MAS) was founded in 1996 at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi, which was the first of its kind in the entire subcontinent to exclusively focus on development, evaluation and propagation of Minimal access surgery and totally committed to the principles of this technique. Today, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital is on the international map and recognized to be a centre of excellence in the field of endosurgery in the world. The department is headed by Dr. Pradeep Kr Chowbey, Pioneer in the field of MAS in India and comprises of six highly trained and dedicated MAS consultants. In addition to providing the highest quality of surgical services to patients, the consultants and other member of medical and paramedical staff are involved in formulating, evaluating and propagating newer applications in minimal access surgery. This is achieved by active participation in conferences internationally and nationally as invited faculty, to conduct large number of workshops on basic and advanced laparoscopic surgical procedures, deliver orations, key-note addresses and innumerable guest lectures.

The department is the first to have exclusive senior anesthetists dedicated to provide state of art anesthesia to patients undergoing laparoscopy. They are historically the first group of anesthetists in the world to dedicate themselves for this specialized and emerging branch of laparoscopic anesthesiology. They are also involved in formulating guidelines for the anesthetist in dealing with these patients. The nursing staff is trained to provide special nursing care exclusively to patients admitted in the department. The operation theatre nursing and technical staff has gone through the learning curve for laparoscopic procedures a decade ago. The department has executive secretarial staff and computer analyst and other high tech support for state of art office management system. The department is fully equipped with latest high-end multimedia computer and software system to produce quality and academic documentation and presentation. Introduction and training of surgeons in the technique of Minimal Access Surgery remains one of the foremost priorities of the department. The department is closely collaborating with industry to set up a modern state of the art centre for training in minimal access surgery. All types of new and advanced gadgets and instruments are evaluated in the department provided by the best manufacturers all over the world for assessment, evaluation and modification. This department is the first and only such department in the country recognized by the national Board of Examinations for training leading to the award of superspeciality training in minimal access surgery as " Post-doctoral fellowship in Minimal access surgery ".

In addition to fellows and observers, Post-graduate students from departments of GI surgery and general surgery rotate through the department as per the academic schedule of the hospital. The department has so far trained more than 1000 surgeons all over India and abroad.