Dr S Raja Sabapathy is presently the Chairman of the Division of Plastic Surgery, Hand Surgery, Reconstructive Microsurgery, Faciomaxillary and Burns and Director of Ganga Hospital, Coimbatore. He had a brilliant academic career and was adjudged as the Best Outgoing Student of Stanley Medical College during his MBBS. He later completed M.S General Surgery at Madras Medical College and M Ch at Stanley Medical College. He later did his higher training in Hand and Microsurgery at UK and USA.

He is known for introducing Microsurgery in Coimbatore and was one of the earliest to successfully establish a Microsurgical Centre in private practice based on “High volume, high quality and affordable cost model”. He along with Dr Ravindra Bhat were instrumental for “In theatre resuscitation and On Arrival Block” which revolutionised trauma care. Presently the Plastic Surgery Department in Ganga Hospital is the largest Plastic Surgery Department in India and has done 10,137 operations in 2014. The department is also recognised by the National Board to train Plastic Surgery postgraduates and is the only centre in India to train Hand Surgery Post graduates.

He started a Microsurgical Lab in 2000 to train doctors in Microsurgery. It is very popular and 727 trainees from 51 countries have completed the course. The department that he founded is famous for training and over 1000 trainees have come to the department. He started the Bruce Bailey Fellowship for UK Trainees, Johnson & Johnson fellowship and Synthes Fellowship to train trainees from abroad and India.

He takes active part in organisational responsibilities. He is the Secretary General of Asian Pacific Federation of Societies for Surgery of the Hand and is also the Past President of Association of Plastic Surgeons of India, Indian Society for Surgery of the Hand, Indian Society for Reconstructive Microsurgery, Brachial Plexus Group of India and International Trauma Care (Indian Chapter). He is the only person who has been the Organising Chairman of two major associations namely International Federation of Societies for Surgery of the Hand and World Society of Reconstructive Microsurgery.

He takes active part in philanthropy and has started “Hope after fire” project in which all burn contracture operations are done free. More than 230 surgeries have been done free and the project value has crossed more than one crore rupees. He is the Advisor to the Armed forces Medical Services in the field of Reconstructive Microsurgery.

In spite of many awards and publications he is known for his enthusiasm, hard work, good organisational skills and benevolence.