An emotional Venugopal said he would like to work in AIIMS if he was "reborn".

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Curtains came down on Wednesday on the eventful tenure of noted cardiac surgeon P Venugopal whose last few years as head of the prestigious AIIMS was marked by a bitter turf war with Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss, repeated court directions and an unsuccessful Parliamentary intervention. The 66-year-old cardiac surgeon who demitted office on wednesday had no regrets about his tenure and wanted to replicate the AIIMS model outside. An emotional Venugopal said he would like to work in AIIMS if he was "reborn". Associated with the institute for the past 49 years, Venugopal refused to disclose his future plans. "There are lots of offers coming my way and I will not be sitting idle. I will continue to render services as a guide or advisor or help to anyone who needs me," he said adding that it will not be limited to India alone but foreign countries as well. Though he refused to comment regarding the time lost in the war between him and Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss, the renowned cardiac surgeon seemed to have accomplished all his dreams during his stay at the institute. Reinstated on May 8 after being out of office for five months, the 66-year old cardiac-surgeon's journey as the director saw many ups and downs. Venugopal was appointed as AIIMS Director on July 3, 2003 during the NDA regime at the Centre. Trouble began when he got involved in a bitter turf war with Ramadoss on running the institution, which got a twist with the quota issue thrown in. The relationship between Ramadoss and Venugopal soured as the Health Minister accused him of defying orders from his Ministry and instigating the anti-quota agitations in the institute after Parliament cleared 27 per cent OBC quota in higher institutes of learning. Ramadoss acknowledged that Venugopal was an eminent doctor but felt that he was a bad administrator and it was the cause of problems in the institute. A government-appointed committee headed by UGC Chairman S K Thorat, which was set up to look into allegations of discrimination against SC/ST students at AIIMS, also charged him with "playing a provocative role" in the agitation against the OBC quota. Charges and counter-charges flew thick and fast with Ramadoss accusing the veteran surgeon, who is credited as the first Indian to perform a heart transplant, of running AIIMS with the help of a coterie. Apart from carrying out the first heart transplant in the year 1994, Venugopal had performed over 50,000 open heart surgeries and was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1998. He introduced nano-technology and stem cell research in the premier medical institute.

T D Dogra would take over as the Acting Director on Wednesday.