From General Surgery and Academic Medicine to Advanced Laparoscopic Training, Hernia Surgery and Robotic Surgery

Hyderabad, Telangana: Modern surgery is being transformed by minimally invasive techniques, advanced imaging, robotic platforms and increasingly specialised surgical training. At the intersection of these developments stands Dr. Varun Raju Thirumalagiri, an advanced laparoscopic and robotic surgeon whose professional journey spans clinical surgery, medical education, surgical illustration, research, academic writing and specialist training.

Based in Hyderabad, Dr. Varun Raju Thirumalagiri is associated with TVR Laparoscopy Center, a specialised surgical and training institution in Madinaguda. The centre began in 2020 as a surgery clinic and subsequently developed into a dedicated laparoscopic surgery training centre, including a four-month fellowship-oriented hands-on programme associated with IMA (AMS).

His career extends well beyond the operating room.

A surgeon, educator, author, researcher, surgical illustrator and Carnatic classical musician, Dr. Varun has built a multidisciplinary professional identity while remaining closely connected to the advancement of laparoscopic and abdominal wall surgery.

His academic career has included teaching General Surgery through institutions associated with the National Board of Examinations (NBE) and serving in postgraduate surgical education. He has also contributed to surgical literature through textbooks, scientific publications and book chapters.

His forthcoming Textbook of Hernia and Abdominal Wall Reconstruction, described as a major reference work of approximately 2,000 pages and scheduled for publication by Springer in the United States, represents another significant chapter in his contribution to surgical education.

The Making of a Surgeon

Dr. Varun Raju Thirumalagiri's journey began in Miryalaguda, Telangana, where he was born into a teachers' family.

As the eighth son in the family, his early environment was closely connected with education and discipline.

He subsequently pursued medicine and joined Kurnool Medical College as part of the 1988 MBBS batch.

After completing his undergraduate medical education, he entered postgraduate surgical training through the National Board of Examinations in New Delhi.

His postgraduate development included working under experienced surgeons and mentors, including professionals associated with the FRCS tradition, while developing an emphasis on academic discipline, surgical knowledge and professional standards.

This period established the foundation for a career that would eventually become strongly associated with minimally invasive surgery.

Building Expertise in Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery

Following postgraduate training, Dr. Varun expanded his surgical qualifications through specialist fellowships.

His professional credentials include:

• FIAGES – Fellowship of the Indian Association of Gastro-Intestinal Endo-Surgeons
• FMAS – Fellowship in Minimal Access Surgery
• FALS – Fellowship in Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery
• Advanced training involving HPB surgery
• Advanced training involving Hernia Surgery

These areas have helped shape his professional focus around minimally invasive and complex surgical procedures.

Laparoscopic surgery has transformed many areas of modern surgical practice by enabling procedures through smaller access points compared with traditional open surgery in appropriate cases.

However, minimally invasive surgery also requires specialised technical skills, anatomical understanding, instrument handling and extensive training.

It is this training component that has become one of the defining elements of Dr. Varun's career.

TVR Laparoscopy Center: From Surgical Clinic to Training Institution

In 2020, Dr. Varun established TVR Laparoscopy Center in Madinaguda, Hyderabad.

The centre initially functioned as a surgery clinic before gradually developing into a dedicated laparoscopic surgery training centre.

Today, the institution is positioned around both surgical practice and professional education.

One of its notable programmes is a four-month hands-on laparoscopic surgery fellowship-oriented training course associated with IMA (AMS).

The programme is designed around practical exposure, allowing surgeons to develop familiarity with laparoscopic techniques and surgical decision-making.

According to the centre's professional profile, hundreds of surgeons have undergone its hands-on training and subsequently continued their surgical careers across different states of India.

This education-focused dimension distinguishes TVR Laparoscopy Center from a conventional surgical clinic.

It represents an effort to create a space where surgical knowledge can be transferred from experienced practitioners to the next generation of surgeons.

The Importance of Hands-On Surgical Training

Modern surgical education increasingly requires a balance between theoretical understanding and practical experience.

For laparoscopic surgery, the learning curve can involve:

• Instrument handling
• Camera navigation
• Depth perception
• Tissue manipulation
• Suturing
• Knotting
• Anatomical orientation
• Ergonomics
• Operative decision-making

Training centres can therefore play an important role in helping surgeons develop technical confidence before independently applying advanced techniques in appropriate clinical settings.

Dr. Varun's professional journey reflects this transition from being a surgeon who performs procedures to an educator who helps other surgeons develop their skills.

A Career in Postgraduate Surgical Education

Dr. Varun has also spent significant time in academic medicine.

He has worked as a Professor of Surgery through NBE-linked postgraduate DNB programmes at institutions in Hyderabad, Telangana.

His academic responsibilities have included postgraduate surgical teaching and examination.

He has served as both an internal and external examiner for postgraduate General Surgery programmes, contributing to the assessment and academic development of surgical trainees.

This experience has given him exposure to multiple dimensions of medical education:

Teaching.

Training.

Assessment.

Academic mentoring.

Surgical research.

His work in postgraduate education has complemented his practical experience in the operating room.

From Surgical Practice to Surgical Literature

Dr. Varun's contribution to surgery extends into medical publishing.

He is the author of multiple surgical books, including:

Timeline History of Laparoscopy and Hernia Surgery

The book explores the historical development of laparoscopic and hernia surgery, placing modern techniques within the broader evolution of surgical practice.

SCOPY

Another publication associated with his professional work, SCOPY , contributes to his wider body of surgical educational material.

Think Again

His book Think Again reflects another dimension of his writing and intellectual interests.

Textbook of Hernia and Abdominal Wall Reconstruction

Perhaps the most ambitious publishing project associated with Dr. Varun is his forthcoming Textbook of Hernia and Abdominal Wall Reconstruction.

The planned reference work is described as approximately 2,000 pages and is scheduled for publication by Springer in December 2026.

If published as planned, the book would add another substantial contribution to the literature surrounding hernia surgery and abdominal wall reconstruction. 

Beyond Surgical Textbooks: A Writer Exploring Science, Psychology, Philosophy and Human Thought

Dr. Varun Raju Thirumalagiri's identity as an author extends well beyond medical literature.

While his surgical publications demonstrate his commitment to professional education, two of his books— SCOPY and Think Again —reveal another dimension of his intellectual interests.

These works move away from the operating theatre and into questions about perception, science, psychology, philosophy, belief and the way human beings understand the world around them.

SCOPY : When Perspective Changes Reality

SCOPY is a book built around the intersection of science, psychology and philosophy.

At its heart is a simple but powerful observation: the way a person perceives an object can change dramatically depending on the distance from which it is viewed.

The book uses this idea of changing perspective to explore how human beings understand reality.

A tiny grain of salt, for example, can appear enormous when observed through a microscope. At the other extreme, the Sun—one of the largest and most visually dominant objects in our sky—appears comparatively small when viewed from Earth.

The physical object has not changed.

What changes is the relationship between the observer and the object.

That distinction becomes a philosophical question.

How often do people judge situations based only on the distance from which they are viewing them?

How does perspective influence our understanding?

Can something that appears insignificant from one viewpoint become enormous from another?

And can something that appears overwhelmingly large become smaller when the observer changes position?

Through this framework, SCOPY moves from scientific observation toward psychology and philosophy.

The concept is particularly relevant to everyday human life. Personal problems, social beliefs, relationships, ambitions and fears can all appear different when viewed from another distance or another perspective.

In that sense, the book is not simply about what the eye sees.

It is about how the mind interprets what the eye sees.

The scientific principle becomes a metaphor for human perception.

For a surgeon who has spent decades studying anatomy at an extraordinarily detailed level, this interest in observation and perspective is especially intriguing. Surgery itself requires the ability to examine the human body at different levels of scale—from the broader anatomical structure to extremely precise operative details.

SCOPY therefore adds an unexpected philosophical dimension to Dr. Thirumalagiri's professional identity.

It asks readers to reconsider a fundamental question:

Is reality always about the object itself, or does the observer's position also shape the reality they experience?

Think Again : Bringing Scientists and Society Into One Conversation

If SCOPY examines perspective, Think Again takes that intellectual curiosity into the territory of belief, science and society.

The work is presented as a novel in which a village head creates an unusual setting: a debate between scientists and ordinary people representing different beliefs and understandings of life.

Instead of placing scientific thinking and traditional beliefs in completely opposing camps, the narrative brings them into conversation.

Scientists present facts and rational perspectives.

Common people bring their beliefs, experiences and inherited ways of understanding the world.

The resulting debate becomes an exploration of a question that continues to exist in many societies:

Can scientific thinking and cultural traditions coexist with mutual respect?

The novel does not simply frame the discussion as a battle in which one side must defeat the other.

Instead, it moves toward a conclusion that both perspectives deserve respect within an Indian cultural framework, particularly when considering the ways families live, preserve traditions and maintain their lifestyles.

This makes Think Again more than a conventional debate between science and belief.

It becomes a conversation about coexistence.

The central idea is not necessarily that every belief should be accepted without examination, nor that every traditional practice should be rejected simply because it is traditional.

Rather, the novel creates space for people to question, discuss, understand and reconsider.

The title itself— Think Again —captures that philosophy.

To think again does not necessarily mean abandoning what one believes.

It can mean examining it more carefully.

It can mean listening to another perspective.

It can mean asking whether science, culture, family values and individual beliefs can exist within the same social framework without unnecessary conflict.

Through the fictional setting of a village debate, Dr. Thirumalagiri turns a potentially complex philosophical question into a human conversation.

Two Books, Two Different Ways of Looking at the World

Together, SCOPY and Think Again reveal a side of Dr. Varun Raju Thirumalagiri that cannot be understood solely through his identity as a surgeon.

SCOPY begins with observation and perspective.

Think Again begins with debate and belief.

One asks readers to consider how distance changes perception.

The other asks readers to reconsider how different forms of knowledge can coexist.

One moves through science toward psychology and philosophy.

The other uses fiction to bring scientists and ordinary people into a discussion about facts, beliefs, culture and family life.

Yet both books share an underlying principle:

Look again. Question again. Understand before judging.

That philosophy has an interesting connection with medicine as well.

Scientific medicine itself is built upon observation, questioning and continuous revision. A diagnosis may require looking at the same problem from multiple perspectives. A surgical approach may evolve when new evidence emerges. A technique that was considered standard in one generation can be reassessed by the next.

In that sense, the intellectual curiosity visible in these books is consistent with the broader character of Dr. Thirumalagiri's professional journey.

He has not limited himself to asking how to perform surgery.

He has also explored how people see, think, believe and interpret the world around them.

From the Operating Room to the Written Page

This breadth makes Dr. Thirumalagiri's authorship particularly distinctive.

His surgical books serve a professional and educational purpose.

His forthcoming Textbook of Hernia and Abdominal Wall Reconstruction represents an extensive attempt to document specialised surgical knowledge for practitioners and learners.

But SCOPY and Think Again reveal an author interested in questions that extend beyond medicine.

One examines the relationship between observation and perception.

The other examines the relationship between scientific facts, personal beliefs and cultural life.

Together, they demonstrate that his writing is not confined to one discipline.

For Dr. Thirumalagiri, writing appears to be another form of teaching—but the classroom changes.

Sometimes the audience is a surgeon.

Sometimes it is a student.

Sometimes it is a reader interested in science and philosophy.

And sometimes it is a member of society trying to understand the tension between modern knowledge and traditional ways of life.

The subject may change.

The underlying objective remains remarkably consistent:

encourage people to observe more carefully, question more thoughtfully and understand more deeply.

The Surgical Illustrator Behind the Textbooks

One of the less common aspects of Dr. Varun's professional identity is his work as a surgical illustrator.

Medical illustration plays an important role in surgical education because complex anatomical structures and operative procedures often require visual explanation.

Dr. Varun has developed a reputation within the surgical community for producing medical illustrations and has worked as a chief illustrator for chapters in international surgery books.

The combination of surgical knowledge and visual communication gives him an unusual ability to translate complex operative anatomy into educational imagery.

For medical students, residents and practicing surgeons, a well-designed surgical illustration can often communicate an anatomical relationship more effectively than several paragraphs of text.

Research and Scientific Publications

Academic surgery depends heavily on research and continuous evaluation of surgical techniques.

Dr. Varun has contributed to scientific literature through publications in surgical forums and journals.

His professional work includes research related to abdominal wall reconstruction and hernia surgery, along with original studies published through national and international indexed journals.

He has also contributed chapters to surgery books and publications associated with national surgical organisations.

This research-oriented dimension complements his clinical and educational work.

Rather than treating surgery as a static discipline, academic surgeons continually examine techniques, outcomes, complications and potential improvements.

A Connection With Biomedical Engineering Education

Dr. Varun's academic involvement extends beyond conventional medical education.

He has been associated with teaching General Surgery to engineering students since 2003.

His professional profile also identifies him as a PhD board member of the Biomedical Engineering College at Osmania University, Telangana.

The connection between surgery and biomedical engineering is increasingly relevant as medical technology advances.

Robotic surgery, surgical instruments, imaging systems, prosthetics, implants and digital healthcare all depend on collaboration between clinical medicine and engineering.

This interdisciplinary exposure places Dr. Varun at an interesting intersection between surgery, education and medical technology.

Advancing Hernia and Abdominal Wall Surgery

Hernia surgery has evolved considerably with advances in minimally invasive techniques, mesh technology, anatomical reconstruction and patient-specific approaches.

Abdominal wall reconstruction can involve complex surgical decision-making, particularly in recurrent or complicated cases.

Dr. Varun's professional focus on hernia surgery and abdominal wall reconstruction has therefore become an important component of his academic and clinical identity.

His involvement with the Hernia Society of India as an Executive Committee Member further reflects his participation in the national professional community surrounding hernia surgery.

Leadership Through the Hernia Society of India

Professional surgical associations provide platforms for knowledge exchange, conferences, research collaboration and continuing medical education.

Dr. Varun serves as an Executive Committee Member of the Hernia Society of India, according to his professional profile.

His association with the organisation has involved contributions to the broader field of hernia surgery and professional service.

Such roles extend the impact of a surgeon beyond individual clinical practice and into the development of professional communities.

The Evolution Toward Robotic Surgery

Robotic surgery represents another major development in minimally invasive medicine.

Robotic platforms can provide surgeons with enhanced visualisation, articulated instrument movement and ergonomic advantages in selected procedures.

Dr. Varun's professional profile includes advanced robotic surgery among his areas of expertise.

His recognition with the National Excellence Council – Telangana Awards 2026 for Best Robotic Surgery Award is listed among his professional honours.

As with all surgical technologies, robotic surgery requires appropriate training, patient selection and clinical judgement.

The technology does not replace surgical expertise; it becomes another platform through which experienced surgeons can perform selected procedures.

Recognition and Professional Awards

Dr. Varun's career has received recognition through several awards and professional honours.

His listed recognitions include:

• Times of India – Best Surgeon Award
• Meditech Award – Osmania University, Telangana
• ASI National Presidential Award
• ASI Telangana State Chapter Chairman's Appreciation Award
• National Connect – Best Advanced Laparoscopic Surgeon Award
• National Excellence Council – Telangana Awards 2026 – Best Robotic Surgery Award

These honours represent recognition across clinical surgery, academic medicine and advanced surgical practice.

The Musician Behind the Surgeon

Away from medicine, Dr. Varun has another serious creative pursuit: Indian Carnatic classical music.

His musical work has developed into a separate creative identity.

One of his notable projects is “Melakartha 72 Ambiences,” a musical research and creative project built around the 72 Melakarta ragas of Carnatic music.

The project is available through digital platforms and his YouTube presence under DR TVR CHANNEL.

His channel is reported to have accumulated approximately 1.18 crore views and 28.5K subscribers.

The scale of this digital audience demonstrates that his interests extend beyond medicine and into cultural and musical expression.

When Medicine Meets Music

The contrast between surgery and classical music is striking.

Surgery requires precision, anatomy, concentration and technical discipline.

Carnatic music demands rhythm, tonal understanding, memory, discipline and sustained practice.

Both fields require years of training.

Dr. Varun's engagement with both demonstrates a broader philosophy of professional life—technical excellence and creative expression do not necessarily have to exist separately.

For him, medicine represents a professional and academic calling, while music provides another avenue for intellectual and artistic exploration.

A Multidimensional Professional Identity

Few medical careers develop along so many parallel tracks.

Dr. Varun Raju Thirumalagiri's professional identity combines:

Advanced laparoscopic surgery

Robotic surgery

Hernia and abdominal wall reconstruction

Postgraduate surgical education

Medical research

Surgical illustration

Medical publishing

Biomedical engineering education

Professional association leadership

Carnatic classical music

This multidisciplinary profile has become one of the defining characteristics of his career.

The Vision Behind TVR Laparoscopy Center

The development of TVR Laparoscopy Center reflects Dr. Varun's broader educational philosophy.

The objective is not only to provide surgical services but also to create an environment where surgeons can learn minimally invasive techniques through structured training.

As laparoscopic surgery continues to evolve, training centres will remain important for professional development.

The centre's four-month fellowship-oriented programme is designed around hands-on exposure and structured learning.

Its reported experience with hundreds of surgeons demonstrates the scale of its educational ambitions.

Building the Next Generation of Minimally Invasive Surgeons

The future of surgery will depend not only on new technologies but also on surgeons capable of using those technologies responsibly and effectively.

Training therefore becomes a central part of surgical advancement.

Dr. Varun's career reflects this principle.

His own development began with medical education and postgraduate surgical training.

He subsequently moved into teaching, examination, research, illustration and specialised surgical training.

Through TVR Laparoscopy Center, that experience is now being transferred to other surgeons.

Business24Now Exclusive: Five Questions with Dr. Varun Raju Thirumalagiri

Q1. Business24Now: What motivated you to establish TVR Laparoscopy Center?

Dr. Varun Raju Thirumalagiri:  
My experience in surgery and postgraduate teaching made me realise that advanced laparoscopic surgery requires extensive practical exposure. We therefore developed TVR Laparoscopy Center not only as a surgical clinic but also as a place where surgeons can receive structured, hands-on training. The objective is to help surgeons develop technical understanding and confidence through practical learning.

Q2. Business24Now: What do you believe is the biggest challenge in advanced laparoscopic surgery training?

Dr. Varun Raju Thirumalagiri:  
Laparoscopic surgery is fundamentally different from simply learning the theory of an operation. Surgeons must understand anatomy while simultaneously managing instruments, camera orientation, tissue handling and operative decision-making. This is why hands-on training is so important. Structured practice allows surgeons to develop technical skills progressively and understand the principles behind minimally invasive procedures.

Q3. Business24Now: You have worked as a surgeon, professor, author and illustrator. How do these roles complement each other?

Dr. Varun Raju Thirumalagiri:  
They are closely connected. A surgeon must understand anatomy and procedures. A teacher must explain those concepts clearly. An author must organise knowledge systematically, while a medical illustrator must communicate anatomy visually. I believe these roles strengthen one another. When you teach, you understand a subject more deeply, and when you illustrate or write about it, you are forced to think about the details from another perspective.

Q4. Business24Now: What does the upcoming textbook on hernia and abdominal wall reconstruction mean to you?

Dr. Varun Raju Thirumalagiri:  
Hernia and abdominal wall reconstruction have developed significantly over the years. The proposed textbook is intended to bring together detailed surgical knowledge, illustrations and practical concepts in one comprehensive reference. At approximately 2,000 pages, it is a major undertaking. My intention is to create a resource that can be useful to surgeons, trainees and professionals who want to understand the field in depth.

Q5. Business24Now: You are also involved in Carnatic classical music. What does music bring to your life as a surgeon?

Dr. Varun Raju Thirumalagiri:  
Music provides a completely different form of concentration and expression. Surgery requires precision and discipline, and classical music also demands years of disciplined practice. My project Melakartha 72 Ambiences allows me to explore Carnatic music through a different creative and research-oriented perspective. I believe that maintaining interests outside one's primary profession can enrich the way we think and approach our professional lives.

A Career Built on Knowledge Sharing

Perhaps the strongest theme running through Dr. Varun's career is knowledge sharing.

As a surgeon, he applies knowledge.

As a professor, he teaches it.

As a researcher, he expands it.

As an author, he documents it.

As an illustrator, he visualises it.

As a trainer, he transfers it to other surgeons.

This creates a professional ecosystem in which clinical practice and education continually influence one another.

Looking Toward the Future of Surgery

Surgery is entering an era defined by rapid technological development.

Robotic platforms, advanced imaging, minimally invasive procedures, digital education and interdisciplinary biomedical engineering are reshaping how surgeons work and learn.

In this environment, professionals who combine clinical expertise with education, research and technology will have an increasingly important role.

Dr. Varun's career reflects this broader transition.

His work in laparoscopic and robotic surgery is complemented by his academic involvement, surgical publishing, medical illustration and specialist training.

About Dr. Varun Raju Thirumalagiri

Dr. Varun Raju Thirumalagiri is an advanced laparoscopic and robotic surgeon based in Hyderabad, Telangana.

He is associated with TVR Laparoscopy Center, Madinaguda, Hyderabad, which developed from a surgical clinic established in 2020 into a dedicated laparoscopic surgery training centre.

His professional areas include advanced laparoscopic surgery, robotic surgery, hernia surgery, abdominal wall reconstruction and surgical education.

He has worked in postgraduate surgical education through NBE-linked DNB programmes, served as an internal and external examiner for General Surgery postgraduate examinations, authored surgical books, contributed to scientific publications and worked as a surgical illustrator.

He is also associated with the Hernia Society of India and has received multiple professional recognitions.

Outside medicine, he is a Carnatic classical musician and creator of the Melakartha 72 Ambiences project.

Professional Profile

Name: Dr. Varun Raju Thirumalagiri  
Specialisation: Advanced Laparoscopic & Robotic Surgery  
Institution: TVR Laparoscopy Center  
Location: 302, Kalki Chambers, Madinaguda, Hyderabad, Telangana, India  
Phone: +91 98661 59160  
Email: varnaraju1@gmail.com

Conclusion

Dr. Varun Raju Thirumalagiri represents a multidimensional model of the modern surgeon—clinician, educator, researcher, author, illustrator and mentor.

His journey from medical education and postgraduate surgical training to advanced laparoscopic and robotic surgery reflects decades of professional development.

But his contribution extends beyond his own clinical practice.

Through TVR Laparoscopy Center, he has created a platform focused on hands-on surgical education. Through academic teaching, he has contributed to postgraduate medical training. Through research and scientific writing, he has participated in the development of surgical knowledge. Through books and medical illustrations, he has worked to make complex surgical concepts more accessible to the professional community.

His involvement with hernia surgery, abdominal wall reconstruction and the Hernia Society of India further demonstrates his commitment to specialised surgical practice.

And beyond medicine, his engagement with Carnatic classical music reveals another side of his personality—one that values creativity, discipline and cultural exploration.

The planned publication of his comprehensive Textbook of Hernia and Abdominal Wall Reconstruction could represent another important milestone in this continuing journey.

Ultimately, Dr. Varun's story is not simply about performing surgery.

It is about learning, teaching, documenting, illustrating and sharing knowledge.

In a medical profession where knowledge evolves continuously, that commitment may prove to be one of the most enduring contributions a surgeon can make.

A surgeon treats one patient at a time; a teacher, author and mentor can influence generations of surgeons.

Editorial Note

This article is intended as a professional Business24Now profile based on the subject's supplied professional biography and career details. Award titles, institutional roles, publication plans, professional memberships, subscriber/view counts and other credentials should be independently verified against primary institutional or issuing-organisation sources where formal credential verification is required. The forthcoming Springer publication is described as planned for December 2026 and should be treated as an upcoming publication until officially released.