Dr. Ramakant (Raman) Deshpande is presently the Chief of Thoracic Surgical Oncology at the Asian Institute of Oncology ( at Somaiya Ayurvihar Sion Mumbai] ). Formerly he was at the Tata Memorial Hospital as the Chief of Thoracic Services till 2002.
He graduated from Karnataka Medical College, Hubli and completed his Post-graduation at the Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai. He was later trained at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre and began his career at the Bangalore Kidwai Cancer Centre in 1982. He joined the Tata Memorial Hospital on staff from 1985 - 2002.
He has over 50 publications to his credit in national and international journals including chapters on Management of cancer in Lung in the Text book of Cancer published by the National Book Trust of India. He was the first person to introduce Thoracoscopic surgery at the Tata Memorial Hospital' Mumbai
He has conducted several conferences and continues to be active in public education in the fight against Cancer.
His special interests are in management of Thoracic Tumours [Lung and oesophagus], Breast cancer and Children's Cancer. He has specialized in endoscopic surgery- particularly Thoracoscopy.
Presently he is the Director of Asian Institute of Oncology, conceived by a group of Senior Consultants who were previously attached to the Tata Memorial Hospital.