Dr. Himanshu Thakkar: Three Limca book of Records, Medical Excellence & Humanity Beyond Boundaries.

A 25-year medical journey is measured not only by years in practice, but by the difficult cases managed, lives touched, knowledge shared and communities served. For Dr. Himanshu Jagdishchandra Thakkar, a Rajkot-based ENT surgeon, those milestones have come together in a career shaped by clinical excellence, surgical innovation, record-setting achievements and humanitarian service. Practising in Rajkot since 2001, Dr. Thakkar has developed extensive experience in diseases and surgical conditions involving the ear, nose, throat, airway and head and neck. His expertise includes advanced endoscopic procedures, Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery, septoplasty, bronchoscopy, oesophagoscopy, microlaryngeal procedures and airway and oesophageal foreign bodies. In 2007, he established Dr. Thakkar’s ENT & Dental Surgical Hospital, creating a specialised centre for ENT and dental care. What distinguishes his journey is his willingness to take on unusual and challenging cases. One striking example is the removal of a plastic whistle from a child’s windpipe after it had remained lodged there for approximately seven years. The case earned recognition in the India Book of Records. Dr. Himanshu Thakkar has set three remarkable records in the Limca Book of Records for exceptional ENT surgical achievements, including removal of an 8 × 2.5 cm nasal polyp in 2025; removal of a 10 × 3.5 × 1 cm nasal polyp in 2026; and removal of the largest reported airway foreign body—a 2 × 1 cm sapodilla (chikoo) seed in 2026.
Other extremely rare cases have included an ectopic tooth inside the nasal cavity, anastomosing haemangioma of the nasal septum, and difficult airway foreign bodies. He has published numerous articles and rare case reports in reputed national and international medical journals.These rare and challenging cases have made a valuable contribution to global medical literature. For Dr. Thakkar, however, the significance extends beyond the record itself. Each case represents a patient who needed careful diagnosis, precise planning and specialised treatment. His achievements have received three times National Level recognition from the Indian Medical Association. His honours include the IMA Dr. C. S. Thakar National Award, the IMA MedAchievers Award of Merit for Excellent Contribution towards Medical Profession, and the IMA Dr. A. K. N. Sinha National Award for Outstanding and Distinguished Services. He has also received the Shri Lohana Mahaparishad Best International Professional Personality Award and a Special Felicitation International Award. Yet Dr. Thakkar’s contribution does not end in the operating room. His work has expanded into public-health awareness, charitable healthcare and knowledge sharing. He has participated in free medical and diagnostic camps in rural Saurashtra and supported awareness initiatives covering ear health, sinus conditions, foreign-body aspiration, tobacco-related disease and preventive healthcare.
During the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent mucormycosis crisis, he provided free surgical services at civil hospital Rajkot to affected patients . His commitment to charitable causes has also extended to thalassemia-related initiatives. His book, “Echoes of Compassion: A Doctor’s Journey in ENT,” launched in June 2025, was dedicated to thalassemia children and Gau Seva, with proceeds directed towards charitable causes. His vision of healthcare also crosses geographical boundaries. Patients from different Indian states and overseas have travelled to Rajkot for specialised ENT consultation and treatment. Through media interactions, including an SBS Radio Australia interview, and digital communication, he has shared medical knowledge with wider communities. Dr. Thakkar has also contributed to professional leadership through roles including Past Secretary of IMA Rajkot Branch, Past President of the ENT Society of Rajkot, Past Treasurer of the Surgeons Association Rajkot and Past President of the Raghuvanshi Doctors Association Rajkot.
At the heart of his career is a philosophy: “Manav Seva is Prabhu Seva” Service to Humanity is Service to God.
For Dr. Thakkar, records and recognitions may mark important milestones, but the deeper measure of a medical career lies in service. His 25-year journey demonstrates that medical excellence becomes meaningful when expertise is combined with compassion, knowledge is shared beyond borders and every achievement remains connected to the well-being of a human being.