Manbir Batra MD, FRCPC

Dr. Manni Batra’s anesthesiology training began in the UK and was followed by a penultimate year as chief resident at McGill University in Montreal under the tutelage of Dr. Philip Bromage. His interest in regional anesthesia continued to flourish during subsequent collaboration with Dr.’s John Bonica, Daniel Moore, and Donald Bridenbaugh while working in Seattle. Epidural anesthesia in the late 1970s was resurging in its applications for surgery, obstetrics, and pain management when major safety issues surfaced. This concern led to an intense search for an urgent solution, and, in 1980, he published a sentinel paper with Dr. Daniel Moore describing a standard Epidural Test Dose to address the problem. His interest in regional anesthesia and pain medicine began to increase, and there was also a great need to train young anesthesiologists in the art and science of neural blockade. ASRA naturally was the forum to lead the subspecialty. He joined ASRA in the early 1980s, and then introduced hands on workshops at the annual meetings, which have become one of the mainstays of the mission of the society. During the 13 years of his association with ASRA, he revised and updated its policies and procedures, helped increase the reach of the society, and also drew and formalized the society’s logo. His long commitment to ASRA culminated with its Presidency in 1995-96. His 43-year career in anesthesiology has been entirely devoted to teaching residents, fellows, and colleagues not only the science of regional anesthesia but also the art, which enhances its safety and assures success.