In a landmark achievement that could redefine the future of surgery worldwide, a world record in medical history was established with the successful completion of a robot-assisted cardiac procedure across nearly 20,000 kilometres of fibre network distance between Guyana and India, making it the world’s longest-distance robotic cardiac telesurgery ever conducted. Prior to this historic event, the longest robotic cardiac telesurgery done was from Strasbourg, France to Indore, India with a communication distance of 10,000 kilometers utilizing the Made in India SSI Mantra Surgical Robotic System. To date, 22 cardiac telesurgeries have been successfully performed using the SSI Mantra system, the only robotic surgery system globally that has been used for cardiac telesurgery.
The historic procedure connected Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), Guyana with IRCAD India, Indore, where renowned robotic cardiac surgeon Dr. Sudhir Srivastava remotely performed a Left Internal Mammary Artery (LIMA) takedown using the India-developed SSI Mantra Surgical Robotic System.
How The Surgery Was Carried Out?
For the historic intercontinental procedure, Dr. Sudhir Srivastava created a operated remotely from Georgetown, Guyana using the SSI MantrAsana tele-surgeon console – a compact, chair-based robotic surgery command system designed to perform procedures from distant locations in real time. The patient-side robotic setup was stationed at IRCAD India in Indore, where the robotic arms and surgical instruments precisely replicated Dr. Srivastava’s hand movements from nearly 20,000 kilometers away. The system functioned with a network latency of 290-300 milli seconds, , allowing communication between both locations during the surgery. Equipped with high-definition 3D visualisation and advanced robotic controls, the technology enabled the surgical teams in Guyana and India to coordinate the complex cardiac procedure with precision and stability despite the vast geographical distance. In India, the surgery was supported by Dr. Lalit Malik, Chief Cardiac Surgeon at Manipal Hospitals Jaipur, Dr. Ram Shukla, Consultant Cardiac Surgeon at Bhandari Hospital and Research Center, and Dr. Mohit Bhandari, Bariatric Surgery and President of IRCAD India.
Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, President of Guyana, said, “As Guyana celebrates its 60th Independence Anniversary, we are proud to mark the beginning of a transformative new chapter in our nation’s healthcare journey. Our vision has always been to position Guyana as a leader in advanced healthcare and medical innovation, and today we take a significant step forward with the adoption of robotic surgery technology, one of the most groundbreaking advancements in modern medicine. Adding to the significance of this historic milestone, renowned Indian surgeon Dr. Sudhir Srivastava and his team successfully performed the world’s longest-distance telesurgery, operating remotely from Guyana on a patient in India across a distance of nearly 20,000 kilometers. This landmark achievement showcases the immense potential of technology to transcend geographical boundaries, while placing Guyana at the forefront of next-generation healthcare innovation.
He further added, we are confident that with the SSi Mantra robotic surgical system and its comprehensive training ecosystem, Guyana will rapidly build a strong pool of skilled robotic surgery practitioners. This initiative will enhance the capabilities of our healthcare workforce, expand access to advanced medical care, and further strengthen Guyana’s position as an emerging leader in healthcare innovation in the region”.
Commenting on the achievement, Dr. Sudhir Srivastava, Chairman and CEO, SS Innovations International, said, “The successful completion of this intercontinental cardiac telesurgery between Guyana and India at a world-record distance of 20,000 kms, marks a historic milestone for SS Innovations and our SSI Mantra surgical robotic system. With each new remote procedure, we continue to push the boundaries of telesurgery and move closer to democratizing access to world-class surgical expertise globally. I would like to thank the leadership of Guyana, especially President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, and the Honourable Health Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony, for positioning the country as a modern robotic surgery hub for the Caribbean. I would also like to extend my gratitude to the remarkable clinical and technical teams in both Guyana and India for making this telesurgery possible.”
Hon. Dr. Frank Anthony, Minister of Health, Government of Guyana said, “As Guyana marks its 60th Independence Anniversary, this landmark achievement serves as a testament to the transformative role of innovation in advancing healthcare. We congratulate the team at SS Innovations for successfully accomplishing this historic world-record in robotic cardiac telesurgery. This collaboration represents an important step forward in strengthening Guyana’s healthcare capabilities and expanding access to advanced medical technologies. We are confident that initiatives such as these will help enhance patient care, build local expertise, and contribute towards improving the quality of life for the people of Guyana.
H. E. Seeraj Dharamkumar, High Commissioner of the Co-operative, Republic of Guyana to India said, “The successful completion of the world’s longest-distance robotic cardiac telesurgery between Guyana and India is a remarkable milestone in the advancement of global healthcare. This achievement demonstrates the transformative potential of technology in overcoming geographical barriers and expanding access to specialized medical expertise. As Guyana continues to strengthen its healthcare infrastructure and embrace innovative medical solutions, collaborations such as this play a vital role in enhancing patient care and building future-ready healthcare capabilities. Our association with SS Innovations reflects a shared vision of making advanced healthcare more accessible and inclusive. We believe this partnership will contribute significantly to developing robotic surgery expertise, improving healthcare outcomes, and reinforcing Guyana’s position as a growing center for medical innovation in the Caribbean region.”
As part of the launch of Guyana’s National Robotic Surgery Programme, three robotic procedures were successfully performed on the inaugural day. The achievement also coincided with Guyana’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations commemorating the country’s 60th Independence anniversary, adding symbolic significance to what healthcare experts are calling the beginning of a new era in borderless surgical care.
The SSI Mantra’s tele-surgical architecture has been specifically designed to maintain procedural precision across high-latency, long-haul network environments. To date, more than 173 telesurgeries have been successfully performed globally using the SSI Mantra surgical robotic platform. Additionally, the SSI Mantra system is the only system globally that has been used for robotic cardiac telesurgery. The Company recently received regulatory approval for the SSI Mantra Surgical Robotic System from Guyana’s Government Analyst-Food and Drug Department (GA-FDD) in May 2026.