In a landmark medical achievement, Indian-origin cardiac surgeon Dr. Sudhir Srivastava has set a world record by successfully performing a robot-assisted cardiac telesurgery across nearly 20,000 kilometres between Guyana and India using Made-in-India technology.
The surgery, believed to be the world’s longest-distance robotic cardiac telesurgery ever conducted, was carried out using the India-developed SSI Mantra Surgical Robotic System. Dr. Srivastava is the Chairman and CEO of SS Innovations International.
Operating remotely from Georgetown Public Hospital in Guyana, Dr. Srivastava successfully performed a Left Internal Mammary Artery (LIMA) takedown on a patient located at IRCAD India in Indore. The procedure was completed in four hours and 50 minutes.
According to Dr. Srivastava, 22 cardiac telesurgeries have so far been successfully performed using the SSI Mantra system, which he described as “the only robotic surgery system globally that has been used for cardiac telesurgery.”
Before this achievement, the longest robotic cardiac telesurgery had been conducted between Strasbourg, France, and Indore, India — spanning approximately 10,000 kilometres — also using the SSI Mantra Surgical Robotic System.
Commenting on the milestone during a press conference in New Delhi, Dr. Srivastava 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.”
How the historic surgery was performed
For the landmark intercontinental procedure, Dr. Srivastava operated remotely from Georgetown, Guyana, using the SSI Mantra’s ‘MantraSana’ tele-surgeon console — a compact, chair-based robotic surgery command system designed to enable real-time procedures from distant locations.
The patient-side robotic setup was stationed at IRCAD India, where robotic arms and surgical instruments precisely replicated Dr. Srivastava’s hand movements from nearly 20,000 kilometres away.
The surgery was conducted with a network latency of 290–300 milliseconds, enabling uninterrupted communication between the surgical teams in Guyana and India throughout the procedure. Equipped with high-definition 3D visualisation and advanced robotic controls, the technology allowed the teams to coordinate the complex cardiac procedure with precision and stability despite the vast geographical distance.
The India-based surgical team included 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 surgeon and President of IRCAD India.
Speaking about the broader potential of robotic telesurgery, Dr. Srivastava said the goal is to “democratise and decentralise access” to specialised surgical expertise so that patients do not have to travel long distances for advanced procedures.
He highlighted the emotional, financial, and logistical burden faced by patients from rural areas who often need to travel to major cities for treatment, without certainty about how long they may need to stay away from home.
Dr. Srivastava said robotic surgery enables minimally invasive procedures, allowing faster recovery, fewer complications, and an earlier return to normal life for patients. He added that the high running cost of robotic surgery had long been one of the biggest barriers to adoption, but SS Innovations has changed that with more affordable technology solutions.
“In the next five years, robotic surgery will become routine in India,” he told HealthXploreIndia.
Guyana positions itself as a future hub for robotic surgery
The historic surgery was performed on May 26, coinciding with Guyana’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations commemorating the country’s 60th Independence anniversary. As part of the launch of Guyana’s National Robotic Surgery Programme, three robotic procedures were successfully conducted on the inaugural day.
Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, President of Guyana, called the achievement “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,” he said.
“This landmark achievement showcases the immense potential of technology to transcend geographical boundaries,” he added.
Dr. Frank Anthony, Minister of Health, Government of Guyana, who attended the press conference virtually, said the world-record robotic cardiac telesurgery demonstrated the transformative role of innovation in advancing healthcare.
“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,” he added.
H.E. Seeraj Dharamkumar, High Commissioner of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana to India, also praised the achievement, saying it demonstrated the transformative potential of technology in overcoming geographical barriers and expanding access to specialised 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,” he said during the conference.
Dr. Srivastava thanked the leadership of Guyana, particularly President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali and Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony, for helping position the country as a modern robotic surgery hub for the Caribbean.
SS Innovations received regulatory approval for the SSI Mantra Surgical Robotic System from Guyana’s Government Analyst-Food and Drug Department (GA-FDD) in May 2026.
To date, the SSI Mantra system has received regulatory approvals in 14 countries, including India, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Indonesia, Kenya, Oman, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, Guyana, Nepal, and Iraq.
The company said more than 173 telesurgeries have been successfully performed globally using the SSI Mantra surgical robotic platform.
SS Innovations, an American company headquartered in India, develops surgical robotic technologies with the aim of making robotic surgery more affordable and accessible worldwide. Its product portfolio includes the proprietary SSI Mantra surgical robotic system and the SSI Mudra range of surgical instruments, which support a variety of robotic-assisted procedures, including cardiac surgery.
