Surgeons from Mumbai and from all over India including rural areas have come together in setting up the India's first Centre of Excellence for Minimal Access Surgery (CEMAST) training at Mahalaxmi, Mumbai. The centre will be headed by Prof. Tehemton E Udwadia who introduced laparoscopy and minimal access surgery not only in India but to the entire developing world. The Centre has been given an educational grant by Karl Storz Tuttlingen. CEMAST is a totally autonomous body run by 'Surgeons for Surgeons' unfettered by any obligation to or pressure from any authority except this Centre. Prof. Tehemton E Udwadia, chairman of CEMAST said, “This Centre will train laparoscopic surgeons of every speciality like general surgery, urology, gynaecology, paediatric surgery to later on include thoracic surgery, orthopaedics, ENT minimal access surgery. The Centre will also train MAS nurses, bio medical engineers for maintaining and repairing instruments and also the Central Sterlization Department (CSSD) staff to ensure that the entire MAS team is trained.” Prof. Udwadia informed that an important activity of the Centre will be training in fundamentals of surgical skills for which this centre will train medical students, surgical residents in hospitals and all those attending the course. This Centre is meant for under graduate and post graduate medical students, surgeons, laprascopic surgeons who want to learn with advance techniques, etc. The faculty from both India and International from each specialty will be invited dedicated in training and education. CEMAST has tied up with major hospitals like KEM Hospital, Mumbai and Hinduja Hospital, Mumbai and later on looking forward to tie up with other major hospitals. Dr U S Gadgil, director of CEMAST said, “The Centre has a thrust to reach out to every rural surgeon so that the surgical advance of minimal access surgery is brought to all people in all placed. We have Dr Suresh Deshpande who will train students in comprehensive laparoscopy course, Prof Sanjay Oak dean of KEM Hospital who will train in paediatric surgery, Prof. Gautam Sen who will teach them essentials of surgical skills etc..” Students at CEMAST will be given hands on experience with the latest technologies. After completion of the training, surgeon will maintain ongoing contact with CEMAST via email, videos, tele-conferencing, counselling in case of difficulty to remain a part of the CEMAST Alumni in future. CEMAST is also developing e-streaming which helps in outstation training.