Current Roles

• Director, Clinical Research Center, Saitama Medical University (2020 – Present)

• Director, Public Relations Office, Saitama Medical University (2022 – 2025)

• Professor and Chairman, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Saitama Medical University (2016 – Present)

Professional Experience

• Vice President, Saitama Medical University Hospital (2018 – 2022)

• Professor, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Saitama Medical University, Saitama, Japan (2011 – 2016)

• Associate Professor, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan (2007 – 2011)

• Visiting Fellow, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA (1992 – 1995)

Leadership

• Board Member, Japanese Society of Otorhinolaryngology (2022 – Present)

• Board Member, Japanese Otological Society (2018 – 2024)

• Board Member, Japanese Society for Equilibrium Research (2014 – 2019, 2021 – 2022, 2025-)

• Criteria head, Barany Society Committee for Establishing Diagnostic Criteria of Perilymphatic Fistula

Professor Thakar trained at AIIMS and in the UK, and subsequently served at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences as Chairman of Otolaryngology & Head Neck Surgery; and as Head-  National Cancer Institute.     He is currently Director, Department of Otolaryngology & Head-Neck Oncology at MEDANTA Hospital, Noida

The focus of his work has been on Head-Neck Oncology and Skull Base Surgery, and in particular on optimizing outcomes and minimizing the disability following treatment of such illnesses. He has been instrumental in the development of Trans-Oral Laser Surgery, minimally invasive skull base surgery, and techniques for rehabilitation of facial nerve and lower cranial nerve paralysis.  He pioneered the introduction of Trans Oral Robotic Surgery in the Indian subcontinent.

Dr Thakar’s research has included 20+ funded research projects, >450 research publications, >6000 citations, and 2 published patents. His research contributions have included clinical, basic and translational research, and have been recognized by the Shakuntala Amir Chand Award by the Indian Council of Medical Research, and a Gold Medal Award by the Neuro-Otological Society of India. He availed of the Commonwealth Fellowship Award in the UK. and the Indo-US Science & Technology Grant in the US to further develop the specialties of Skull Base Surgery and Trans-Oral Robotic Surgery at his institution.  

He serves on the Council of the Asia-Pacific Society of Thyroid surgeons, & on the Strategic Advisory Board of the Liverpool Head-Neck Centre. At the National level, he is past-President of the Foundation for Head-Neck Oncology, & the Neuro Otologic Society of India, and has served as Honorary Consultant to the Armed Forces Medical Services. He serves on a number of prominent advisory positions, including the Indian Council for Medical Research Task Force on Cancer Management, and the National Cancer Innovation Leadership Initiative.