About The Founder
Dr. Purna Bikkasani
Founder
Early Life
Dr. Bikkasani was born and raised in a small village in what is now Telangana, India. Coming from a humble farming family, he was the youngest of seven children.
His parents, though illiterate, worked hard to sustain the family through agriculture, growing crops like rice and peanuts.
Education Journey
His education was not straightforward. During his early schooling, he had to leave studies midway to support his family by working on the farm.
A turning point came when his older brother, a primary school teacher, helped him return to school. Despite interruptions, he remained determined.
Through persistence and hard work, he completed his education and went on to earn a medical degree from Osmania University.
Medical Career & The Next Chapter
Driven by curiosity and ambition, Dr. Bikkasani moved to England, where he worked under the UK’s National Health Program and earned the prestigious MRCP qualification.
He later relocated to the United States to specialize in Gastroenterology.
Over a medical career spanning more than 30 years in Florida, he:
After retiring from medical practice in 2015, Dr. Bikkasani founded Awareness USA, a non-profit organization.
In His Own Words
I never knew my exact birthday, only that it was near the end of WWII. I grew up in the hotbed of the armed peasant uprising against the land lords and Razakars—the private army of the provincial ruler. The Razakars would attack villages, terrorize, and loot peoples’ belongings. The epicenter of the revolution was my district, and the leaders of the moment were members of my family and my friends. I suffered the shame, humility, and insecurity of childhood poverty until I became a doctor, and so I grew up with empathy for the poor, underprivileged, and weaker sections in society.