Biography: DGND Dr. Maksud Chowdhury

Dr. Maksud A. Chowdhury, District Governor Nominee Designee (DGND) is a charter member of the Rotary E-Club of Heritage, New York, and has been selected to serve as District Governor of Rotary District 7230 for the Rotary year 2026-27. He served as Club President for 2022-23 and 2023-24. On May 6, 2023, Dr. Chowdhury was awarded "President of the Year” by Rotary District 7230, NY for his dedication, and success in growing his Club's membership from 20 to 36, creating new a community based Rotaract club, and since then has added 8 new members in the newly chartered Rotary Satellite Club of Heritage NY Health.

He has been closely involved in conceptualizing and implementing his Club's multiple District grants in the last three years and stepped up as the International Partner of a just concluded Global Grant Project. He has organized multiple CPR awareness and training courses for the community in collaboration with the American Heart Association and PEDSI Global Health, blood donation drives, and workshops for international medical graduates.

Dr. Chowdhury's philanthropic activities have extended widely. He and his wife President-elect Dr. Shamim Begum are both Paul Harris Fellows and, in his quest to make effective and meaningful difference, reaffirming his commitment to Rotary, Dr. Chowdhury has just established a Donor Advised Fund (DAF) with The Rotary Foundation, contributing $25,000 towards its initial fund.

DGND Maksud has organized multiple humanitarian projects nationally and globally, advocating at the US Senate on Capitol Hill, to protect children and young people from social media, in collaboration with American Academy of Pediatrics.

Dr. Chowdhury is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at St. George's University School of Medicine, and an Adjunct Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the Touro School of Osteopathic Medicine and the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine. He is also an Attending Physician at Coney Island Hospital and Faculty Member at SUNY Downstate University, Brooklyn, NY.

Dr. Chowdhury obtained his medical degree from the Chittagong Medical College in Bangladesh. He then obtained Membership of the Royal College of Physicians in the United Kingdom (MRCP-UK)) and a Diploma in Child Health (DCH).

After completing his U.S. residency in Pediatrics at the Lincoln Medical Center and Cornell University School of Medicine in New York, Dr. Chowdhury then pursued a fellowship in Pediatric Nephrology at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York. Dr. Chowdhury is presently affiliated with the Cohen Children's Hospital, North Shore Hospital, Long Island Jewish (LIJ) Hospital, Maimonides Medical Center, Coney Island Hospital, Jamaica Medical Center, and Queens General Hospital. He is a CPR Trainer certified by the American Heart Association.

Dr. Chowdhury is the co-author of a medical guideline "Global Health Guidelines for School Health Services in Developing Countries" published in November 2018. He also authored a chapter in a companion handbook titled "Covid 19: Case Based Approach," published in June 2020. He is also the co-author of the upcoming "Guideline for Field Health Care in Developing Countries During Disasters”, (publication anticipated in mid-2024). He has also co-authored a research publication titled "Correlation of Urinary Cytokine Transcript with Renal Allograft Rejection", in July 2000.

Outside of medical practice, Dr. Chowdhury is actively involved in the Bangladeshi-American community and Rotary international. He is the Co-founder and President of the Pediatric Education Development Society International (PEDSI) Global Health, a global non-profit organization. Dr. Chowdhury is a former National President of the Bangladesh Medical Association of North America (BMANA) 2011-2013.

During his 2 years as BMANA President, he actively worked to develop educational activities in Bangladesh. He has helped create CPR awareness in Bangladesh and in the USA, by coordinating CPR training, in conjunction with the American Heart Association, AARP and BMANA conducting CPR certificate courses. He has helped establish CPR training centers in Bangladesh.

His other activities include the donation of defibrillators to institutions, including to a Chaplains Group here in the Bronx, focusing on improvement of Emergency Services by educating staff. developing guidelines, policies and setting up emergency equipment with the help of local administrations. Dr. Chowdhury created the BMANA Educational team to develop new hands-on training and workshops based on the interest of members. He organized the handover of a newly built cyclone shelter by BMANA to the Bangladesh government in presence of the US Ambassador to Bangladesh. He spearheaded the strengthening of the organizational structure of BMANA for the future, by establishing a By-Laws Committee consisting of 7 members, including 5 past presidents, to update the BMANA Constitution which improves member rights, election procedures, and overall efficiency of the organization.

In 2012, he was awarded the South Asian Community Service Award by the Nassau County Chief Executive. In 2008, Dr. Chowdhury received the Best Doctor Award from the Coney Island Hospital. He has also been awarded the Best Teacher award in 2004, 2005, and 2008 from the Department of Pediatrics of Maimonides Medical Center.

Dr. Chowdhury is married with two children and two grand-children. His wife, Rtn. Dr. Shamim Begum is a physician at the Long Island Developmental Disabilities Service Office (LIDDSO). His daughter, Dr. Naema Chowdhury is a Pediatric Pulmonologist at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and is a Rotarian, His son, Ryan Chowdhury, Esq. is a Patent Attorney and a Rotarian as well.