Cleft surgery in India - Past, present and future and a model for global knowledge transfer.

This article represents the point of view and philosophy of GSR Institute of Craniomaxillofacial and Facial Plastic Surgery (GSRIFCS) in the management of craniofacial and cleft patients. GSRICFS is a 50 bedded state of art high volume cleft centre in Hyderabad which has accomplished greater than 30000 cleft surgeries. Cleft surgery in India has improved greatly over the last 70 years since the innovations of the Colombo plan to now, resulting in better healthcare facilities, research and transfer of knowledge globally.