Dr. Ashutosh Shah at DFSICON 2026: Key Highlights from India's Diabetic Foot Conference in Bengaluru

Dr. Ashutosh Shah, plastic surgeon and director of Elegance Clinic and Elegance Diabetic Foot & Ulcer Clinic, Surat, attended DFSICON 2026, the 23rd Annual Conference of the Diabetic Foot Society of India (DFSI). The four-day conference was held from 1 to 4 October 2026 at Hilton Garden Inn Bengaluru, Embassy Manyata Business Park, under the theme "Digital Foot Prints in Limb Preservation."

The meeting brought together about 700 delegates and more than 120 national and international faculty. Diabetologists, vascular surgeons, orthopaedic and plastic surgeons, podiatrists, infection specialists and wound-care experts gathered with one shared aim: to protect the feet, and the lives, of people living with diabetes.

For Dr. Ashutosh Shah, the conference was a chance to learn, share and connect with colleagues from India and abroad, and to bring the latest thinking in diabetic foot care back to his patients in Surat and South Gujarat.

What is DFSICON?

DFSICON is the annual scientific conference of the Diabetic Foot Society of India, the country's leading professional body for diabetic foot care. Each year it gathers every specialty involved in treating the diabetic foot, because no single doctor can manage this condition alone. Saving a limb usually needs a team: a diabetologist to control blood sugar, a vascular surgeon to restore blood flow, a surgeon to clean and close the wound, and a footwear or podiatry expert to prevent it from coming back.

This year's edition was inaugurated by Sri U. T. Khader, Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Government of Karnataka.

The theme: Digital Foot Prints in Limb Preservation

The 2026 theme focused on one question: how can technology help doctors find foot problems earlier and treat them better? Many diabetic foot amputations happen not because treatment is unavailable, but because the problem is noticed too late. Digital tools that help with screening, wound tracking and patient education can close that gap, especially in a country as large as India.

A global declaration signed in Bengaluru

The biggest moment of the conference came on 3 October, when eight organisations from four continents signed the Joint Declaration on Diabetic Foot Survival and Limb Preservation. The signatories were:

• Diabetic Foot Society of India (DFSI)
• Podiatric Surgeons' Society
• King's College Hospital Diabetic Foot Unit, London
• International Association of Diabetic Foot Surgeons (IADFS)
• D-Foot International
• Pan-African Diabetic Foot Study Group (PADFSG)
• American Limb Preservation Society (ALPS)
• International Federation of Podiatrists (FIP-IFP)

Together they committed to one agenda for diabetic foot disease: prevention, early detection, timely referral, multidisciplinary care, limb preservation and rehabilitation. They also called on governments and the World Health Organization to give the condition the priority it deserves, and announced their plan to form a Global Alliance for Diabetic Foot Survival and Limb Preservation.

For patients, this matters. It means the world's leading diabetic foot experts now agree on a common path, and that path starts with catching problems early.

New tools launched at DFSICON 2026

In keeping with the digital theme, the conference saw the launch of:

• StrideGPT: an AI assistant that answers questions about the diabetic foot for patients and doctors.
• Wound360: a mobile app that assesses a wound from a photograph, helping doctors record and track healing over time.
• A Step Ahead: a coffee table book on footwear and foot health.

The team behind PRAIAS, a nationwide diabetic foot screening and awareness programme, was also honoured for its work.

Why diabetic foot care matters so much in India

Diabetic foot disease is one of the leading causes of amputation, disability and early death among people with diabetes, yet it remains one of the most neglected complications. India is home to more than 100 million people with diabetes, so the number of people at risk is very large.

The good news is that many of these amputations can be prevented. High blood sugar over time damages the nerves in the feet, so a person may not feel a small cut, blister or shoe bite. It can also narrow the blood vessels, so wounds heal slowly. A minor wound that goes unnoticed can become infected and spread to the bone. Caught early, the same wound can usually be treated and healed.

The role of a plastic surgeon in diabetic foot care

Many people are surprised to learn that plastic surgeons play an important part in limb salvage. Once infection is controlled and blood supply is adequate, a large or deep wound often needs to be closed. Plastic surgery techniques such as skin grafts and flaps help cover these wounds so they heal faster and stay healed. Surgical offloading, which reduces pressure on high-risk areas of the foot, can help stop ulcers from coming back.

Dr. Ashutosh Shah has a long association with diabetic foot care. He attended the Diabetic Foot Society of India conference in Goa in 2022 and has delivered a lecture on surgical offloading for diabetic foot to the Association of Physicians of Surat. Conferences like DFSICON help him stay up to date with the latest evidence and techniques.

Warning signs: when to see a doctor

If you have diabetes, see a doctor without delay if you notice any of these:

• A cut, blister or wound on the foot that is not healing
• Redness, swelling, warmth or a bad smell from the foot
• Pus or discharge from a wound, or fever along with a foot wound
• Numbness, tingling, burning or loss of feeling in the feet
• A change in skin colour of the foot or toes (pale, blue or black)
• Hard skin (corns or calluses) that cracks or bleeds

Simple daily habits that protect your feet

• Check your feet every day, including between the toes and the soles. Use a mirror or ask a family member if needed.
• Never walk barefoot, even at home or at a temple.
• Wear well-fitting footwear with soft insides. Check inside your shoes before wearing them.
• Wash and dry your feet daily, especially between the toes.
• Do not cut corns yourself or use corn caps or chemicals.
• Keep your blood sugar under control and get your feet examined by a doctor regularly.

Book a consultation

If you or a family member has diabetes and a foot wound that is not healing, do not wait. Early care is the best way to save a limb. Book a consultation with Dr. Ashutosh Shah or call +91 8320500350.