Sankara Nethralaya. A Mission For Vision

To commemorate International Women’s Day on March 8, 2010, the Madras University honoured 30 women alumni in recognition for their contribution and service to society. Dr. K. Lily Therese, Professor & HoD, Microbiology, from the L&T Microbiology Centre at Sankara Nethralaya was honoured for her work in Molecular Microbiology on the occasion.

The scorching heat failed to sap the enthusiasm of participants at Sankara Nethralaya’s annual sports day meet held on February 28, 2010 as employees and their children put to test their fitness and agility in a series of fun-filled events.

Apart from various athletic events, participants competed with each other in walking race, passing the ball, needle & thread, lemon & spoon and musical chairs. Sports enthusiasts were tested on their sporting knowledge in a quiz competition hosted by SWAN volunteers Ms. Surekha Mehta and Ms. Hema Vaidyalingam.

The event commenced with the flag hoisting ceremony. Welcoming the gathering, Sankara Nethralaya Chairman Mr. V Vaidyanathan spoke on the importance of exercises and the need for individuals to embrace it in their day-to-day activities.
Winners were felicitated at the prize distribution ceremony.

The Madras Medical College, one of the premier medical institutes in the country, as part of its 175th anniversary celebrations honoured its alumni who have rendered yeomen service to society. Chairman Emeritus Dr. SS Badrinath was recognized by his alma mater as a life time achiever for the remarkable services rendered by him as an alumnus of the Madras Medical College. Dr. Badrinath, along with several other alumni, was presented with the honour at a function held on February 28,2010 in Chennai.

(from left) Mr. S Narayanan, VRF Manager, Dr. HN Madhavan, President, VRF, Dr. P. Balaram, Director IISc and Mr. Mohan Das, Registrar, IISc following the signing of an MoU between the institutes.

Sankara Nethralaya and the Indian Institute of Sciences, Bangalore, have joined hands to pursue research and academic interests in engineering and sciences. Under a Memorandum of Understanding, signed between the Vision Research Foundation, (the research wing of Sankara Nethralaya) Chennai, and the Indian Institute of Sciences, on February 24, 2010, the institutes will undertake collaborative research in Genetics, Microbiology, Clinical Proteomics, Bioinformatics and Structural Biology. As part of the agreement, the institutes will also encourage their students and faculty to undertake joint research projects. Student exchange programmes are also on the anvil.

The MoU was signed by Dr. Madhavan, President VRF and by Mr. Mohan Das, Registrar, IISc in the presence of IISc Director Dr. Balaram and other HoDs at the IISc campus in Bangalore.

IISc Director Dr. P Balaram; Prof. D Narasimha Rao, Divisional Chairperson, Department of Biochemistry, IISc , Prof. Easwaran and scientists from both institutes were also present on the occasion. Dr. Madhavan elaborated about the various research activities undertaken by VRF not only in the ophthalmic field but also in stem cell, bioinformatics and molecular biology.

Chairman Emeritus Dr. SS Badrinath was presented with the FICCI Award for Lifetime Achievement on February 20, 2010 by Principal Secretary, Health, V.K. Subburaj.

Accepting the award, Dr. Badrinath applauded Chief Minister Shri. M. Karunanidhi’s Insurance Scheme, which enables people from all sections of society to avail good medical care at the best institutions, and said a complete redrafting of the medical education sector was in order.

The Hindu, February 21, 2010

Through data acquired over the last 25 years, Dr. Ravindra D Bapat spoke at length on the need to look for alternatives in the Ayurvedic system of medicine at the annual Sri. V. Venugopal Endowment lecture at Sankara Nethralaya on February 6, 2010. While the modern scientific medicine continues to appeal to the scientific enquiring mind, because it explains the cause and effect relationship and proposes treatment, Dr. Bapat said that there were still a number of grey areas which were still not properly understood.

His talk on “Lacunae in Modern Medicine, why shun Ayurved!,” also touched upon the future challenges that modern scientific medicine is likely to face, including side effects of drugs, antibiotic resistance, use of biotechnology, cost intensive health care, effect of industrialization etc.

Dr. Bapat is at present the Vice-Chancellor of the Mahatma Gandhi Mission University of Health Sciences. He is also Professor Emeritus, Department of Surgical Gastroenterology, Seth G. S. Medical College and K. E. M. Hospital, Parel, Mumbai.
A recipient of numerous awards, Dr. Bapat has also authored many books.

The Sri. V Venugopal Endowment lecture was instituted by his son (late) Sri. V Mohan Rao, former President Medical Research Foundation, and his family with the laudable intention of disseminating preventive, curative and research-based data on health and healthcare  to public at large.

An ‘Executive Vision Clinic’ was inaugurated at the Olympia Park, Guindy on February 4, 2010.

Functioning from Monday to Saturday, the clinic will offer counselling on computer vision syndrome apart from regular ophthalmic examination. Those who need further treatment will be referred to the CU Shah Sankara Nethralaya hospital at St. Thomas Mount, Chennai.
 
Sankara Nethralaya Chairman Emeritus Dr. SS Badrinath, Chief General Manager Mr. P.R.Raveendran and General Manager Ms. Akila Ganesan participated at the function.

From left: Dr. T S Surendran, Dr. Vineet Ratra, Chairman Emeritus Dr. SS Badrinath, Chief Guest Lion K G Ramakrishna Murthy,  Chairman Mr. V Vaidyanathan and  Dr. V V Jaichandran along with the award winners.

The clarion call for service marked the 61st Republic Day celebrations held at Sankara Nethralaya on January 26, 2010. 

Chief Guest, Lion K G Ramakrishna Murthy, Past International Director, Lions club International, who unfurled the flag on the occasion, urged the gathering to follow and build on the path of service, truthfulness and humility — qualities which will serve the well-being of the future generations. Describing Chairman Emeritus Dr. SS Badrinath as a “soul amongst us,” he credited Dr. Badrinath for “bringing about a corporate culture in social responsibility.”  

Service awards for employees who have completed 10 & 20 years respectively were presented on the occasion. Merit award for employees’ children and certificates to Ophthalmic Nursing Assistants & Ophthalmic Theatre Assistants were also given.

Sankara Nethralaya received from Shriram Transport and Finance Company Ltd., Mumbai, through Lion GV Raman, Group Executive Chairman, a “humble contribution” of Rs. 10 lakhs. Also on the occasion, Lion Raghunathan, Past District Governor, pledged a lead gift of $100,000 to the Lions Club International Foundation and designated this gift to Sankara Nethralaya.

The 75th Jayanthi celebration of his Holiness Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Swamigal of the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam was held at Sankara Nethralaya on January 25, 2010.

Describing Chairman Emeritus, Dr. Badrinath as the “aatma” to the “parmatama,” Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Swamigal spoke on the importance of vision — the eye being the most important organ — and lauded the efforts of Sankara Nethralaya in providing quality and affordable ophthalmic care to society.

His Holiness also blessed Sankara Nethralaya’s latest undertaking — The Sankara Nethralaya Academy —, the proposal of which was submitted to His Holiness for his blessings.  In its continued efforts to ensure quality ophthalmic services, Sankara Nethralaya will set up The Sankara Nethralaya Academy — a one-of-its-kind academy — which will offer wide-ranging certificate and fellowship programmes to train ophthalmologist, optometrists, nurses and administration personnel. According to Chairman Emeritus Dr. SS Badrinath, the programmes, which will commence from April 2010, will teach and train personnel working in eye hospitals, the “A to Z on how to perform, conduct in a service-oriented organisation and deliver care in a professional manner.”

Sankara Nethralaya to launch academy
The Hindu, January 26, 2010

Sankara Nethralaya to set up academy
Times of India, February 1, 2010

Chennai’s Sankara Nethralaya to launch training academy
India news, February 19, 2010

Expert ophthalmic opinion coupled with competitions for students and a walk to highlight the importance of paediatric ophthalmology was part of the two-day awareness programme conducted recently by the Elite School of Optometry (ESO) and CU Shah Sankara Nethralaya. 

Held on January 23 and 24, the awareness programme was attended by over 600 people, including around 350 students who underwent a free and comprehensive eye examination.  The awareness session kick-started on January 23 with a “Walk,” to highlight the importance of “Child Eye Care,” which was flagged off by eminent film and theatre personality Kalaimamani S. Ve. Shekhar.

Describing the initiative, by ESO and CU Shah Sankara Nethralaya in spreading awareness among the public, as “innovative,” Mr. Shekhar described the efforts as a “great service to humanity.”