Sankara Nethralaya holds 32nd Institutional Awards Ceremony

The 32nd Institutional Awards Ceremony was held on Saturday, 05th March, 2022 in V.D. Swami Auditorium.  After more than 2 years, parents and families of the students were able to attend the Institutional Awards ceremony and the V D. Auditorium was packed.

The ceremony began with the procession led by Dr. Anuradha, Principal, Dr. Rashima A., HOD- Occupational Optometry Services, and Assistant Professor (ESO), Dr. S. Vishwanathan, HOD- Optometry and Optical Services, Elite School of Optometry, Dr. Anand A. R., Senior Associate Professor and In-charge – Microbiology, Sri Nathella Sampathu Chetty Clinical Laboratory Services, Dr. Ronnie George, President & Director – Research, Director of Glaucoma Services, Dr. Smita Praveen, Director of Academics, Professor Lieutenant – Colonel Dr. Arunachalam Ravikumar, Pro-Vice- Chancellor, Medical & Health Sciences, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Dr. T. S. Surendran, Vice Chairman & Director Pediatric Ophthalmology, Dr. Girish S. Rao, President, and Dr. N. Angayarkanni, Director, Laboratory Services. The Ph. D guides joining these distinguished members of the medical fraternity on the stage were Dr. S. Krishna Kumar, Chief Scientist & Professor, Histopathology Lab, Dr. Umashankar, Dr. K. Koraila Kurian, Dr.Sailaja Elchuri, Senior Principal Scientist / Associate Professor Nanotechnology Lab, and Dr. Jyotirmay Biswas, Director of Uvea Services.

Mr. Durairaj, Ph. D Scholar, rendered the invocation song.  Dr. N. Angayarkanni then welcomed the gathering with an encouraging speech to the students graduating this year. She paid her respects to Dr. S. S. Badrinath, and Dr. (Mrs.) Vasanthi Badrinath.  She welcomed Dr. Girish S. Rao and thanked him for enabling ceremony to move to the real world from the virtual.  Dr. Angayarkanni extended a warm welcome to Dr. T. S. Surendran, the honorable Chief Guest, Dr. Arunachalam Ravikumar, and all the academicians and the Ph.D guides to the awards ceremony

Dr. Anuradha, Principal – ESO, presented the academic report for July 2020-June 2021. The first batch of Post graduates and 27 undergraduates of Elite School of Optometry in collaboration with SASTRA deemed university are the 32nd batch passing out of ESO.  All of whom have found career placements. Post graduate students, Ms. Mehal and Ms. Jannet won the award for best paper presentation and best case report in the India Vision Institute conference, Dr. Rashima received Best Case Report award from the Optometry Council of India, and Dr. Anuradha N. received the Outstanding Contributions to the Public Health award from the Optometry Council of India.  ESO published three science indexed publications in the fields of community ophthalmology, occupational optometry, and Contact Lens.  The ESO staff, students, and educators collaborated on conducting over 10 eye screening camps in rural areas.   Dr. Anuradha N. went on to report the many activities carried out by ESO in spite of the difficulties over the past couple of years.

Then, Dr. Rashima, introduced the Chief Guest, Professor Lt Col Arunachalam Ravikumar MS, Dip NB, DLORCS (England), FRCS (Glasgow), FAMS, Pro-Vice Chancellor, Medical & Health Sciences, SRM Institute of Science and Technology.  Dr. Rashima condensed his impressive 40-page long resume into a two-minute introductory speech.

Dr. Girish S. Rao, President presented the Chief Guest with a welcome gift.  Prof Lt Col Arunachalam Ravikumar took the podium to thank everyone for the honour of addressing the gathering, and he specially thanked the Board of Trustees, Dr. Anuradha N. and Dr. T. S. Surendran.  Prof. Arunachalam reminded students that they were fortunate to study during a time of technological advancements that gave them an advantage in treating their patients. He reminisced about his early years of medical practice and the advances in ophthalmology over the years.  He applauded Sankara Nethralaya for bringing the retinal implant to Indians without disparity.  He encouraged the outgoing students to treat the patient as a whole and keep the patient’s welfare at the forefront. Professor Lt Col Arunachalam Ravikumar concluded his address by thanking everyone once again.

Thereafter, Dr. A. R. Anand, presented the academic activities of the Vidyasagar Institute of Biomedical Technology and Sciences (VIBS) between July 2020 and June 2021.  VIBS was established in 2006 to promote biomedical sciences and biomedical technologies with a generous donation by the Late Padma Shri Iravadam Mahadevan in memory of his son, the Late Shri Vidyasagar.  This academic year, VIBS had 5 Ph.D. Degree Awardees, 4 under the SASTRA deemed to be University, Thanjavur and one under Anna University, Chennai.  Of these, 3 of the candidates were present to receive the award and two were given in absentia.  In the past two decades, Sankara Nethralaya produced 72 PhDs in basic sciences who are shining in all corners of the world.  VIBS boasts of 595 publications in basic medical sciences in the last 2 decades.  The awards were distributed by Dr. Girish S. Rao and the Chief Guest to the ecstatic students.  Dr. A. R. Anand concluded this part of the ceremony by wishing the new PH.Ds the very best for their future.

Click here for list of VIBS awardees

The undergraduates of the Elite School of Optometry rendered the Optometry Oath led by Dr. Viswanathan S., HOD- Optometry services and Assistant Professor, ESO.  Dr. Anuradha N., then invited Prof. Arunachalam to present the newly minted graduates with their Master’s degree certificates.  Ms. Karthiga, M.Optom, delivered a moving and stirring valedictory speech on behalf of the post graduate class, while Ms. Vinodhini delivered the valedictory speech on behalf of the undergraduates.

Dr. Anuradha N. then announced the ESO endowment awards, which were presented by Prof Arunachalam, Dr. T. S. Surendran, and Dr. Rashima.

Click here for list of Elite School of Optometry awardees

Dr. Smita Praveen, Director of Academics, presented the Institutional Awards. Dr. Sheila John, PhD, HoD – Teleophthalmology, was also honored on stage by her guide, Dr. Jyotirmay Biswas. The institutional awards were handed out by Dr. Girish S. Rao, Dr. T. S. Surendran, Dr. Ronnie George and Prof. Arunachalam.

Click here for list of Institutional Awards 2021

The ceremony concluded with Dr. Vishwanathan’s vote of thanks.  He extolled the outgoing students and awardees to remember and uphold the values of their alma mater. He thanked the staff and students for making the event a grand success.

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