REFUGEE

P.Namperumalsamy, Chairman of Aravind Eye Care System being feted by M.M.Rajendran, Former Governor of Orissa, at Velammal College of Engineering and Technology in Madurai on Sunday. N.Murali, Managing Director of THE HINDU and K.Srikkanth, Indian Cricket Team Selection Committee Chairman are also seen in the picture. The Aravind Eye Care System in Madurai was commended by speakers in a function held here on Sunday where it was conferred the ‘Pride of South Tamil Nadu 2009’ Award by the Velammal Educational Trust for its distinguished success.

N. Murali, Managing Director, The Hindu, who presided the award presentation function, said that the beauty of Aravind model was that it charges only for 30 to 35 per cent of patients and the remaining get treatment almost free of cost.

“The hospital owes its success to its legendary founder G. Venkatasamy who evolved a model where low cost does not mean the standards were compromised,” he said.

Worthy recipient

“Dr.Venkatasamy’s dream was to eradicate treatable blindness and hence came out with a low cost health delivery model and that too not at the cost of excellence in treatment,” Mr. Murali said.

Stating that Aravind Eye Care System is a worthy and fitting institution for the award, he added that the Aravind model became a case study in business schools too.

M.M. Rajendran, former Governor of Orissa, said that Aravind Eye Care System has been a trailblazer in eye care and its cross subsidisation model is benefiting lakhs of people particularly in rural areas.

The award, carrying a cash prize of Rs.1 lakh and a memento, was instituted by the Velammal Educational Trust, and it will be presented every year to eminent achievers in southern Tamil Nadu.

P. Namperumalsamy, Chairman, Aravind Eye Care System, who received the award on behalf of the institution, said that the hospital’s founder took every obstacle as an opportunity.

M.V. Muthuramalingam, Chairman, Velammal Educational Trust, in his welcome address said that a chain of programmes were being organised in the group of Velammal educational institutions to motivate students for achieving success in their chosen fields.

Krishnamachari Srikkanth, Selection Committee Chairman, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), congratulated the Aravind Eye Care System and said that the award would motivate people to achieve more.