omlog: a blog by Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai, India!

New Medical Directors

Dr. Lingam Gopal, Dr. Prema Padmanabhan, Dr. K. Ravishankar are nationally reputed surgeons and Medical Research Foundation is very proud to have them. As senior members of our organization, they have been responsible for the growth of Sankara Nethralaya over the years.

In order to recognize their significant contribution and to enable them to play greater role in taking the organization forward in the years to come, Dr. L. Gopal, Dr. Prema Padmanabhan and Dr. K. Ravishankar were designated as MEDICAL DIRECTORS on June 23, 2004.

We congratulate them and wish them further success.

Navasuja

Navasuja Sankara Nethralaya, functioning since last August to render quality SN Brand Eye-Care to the residents of South Chennai, now caters to nearly 4,500 patients a month. A Computer Vision Clinic, the only one of its kind in India is operational here.

To meet the growing demand for routine investigations – Pathology, Hematology & Bio-chemistry, the necessity for a laboratory was a longfelt need at "Navasuja."

Navasuja Laboratory was inaugurated on Thursday, June 17th at 9.30 a.m. by Prof. Ramakrishnan, Head of Department Bio-chemistry, Vision Research Foundation, by performing the customary pooja. Dr. Vasanthi
Badrinath, Director, Laboratory services participated along with Dr. S.S. Badrinath, President & Chairman. Mr. C.V. Krishnan, CEO, Medical Research Foundation was also present. The Navasuja team was present in full strength.

The lab is a great value addition to render consistent quality service to the patients under one roof. A plume more than a feather shall we say?

A New Avatar

We would like to let you all know that henceforth "Ophthalmic Mission Trust, Inc." will  be known as "Sankara Nethralaya OM Trust , Inc."

There will be no changes in our e-mail address or our mailing address. Donations favouring "Sankara Nethralaya OM Trust" can be mailed to us at:

The Sankara Nethralaya Ophthalmic Mission Trust, Inc.,
Attn: Mr. Acharya, Treasurer
14613 Pommel Drive
Rockvile, MD 20850

A Trusted Recognition

The Sir Ratan Tata Trust is one of India’s oldest grant-bestowing foundations. It was established in 1918, following the death of Sir Ratan Tata, and it operates in accordance with his will. Sir Ratan wanted to establish a trust that would help further "the advancement of education, learning and industry in all its branches."

Trustees of the Sir Ratan Tata Trust have approved a Corpus fund grant of Rs. 55,000,000 ($ 1.1 million) to Medical Research Foundation (MRF), a unit of Sankara Nethralaya.

Their letter of May 26, 2004 addressed to Sankara Nethralaya's Chairman Dr. S.S. Badrinath, states:

"The Corpus Fund Grant to the Medical Research Foundation has been awarded by the Trust in recognition of its pioneering work since 1978, as a Mission Driven Institution."

The grant spread over the next five years commencing from June 1, 2004 will be disbursed in instalments. In an appraisal conducted by the Trust in December 2002 and May 2003, they have observed that Medical Research Foundation has all the characteristics of a HIGH PERFORMING KNOWLEDGE INSTITUTION (HPKI) – mission driven, a proven track record, acknowledged nationally and internationally for its expertise and excellence in Ophthalmic care with almost all eye sub-specialities, good management systems, a vibrant set of human resources and a participative system of decision-making.

The Trust further extends every good wish for the successful future to the Medical Research Foundation.