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Their mission is to provide vision

Photo: S. James

SERVICE ORIENTED At the helm of eye care

It is never easy to write about people who are well known and highly respected in their profession, established public figures with tons of articles written about them, honoured with numerous awards and whose name and fame has crossed territorial boundaries.

After decades of hard work, they are still unflinching in their zeal to take on more tasks, shoulder more responsibilities and carry forward the family legacy of special values and principles of helping the poor. For, that is the greatest tribute they can pay to their mentor and guide and the founder of Aravind Eye Hospitals, Dr.G.Venkataswamy.

As I sit in reverence by the photo of Dr.V in the neatly arranged office of Dr.P.Namperumalsamy, the chairman of Aravind Eye Care System, landlines and the mobiles refuse to go silent. He answers them all with a smile. Somebody wants to set up a hospital in collaboration with Aravind, another wants a job or admission, somebody else wants to invite him to a function, another call reminds him of an unfinished paper…In between, he puts his signatures on a few sheets and browses through a journal for some quick reference.

In walks his partner of 50 years, Dr.G Natchiar, the Vice-chairman of the group, not surprised that the interview has not started. “We were waiting for you,” I smile. She flashes back her characteristic smile: “That’s very much like him”.

“I want to know all that others do not know about you,” I gather guts. Both raise their eyebrows, look at each other and it’s a “ladies’ first”: “I don’t enjoy cooking.”

That’s enough to roll off a four-hour session full of jokes and anecdotes. Dr.Nam, as he is fondly called, remembers their two-year fellowship programme in Chicago, in 1971, with nine dollars in pocket and leaving behind their two boys – aged five years and nine months.

“We fought emotions at various levels in the hope that it will pay off one day. That was the place where she was forced to learn cooking and also where she cooked last!”, he reveals.

The gracious couple tug at each other fondly recalling how she struggled to make ‘chapatti and minced meat’ in the US and that she is an instant food maker whipping up only the basic dal-chawal-subzi for the family, even though all the members love to eat and try out variety of dishes. But as a tough mom she keeps temptations at bay!

Nostalgia, no doubt, throws up fond memories. For this power pair in the field of Ophthalmology, nostalgia also unveils their commitment to the chosen field, leaving them with little time for anything else.

And when you have a hard taskmaster and a strict disciplinarian in a brother like Dr.V, who only talked cataract and blindness, eye camps and public service, there was no escape from work. “But we never felt it. That was the charm of working under him,” asserts his youngest sister Dr.GN.

God etched out similar destinies for them. Both were born into farmer families in Tiruvelveli and came to Madurai after securing MBBS seats in the Medical College in 1958. Both were classmates and entered ophthalmology not by choice.

He was chasing a dream to become an engineer till a family friend dissuaded him citing various hardships. When he joined the medical course, he was in a hurry to finish it and help his father. “I was focussed on my studies only,” he says when I ask him whether cupid struck.

She returns: “I was more talkative. But I hardly knew him, unaware that he came from a similar farming background. When we were House Surgeons, it was a mutual proposal from both families and we got married in 1965.”

Dr.GN, initially interested in doing paediatrics, was caught between her husband — who did not want her to take up ophthalmology as he felt it may not be good for both to be in the same discipline — and her brother, who persuaded her to join Ophthalmology as there were not many that time and women even fewer.

“We felt it will be competitive but now it has turned out to be complementary,” says Dr.GN.

“For 41 years, I donned every role, from a steno, to a typist and an assistant, travelling along to every camp from my under-graduate days. I got coached at every step. He has been the strongest influence on me,” says Dr.Nam of his brother-in-law.

“He was a teacher first, demanding discipline, punctuality and adherence to rules and treated everybody equally. Sometimes I used to think why is he cruel even to me. Never did he give me lift in his vehicle when he saw me walking to the college in my last term of pregnancy. But now we realise the importance of sacrifice, constantly educating ourselves and working for the people and how he rewarded us by getting us more opportunities,” adds Dr.GN.

“He never planned anything, not even the first Aravind eye Hospital in Madurai. When he started accidentally in 1976, we had no belief, but then everything evolved beautifully. He was a dreamer living ahead of his times. With his organisational capability he ensured that we were able to execute his dreams,” echo both.

How far is the couple, now at the helm, able to live the dreams of Dr.V. “We know we can’t take liberties with his work or memory and have carefully taken the lead. He groomed us to every detail and trusted us, which gives us the courage and experience to manage the institutions. Today’s generation is different. They constantly need to be motivated and appreciated. They cannot be simply ordered. What remains intact is our commitment to compassionate care.”

Aravind’s innovative business model of preventing debilitating blindness through affordable, high quality care to every patient is at the core of every service they offer. With statistics of 18 lakhs out patients and over 300,000 surgeries in a year and a target of reaching one million surgeries to prevent avoidable blindness, Dr.Nam asserts “all people have a right to sight and we are working towards it”.

With 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. schedule excluding the travelling they do and meetings they attend or address, where is the time to relax. Inevitably they remember Dr.V’s words: “When you are going out of Madurai for a camp, you are relaxing. Your heart never takes holidays, what will happen if your brain relaxes. Only if you enjoy your work, you will be relaxed.”

While Dr.Nam is still quite active in research and has over 150 papers published in national and international journals, Dr.GN’s passion to reach out to the community is unwavering. She is also obsessed with farming and set up the Auro Farm at Karuppayoorani. “People think I am a farmer and less of a doctor now,” she chuckles adding that she is taking people from their village for a trip to Brindavan and Mathura this October. “We will all travel by train, stay in the ashram. I enjoy doing this and like my brother, give more importance to common sense, positive attitude, values in life and willingness to learn.”

For Dr.Nam, transforming his native village in Ambassamudram has been a major accomplishment. “I believe in my ideas and planning my work. When I set a goal I do not rest till I reach it,” he says.

The couple hardly finds time for themselves but try to keep their Sundays free for their grandchildren. ”We are simple people with no hi-fi interests or hobbies. Work is our goal,” they quip as Dr.Nam shares his favourite song “Ovvoru Pookalume …” from the Tamil film “Autograph” which epitomises his life.

POSITIONS: Is the Chairman, Aravind Eye Care System since 2006; Founder member of the Govel Trust, which runs the Aravind Eye Hospital and PG Institute of Ophthalmology; President of Dr.G.Venkataswamy Eye Research Foundation; Member, Key Advisory Advisory Group of Experts Committee, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, Delhi.

ACHIEVEMENTS: Started the Low Vision Aid Clinic in Government Erskine Hospital, Madurai, 1967 and the country’s first Vitreous Surgery Centre in Government Rajaji Hospital, 1975. Underwent training in Diabetic Retinopathy at University of Illinois, 1972 and a course in Retinal Detachment and vitreous Surgery at Harvard University, 1977.

Integrated modern information technology for eye care delivery in the form of developing vision centres and also connecting all the satellite hospitals by telemedicine. Initiated research studies in basic and immunological aspects in ophthalmology including stem cell research for ocular surface disorders and hereditary eye diseases in collaboration with University of Iowa and National Eye Institute, Bethesda, USA.

HONOURS: Recipient of over a dozen Oration gold medals. Awarded the Padma Shri, 2007 and Dr.B.C.Roy Award, 2006 in the category of eminent medical teacher.

Received ‘Best Teacher’ award, Andhra Pradesh Academic Sciences, 1988. ‘Teacher par Excellence Award’, Retina Institute of Karnataka, 2006. ‘Most outstanding retinal surgeon of the millennium 2000’ Award for distinguished service to humanity, Tamil Nadu Senior Citizens & Pensioners Welfare Association, 2002. K.G.P Chidambaram Memorial Gold Medal Award, Nalam Hospital & Diabetic Centre towards his outstanding services in the field of Ophthalmology and for the benevolent contribution to the community eye care, 2005. Achievement Award by the American Academy of Ophthalmology, 2006, Lifetime achievement award by the All India Ophthalmological Society, 2007. Health Care and Life Sciences Award 2008, Ernst & Young Entrepreneurship, Mumbai. For the Sake of Honour Award 2008, Rotary International, Madurai

POSITIONS: Was Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology, Madurai Medical College, 1969 and Neuro-Ophthalmology, 1973 to 1977. Fellowship in Ophthalmic Pathology at University of Illinois, Chicago, 1972 and in Neuro Ophthalmology, Harvard University, Boston, 1978; Joined Aravind Eye Hospital as Medical Officer, 1979; Adjunct Associate Professor Ophthalmology, Abraham Lincoln School of Medicine, University of Illinois, Chicago, USA, from 1981; Professor in Ophthalmology, Aravind Eye Hospital & Post Graduate Institute of Ophthalmology, Madurai, from 1989. Became Director of Human Resource Development Department in 2005 and vice chairman of Aravind Eye Care System in 2006.

AWARDS: Received several oration gold medals besides the "Best Medico Social Worker" award, Andhra Pradesh Academy of Sciences; "For the sake of honour", Rotary Club of Madurai. Received "Rotary Humanitarian Service Award", Chidambaram Mid-Town Rotary Club, 1999. "Nethra Seva Ratna" Lions Club, 2000. "Doctors Day" award, Indian Medical Association, Madras, Tamil Nadu 2001. "Nethra Dharshini", Rotary club of Trichy & Srirangam, 2002. "Mehra Award", Indian Alumni Group of ICEH, London 2005.

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