JAGADGURU KANCHI SRI CHANDRASEKARENDRA SARASWATHI NETHRA NILAYAM

THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS - 24.5.2000

The first anniversary of Jagadguru Kanchi Sri Chandrasekarendra Saraswathi Nethra Nilayam was observed on 24.5.2000

To commemorate the 107th Birth Anniversary of the Kanchi Mahaswamy, several projects were undertaken with the help and financial support of friends and wellwishers of the foundation. Free saris and dhotis were distributed to 107 self-development books were distributed to deserving school children. Free food was provided for 107 poor people. At Jaslok Community Ophthalmic Centre 107 free cataract surgeries with intraocular lens implantation were performed on deserving poor patients.

His Holiness Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Swamigal graced the premises of Sankara Nethralaya and the new addition which had completed its first year of service. The guests of honour who spoke on the occasion were Sri V Shankar of Mumbai, Justice M M Ismail from Chennai and Sri Jagdish Chanrai from London. Others who spoke included Sri T N Seshan. Dr Prema Padmanabhan, Asst. Medical Director welcomed the gathering in chaste Sanskrit while Dr S S Badrinath, Chairman introduced the guests of honour. His Holiness Sri Jayendra Saraswathi blessed the gathering and delivered the anugraha bashanam. A multimedia presentation titled "Jaya Jaya Sankara, Hara Hara Sankara" created by the Multimedia section of the Sankara Nethralaya traced the continuing association of His Holiness and the Kanchi Kamokoti Peetam with Sankara Nethralaya since its inceptio in 1978.

JAGADGURU KANCHI SRI CHANDRASEKARENDRA

SARASWATHI NETHRA NILAUAM

The First Year - In Retrospect

One year has gone by since we invoked the divine grace that our human endeavors be blessed to accomplish a divine will. Our efforts have been sincere.

195 members of the Nethralaya family work within the walls of the Nethra Nilayam. This complex has two buildings. The Jaslok community Ophthalmic Centre has 68 beds and 5 efficiently functioning operation tables. This centre offers its services not only to deserving patients with limited financial resources, but also to patients in villages in Kanchipuram and Thiruvallur districts by the Rural Outreach Programme. Several non governmental organisations such as the Tulsi Trust, Singhvi Charitable Trust, Sathya Sai Group and Lions Club screen patients at peripheral centres. Those requiring treatment are bought to Sankara Nethralaya, where Dr R Ashok, Dr Rashmin Gandhi, Dr Smita praveen, Dr Anita Chopra and Dr L Arun give them the opththalmic care that they require.

The H T Parekh Block had 65 beds and 5 operation theatres where a wide variety of surgeries are performed.

In the past one year, the Jagadguru Kanchi Sri Chandrasekarandra Saraswathi Nethra Nilayam has seen 90,956 patients in the Outpatient departments of which 60.62% were seen free. The Nethra Nilayam performed 15,612 surgeries of which 56.34% were performed free for deserving poor patients.

Here at Sankara Nethralaya we have instinctively adopted Rudyard Kipling's famous injunction "If you can walk with crowds and keep your virtues, and talk with kings nor lose the common touch". It is no exaggeration that people from all walks of life have entered these gates. If they leave these portals with a sense of satisfaction that they have received the best of care, we would have achieved the purpose for which we as an institution were created.

The Bhavad Gita gives us a divine assurance "whatsoever be the form of worship, if it is done with shradda, I shall make it unwavering". In Nethralaya, we have been taught but one form of worship. Therefore on the occasion of 107th Birth Anniversary of the Kanchi Mahaswamy, our tribute took the form of performing 107 cataract surgeries with intraocular lens implantation completely free of cost to deserving patients. Dr Ashok and his team of surgeons, Mr Natana Arasu and his enthusiastic band of operation theatre staff, and Mr Sivakumar and his task force including nurses and SWAN volunteers working together for three days was a shining example of what shradda means. We offer this effort and its fruits at the holy feet of the great sage of Kanchi. May his karunalaya ever sustain out Nethralaya.

Dr Prema Padmanabhan. Asst.Medical Director

Mr V Shankar is well known as a Charatered Accountant and Company Secretary. He was Introduced a little more than a year ago to Dr. Badrinath by Dr Natarajan at Mumbai.

Mr Shankar is a philanthropist and is the Honorary secretary of South India Educational Society which has been performing yeomen service in the field of education for several decades. He His also the Chairman of The Kanchi Kamakoti Childs Trust Hospital which was founded by His Holiness recently. He has taken up as his life mission the propagation of the teachings of Kanchi Mahaswamy. Mr. Shankar is closely associated with the Sankar Mutt at Kanchi. He has also helped Nethralaya, and the new complex which bears the name of the Mahaswamy, is his child.

The follwoing is an adaptation of the eloquent speech made by Mr. V.Shankar on the occasion of the first anniversary celebrations of Sri Chandrasekarendra Saraswathi Nethra nilayam, which was blessed by the presence of His Holiness Shri Jayendra Saraswathi Swamigal of the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam.

I Have great pleasure in associating myself with this function. Any function or activity that in the remotest way invokes the name of kanchi mahaswamy brings in a great sense of devotion, exhilaration and joy.

We should be to grateful to the gods for it was in our thimes that the Mahaswamy traversed this earth. We were witness to one of the greatest saints of our times, a true karmayogi, a gnanayogi, a jeevanamuktha. The Kanchi Mahaswamy during the 100 years of his life, travelled the length and breadth of this country spreading compassion and goodwill. The Lord himself has been described as being endowed with all auspicious qualities. The Mahaswamy was endowed with all the auspicious qualities that the Lord himself had. This was why he was referred to as " Nadamadum DEivam" the God amongst men. This master of masters was like a shining light that rekindled the spirit of the nation and brought a renaissance in education, religion and culture. Such was the power of his influence that when he left his mortal self on 8th Jan 1994, not only the Hindus but also Muslims and Christians in large numbers offered prayers and paid their last respects to the Mahaswamy. Such was the greatness of the mahaswamy that if anyone else could be compared to him, it was the great Adi Sankara himself, 2500 years ago.

Our saints and great men lived for others and this was true of the Mahaswamy himself. In one of the rare personal commentaries that the Mahaswamy gave, he spoke about what life has taught him and he said that there exist people who lived for others.

" Sankara Nethralaya deserves your support - phusical, moral and financial."

In Viveka Choodamani, the Great master speaks of the rarity of human birth. He says that to be born as a human being is difficult. To be born a Brahman, is even more so. to perform one's religious duty is not easy. After this to have the mind to discriminate between ignorance and reality is difficult indeed. And after have in attained this attribute, to experience truth is more difficult. And having experience truth is more difficult. And having experienced truth, to experience bliss, and to remain in that state for long, the great seer Adi Sankara says, only one in a hundred crore lives does such a soul appear. And the kanchi Mahaswamy was one such soul who fitted Adi Sankara's description completely.

The Kanchi Mahaswamy attained this state of consciousness very early in life. In the Upanishads it is said, " He who sees himself in others and sees others in himself knows no hate". This attribute came very early to the Mahaswamy.

Sankara Nethralaya has done itself proud by associating its institution's name and its activities with the Great Master. If 2500 years after the era of Adi Sankara in Kaladi, not far form Chennai, an institution of eye care could be named after him, it took less than 2500 days after Mahaswami left his mortal self that yet another institution sponsored by Sankara Nethralaya bears the name of the Mahaswamy.

We have not seen Adi Sankara but have experienced him through his work and deeds. However we have seen in flesh and blood the Mahaswamy of Kanchi. That is why this function is of great significance to those of us to have seen and experienced him.

SankaraNethralaya Cannot only live with the name of Mahaswamy. A great sense of

responsibility in cast upon the hospital now to carry forward its service to such levels that the Mahaswamy itself achieved all through his life.

Rabindranath Tagore said "akla chalo" - walk alone. For the past 22 years, Dr. Badrinath and his associates walked alone carrying the burden of Sankara Nethralaya and taking it such high levels that it is now the foremost eye hospital in the country. But by naming this complex after the Mahaswamy it will no longer be "akla chalo". I think that vast multitude of devotees of the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam and those who prayed to the Mahaswamy also have a responsiblity of seeing this institution reach its natural height and take its rightful place in the committee of such institutions in the world.

Sankara Nethralaya was not born on a platter. It was created with the blessing of Pujyasri Jayendra Saraswathi Swamigal. The number of public initiatives made by His Holiness cannot be counted. Sankara Nethralaya may have been born with the blessings of His Holliness. But the past 22 years have not been easy. The saga of success that we see today is not one that has come automatically to it. Sankara Nethralaya through its selfless and devoted work has earned its rightful place today. But when the new complex named Mahaswamy was acquired, it was obtained at a very substantial cost. Most of this cost is in the form of interest bearing debt. Most of us are aware of cascading effect of interest on the depleting the revenues of non-profit making institutions. Sankara Nethralaya is no exception.

It is therefore the responsibility of the devotees of the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam to ensure that the new hospital is soon rid of the liability.

that bears along with it interest to be paid to others. And then the hospital can grow to the same extent and same speed has Sankara Nethralaya itself has done.

Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam and Public health are synonymous. The very word "kamakoti" means end of desire. The moment desires are vanquished, a very healthy mind emerges. And from a healthy mind comes a state of bliss. And this is what people pray for all their lives.

Sankara Nehtralaya deserves your support - Physical, Moral and financial. The great master Adi Sankara had this question to ask - What is precious? That which is given at the right time. You may support Sankara Nethralaya when it suits you, when you feel comfortable to do it. But what Sankara Nethralaya requires is help now. The physical, Moral, financial support that the Great master spoke of is required now by Sankara Nethralaya.

It has been beautifully described in the scriptures, "The rivers do not drink the water that flows through them. The trees do not eat their own fruits. The clouds do not take the rain that the bear. The wealth of the noble is for the benefit of all". I am sure that the spirit of caring and sharing will take Sankara Nethralaya to great heights. I would like to leave you with this thought:

What I have, I had.

What I gave, I had.

What I spent, I had.

What I left, I lost by not giving.

Let us not lose by only keeping it ourselves.

Thank you very much.

VISION RESEARCH FOUNDATION

Research News

AUTOMATED DNA SEQUENCER

The Vision Research Foundation has acquired the Automated DNA

Sequencer which happened to be the first of its kind in India to be used for

ocular research. The sequencer is capable of reading the "letters" which

make up the genetic code of organisms.

The advantage of automation is the speed at which sequencing can be

performed. Moreover, according to Dr Kumaramanickavel of the Genetic and

Molecular Biology Lab, this new technique is non radioactive and therefore

safer to use.

One of the uses of the automated DNA sequencer is for gene mapping .

In gene mapping it is possible to identify the specific location of a gene in a

chromosome which may be producing a genetic defect. Once this is identified

by linkage mapping and sebsequently by physical mapping, the sequencer

can identify the exact " letters that make up the word".

The microbiology department has also uses the equipment to read the DNA

sequence of infectious organisms. This method is able to detect mutations

occurring in these organisms. Having identified " common letters" in the

genetic sequence of different samples of an organism, it is possible to create

a PCR test for the exact identification of the organism.

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH

Scientists at Vision Research Foundation interacted fruitfully with their counterparts at the Indian Institute of Science at Bangalore. The discussions

resulted in plans for several collaborative research projects.

Collaborative projects have three distinct advantages according to Dr H N Madhavan, Director - Research, They are cost effective since equipment need not be duplicated. It is also possible to complete research work much faster. Thirdly, the need to train personnel to handle new equipment is eliminated by interacting with an institution which already have the equipment in equestion and trained personnel to handle it.

A W A R D

Best Research Paper

On 27th February, at the Centenary Celebrations of King Institute of Preventive medicine, Guindy. Ms. J. Malathi, Senior Research Fellow was awarded the First Prize for the Best Research paper at the Scientific session held on 11th October, 1999, among the 200 papers presented. She also received a book on General Microbiology.

Ms. J.Malathi's presentation was on the "Incidence of congenital cataract associated with rubella virus - a hospital based study".

The finding of the study were that rubella virus is associated in 10% of congenital cataract by the conventional virus isolated method. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on incidence of congenital cataract associated with rubella virus, based on virus isolation.

PCR

FOR FUNGAL INFECTIONS

The Microbiology Research Centre of the Vision Research Foundation has

developed for the first time a sophisticated PCR technique for detecting fungal

infection inside the eye.

Endophthalmitis is a dreaded infection of the inside of the eye which if not

treated early will lead to irreparable loss of vision. According to Dr

Madhavan, it is often difficult to see the fungus on intraocular specimens

submitted for examination. More than that it is even more difficult to grow

these organisms. Fungi take a minimum of three to four days to exhibit

growth. It may be even as long as 30 days. Obviously, clinical treatment

cannot wait this long.

The new PCR technique produces results as quick as within 24 hours.

The resluts not only indentify the presence of fungal infection but also can tell

the clinician whether it is due to aspergillus or not. Aspergillus is one

infection. The exact species of aspergillus can also be identified by this

technique.

REPORT

International Uveitis Study Group meeting Buenos Aires, 26th to 29th March 2000

Dr. Jyotirmay Biswas (extreme left) with Dr. Khalid Tabbara, (extreme right) President of the IUSG

I attended the IUSG meeting held at Buenos Aires, Argentina for 26th to 29th March 2000. It was a wonderful experience to be in this beautiful city in South America. 59 members from 19 countries participated in the meeting.

This was followed by the 5th International Symposium on Uveitis which is held every three years.

I presented 4 papers, 2 videos, and 1 instruction course for ophthalmologists in South America abd also chaired a scientfic session. The most unusual (for me) experience was talking to ophthalmologists who did not understand Engligh. However there was a simultaneous translation in Spanish. The ophthalmologists had earphones with them. I also heard a Spanish translation of my talk in the video, a couple of hours later.

In the next year, we will be having the IUSG members from different countries visiting India and the meeting will be held at Fisherman's Cove, Chennai on 2nd and 3rd February 2001 followed by a Symposium of Intraocular Inflammation on 4th and 5th February 2001 where some of the IUSG members will also be participating.

-Dr. Jyotirmay Biswas

A N A P P E A L

V I S I O N

f o r t h e

m i l l e n n i u m

S A N K A R A N E T H R A L A Y A

A household name in eye care in India

QUALITY IS OUR BYWORD

Here’s Why…

First eye hospital in Asia to be accorded ISO 9002 Certification.

Marching towards Total Quality Management.

State-of-the-art equipment and qualified, experienced doctors in every ophthalmic speciality.

Hospital Infection Rate – One of the lowest in the world (0.043% in the1999)

FREE SERVICE FOR THE POOR

A single standard of care for all

Free service for all those whose family income is below Rs. 1750/- per month.

Sepreate community hospital with 68 beds and 5 operation theatres for poor patients.

49% of Cataract, 27% of Cornea and 17% of Vitreo-retinal patients were treated free in 1999.

Rs. 625 lacs was foregone on account of free service in 1999.

YES, I WANT TO HELP

Your donations are income tax exempt and are eligible for 100% or

125% tax deductions

Send your cheque either to: Medical Research Foundation (35AC tax exe,ption affords 100% deduction), or Vision Research

Foundation (35 i and ii exemption affords 125%

deduction).

You may also consider OM Trust recognition if you living in USA which

has 100% IRS tax exemption in USA.

Get maximum income tax benefit with the deductions while supporting

our cause.

For question about tax exempt status and contributions, please

contact:

Dr S S BADRINATH, Chairman, Sankara Nethralaya

(Unit of Medical Research Foundation) 18 College Road,

Chennai 600 006 Phone: 826 1265, 827 1616

Fax: (044) 825 4180, 821 0117

NTERNET e-mail: Chairman@sankaranethralaya.org

WeEBSITE: http://www.sankaranethralaya.org

DONATE LIBERALLY… AND MOTIVATE YOUR FRIENDS

TO CONTRIBUTE TO OUR CAUSE

Banish Blindness

Give the Gift of Sight

Mr S V ACHARYA, Secretary and Treasurer Ophthalmic Mission

Trust Inc. (OM Trust) 14613, Pommel Drive,

Rockville, MD 20850 U.S.A.

Phone : (301) 251 0378. Fax: (202) 673 4333 INTERNET e-mail:

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