THE PLACE AND PEOPLE

The Place:

INDIA is indeed a land of opportunities. Does it sound strange? Infact the whole world is full of great opportunities! It all depends on what we are looking for. Let us just take you to a very tiny part in the vast land of opportunities - opportunities to provide basic health care.

Kamagiri is in the forest range of Bettamugulalam, now under Krishnagiri district.
The nearest health centre is about 12 kms away. The nearest government surgical centre is 60 kilometers away. For fairly major emergencies the closest available medical help is 100+ kms away.

The People:

The Beneficiaries and The Benefactors
The needs of mainly three groups are being addressed. Two of them are the sons of the soil.

The Beneficiaries

1) Lingayats
Higher caste as per their tradition. Pure vegetarians, however have been introduced to alcoholic beverages. Some of them send their children to nearby schools.

2) Irulas or Poosalis
Considered 'lower' in the cascade of the caste system. They are poorer and live by the produce of the forest and 'any accessible bovine' creatures. Most of their children have to be forced or coaxed in to schools by the government or local non-governmental organisations.

3) Settlers
From the plains, have become economically better because of their links with the people outside and generally dominate the native inhabitants.

The Benefactors

Most of our sponsors from our family do not want their names to be mentioned in any form. The first and foremost being a group of doctors from Nagercoil, headed by a very senior member of our profession Dr. Benjamin.

Many others (doctors, nurses, paramedical workers, medical students, church members
and philanthropists) both institutions and individuals have been a big part of the work at SMART. Some organisations  that have generously supported us in the past are: Manford Allianz, New Delhi; St. Andrew's Church (Kirk) Chennai; African Christian Fellowship, Oklahoma City; Geneva Campus Ministry, Iowa City. 

Though all of our sponsors strongly object to publicity I can never ever fail  to at least make a mention of the names of these two couples, Mr. and Mrs. Anand Richards and     Mr. & Mrs. Irwin of Bangalore as I strongly feel that through them our dear God has reassured me of His approval.

List of visiting voluntary medical specialists:

Our most esteemed visitor was late Dr. Benjamin, (Retd. Director of Medical Services), who was instrumental in initiating this project with the seed money of Rs.55, 000, collected from a team of doctors in Nagercoil.  Later this team led by Dr. Mrs Evangeline Ebenezer and Dr. Ebenezer was the first to visit our centre.

         DISTINGUISHED CONSULTANTS

ANAESTHETISTS
Prof. P.Devarajan, M.D,D.A(Cpt); Dr. Biju Koshy M.D.(C.F.C.ODC), Dr. Ravi D.A, Dr. Rajaram, D.A. (CPT), Dr. Gopalakrishnan, M.D.(Cuddalore), Dr.Sheeba, D.A. (Chennai), Dr. Mrs. Selina Joel, Dr. Senthil, (Dip.N.B.) (Chennai), Dr.Murali M.D D.A, Dr.Ravi D.A (Chennai), Dr. Madan (M.D), Dr. Prabhakar, A:B (Boston Children's Hospital), Dr. John Rajakumar, M.D. (N.H, Bangalore), Dr. Mrs. Kalavathy, M.D, Dr. Bharath (C.S.I, Rainey, Chennai)

SURGEONS
Dr. Chandra Asirvadham, F.R.C.S, F.R.C.S; Dr.Moses Christian (Calif), Dr.B.D.R. Paul (Mysore), Dr. Elangovan, M.S,M.Ch;(Chennai). Dr. Raja Billigraham, M.S.(Cpt), Dr.Giridharan, M.S:M.Ch:Chennai, Dr Mohanavel, M.S,M.Ch.(Chennai), Dr.Selvaganapathy M.S.(Cpt). DR. Hariharan, M.S,M.Ch.F.R.C.S; Chennai, Dr.Rajesh, M.S:F.R.C.S, Dr. Nelson M.S.(M.R.C.S.), Dr.Arasu, M.S; Dr.Vijayarajakumari, M.S.(Apollo, New Delhi), Cpt, Dr.Jaison M.S(C.S.I.Rainey) Dr.Saravanan, D.N.B, Dr.Venkadachalam, (Vinayaka Medical College, Pondicherry), Dr. Deepak M.S; Dr. Gopi, (Dip.N.BSurg) (Chennai), Drs. Bharanidharan, & Govindarajan (Ch.M.C), Dr.Kumaresan, Dr.Minnie, and Dr.Rajiv (Chennai.), Dr. Elumalai (M.S, CPT).Dr.Rabindar Boaz,M.S.(Chennai),Dr.Raja,M.R.C.S,D.N.B, (Chennai) Dr.Sasidharan,M.S.(cuddalore),Dr.Azhagu Ganesh(M.S.)Surgeons in the making-Dr.Caleb,& Dr.Jayaprakash.

GYNAECOLOGICAL CONSULTANTS
Dr. Christy Ganapathy, M.D.,D.G.O., Prof. A.R.Chakravarthy, M.D.D.G.O & team, (CH.M.C.CPT.), Dr. Paul,M.D,D.G.O. (C.F.H. O.D.C), Dr. Mrs. Revathy Alwar M.D, D.G.O. (Chennai), Dr. Mrs .Minnalkodi, M.D, D.G.O.(Cpt), Dr. Mrs.Shanthi Paul & Dr.Ms.Suguna (Mysore), Dr. Mrs.Mithra Dhanaraj M.D, D.G.O. (Chennai), Dr. Mrs.Anita Benjamin M.D; D.G.O, (c.s.i.Kalyani)  Dr.Mallika Chidambaram M.D.D.G.O, Dr.Bethammal  M.D.D.G.O.(Chennai).

EYE SURGEONS
Dr. Mrs. Rangini Sundararajan, Dr. Parikumar (Dharmapuri), Dr. Daisy John (Bangalore)

E.N.T. SURGEON	Dr. Sundararajan (Chingleput)
DENTAL SURGEONS	Dr. Narendran, Dr. Ms. Krithika
PEDIATRICIANS	Dr. Mrs. Percy Sumithran, Dr. Kirubakaran Dr.Christopher Wesley, Dr. Mrs. Malathy Sathyasekaran (Ped.G.E.)
Nutrition Experts	Dr. Sumithra Muthayya & Mr. Prashanth (St.John's)
Internal Medicine	Dr. Ms. Shanthi Rajarathinam
Sonologists	Dr. Elavarasu, Dr. Mrs. Nisha Niranjan
Special visitors	Dr. Sam David, Gen. Sec. E.M.F.I. Dr. Mrs. Helen Manuel (Retd. Director, M.M.C.) Dr. B.W.C.Sathyasekaran, Prof. Comm. Med. (SRMC) Dr. Rashmie (Com. Med. St.John's, Bangalore) Dr.Daniel Rajkumar, M.S. (Manali) Ms. Camille Immanuel, North Carolina.