Born in 1918 in Vadamalapuram in Tamil Nadu, India, Dr.G.Venkataswamy, Founder, Aravind Eye Hospital had his education at American College, Madurai, Stanley Medical College, Madras and qualified for MS Ophthalmology at the Government Ophthalmic Hospital, Madras. He first joined the Indian Army as Physician during 1945-48. He then was appointed Head of Department of Ophthalmology at the Government Madurai Medical College, and eye surgeon at the Government Erskine Hospital at Madurai. He held these posts for 20 years and made remarkable contributions to research, clinical service and community programmes. And with a willpower and dedication far beyond the ordinary, he went on to perform over one hundred thousand successful eye surgeries, and that too with fingers that were badly affected with a rare disease. As a young man he followed the teachings of Gandhi.
More than a century and a half after the German poet and dramatist Von Goethe’s impassioned plea, ophthalmologist Dr.G.Venkataswamy persuaded his colleagues and staff to action: “If you can do something, then you must go ahead and do it.”
A quarter of a century ago, at mandatory retirement age, fifty eight year old Dr.Venkataswamy, a man known to most of us simply as Dr.V, founded the Aravind Eye Hospital at Madurai in 1977. In an eleven-bed hospital manned by four medical officers, he saw the potential for what is today, one of the largest facilities in the world for eye care. Over the years, this organisation has evolved into a sophisticated system dedicated to compassionate service for sight. The mission of this organisation in the words of its founder was “to eradicate needless blindness”. The endeavour required a leap of imagination, vision and innovation. In India alone, there are 12 million who are blind, and 80% of these are blind due to cataract. To this enormous number another 2 to 3 million are added every year. Despite staggering obstacles, Dr.V. and his team persisted. Using mass marketing and an operating system that resembles an assembly line, they helped the modest hospital to grow steadily in service delivery and infrastructure. And a system that enabled Aravind to provide free eye care to two-thirds of its patients from the revenue generated from its one-third paying patients. Twenty-five years later that system is still in place.
Only a biography can say enough of a man who makes use of every second, every paise and every inch of space. He has an amazing ability to use everyone effectively. He is the father of Community Ophthalmology, and because of his ‘Vision’ numerous people have been able to see again. It was his dream of being able to market ‘good eye-sight’ to the world, the way McDonald’s sells hamburgers. It is no wonder that around eight hundred thousand surgeries have been performed and lakhs of people have benefited from services rendered through his organisations. In his words “ in Aravind, we scan new horizons and look forward to exploring new vistas in eye care”.
Dr.Venkataswamy was conferred Padma Shri by the Government of India in 1973.
Degrees earned:
Bachelor of Arts in chemistry from American College in Madurai in 1938
Doctor of Medicine from Stanley Medical College in Madras in 1944
Doctor of ophthalmology at the Government Ophthalmic Hospital in Madras in 1951
Honorary Doctorate from University of Illinois, 1985
Awards:
Padma Sri
International Blindness Prevention Award, American Academy of Ophthalmology, 1993
Helen Keller International Award, 1987
WHO Award for Health for All
Academy International Blindness Prevention Award
International Social Entrepreneurship Award
Medal of the Presidency of the Italian Republic.
Raja-Lakshmi Award for the year 2001 from Sri Raja-Lakshmi Foundation, Chennai.
Lifetime Service Award from the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, 1982 Harold Wit Lectureship, Harvard Divinity School, 1991
Pisart-Lighthouse for the Blind Award, 1992
Susruta Award, Asia Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology, 1997.
World Telugu Federation honoured him in the year 2000.
Dr.B.C.Roy Award – 2001
His Grand Daughter Ms Pavithra K worked on a book titled INFINITE VISION.
Transcription of her Talk is given in STORY OF THE ARAVIND EYE HOSPITAL
Infinite Vision
In 1976, Dr Govindappa Venkataswamy founded Aravind, an 11-bed eye clinic in south India, with no money, business plan or safety net. Dr V was 58 years old at the time, and over the next three decades his humble clinic would defy the odds to become the largest provider of eye care in the world. Aravind has now treated over 32 million patients and performed over 4 million surgeries, the majority for free. Its business model is emulated everywhere from Tanzania to the United States, and a case study on Aravinds work is mandatory reading for every MBA student at Harvard Business School. Going far beyond typical business analysis, this book dives deep into the heart and mind of one of the most phenomenal visionaries of our time. Its narrative will appeal to a diverse audience ranging from management students and corporate leaders to social entrepreneurs and lay readers seeking an inspiring tale. Infinite Vision tells an unforgettable story one that has lit the eyes of millions. About the Author Pavithra K. Mehta is a writer and filmmaker in a The hardback edition of the book has been family of 21 ophthalmologists. Her award- winning documentary (also titled Infinite Vision) followed the life and work of Aravinds founder, Dr V. She started Aravinds story archive in 2002 and currently serves on the boards of both the Aravind Eye Foundation and ServiceSpace, a trans-formative volunteerism. Suchitra Shenoy has worked on innovative market-based approaches to poverty, and was the founding member of the Inclusive Markets team at Monitor Group. She is on the advisory board of Youth 4 Jobs Foundation, which works with companies to give impoverished young people the skills they need for meaningful Employment.
- BrandBooks
- Product Code9789351160021_20038
- ISBN-139789351160021
- ISBN-109351160025
- Authored ByMehta Pavithra K. Shenoy Suchitra
- LanguageEnglish
- Publication Year2013
- Publisher NameHarpercollins
- No. Of Pages336
- BindingPaperback
- LanguagesEnglish
- ISBN 139789351160021
A note on Leadership Team at
Aravind:
Dr.Perumalsamy Namperumalsamy Ravilla Perumalsamy Namperumalsamy is an Indian ophthalmologist who
specializes in diabetic retinopathy. He is also a a retina-vitreous expert.
Namperumalsamy is currently the chairman of Aravind Eye Hospital, Madurai. He
is known for bringing assembly-line efficiency to eye surgery. In 2010, TIME
magazine named Namperumalsamy one of the 100 most influential people in the
world.
After
graduating with a medical degree from the University of Madras in 1963, he
decided to continue his studies to specialize in ophthalmology. Upon receiving
his master’s degree in 1970, he left his native country temporarily to acquire
the necessary training in the field that had become his passion.
A
postgraduate fellow of the University of Illinois, Chicago, Namperumalsamy
started the India’s first Low Vision Aid Centre at the Government Rajaji
Hospital in Madurai in 1971. He is currently the chairman of Aravind Eye
Hospital. Namperumalsamy is a reciepient of Padma Shri Award from the
Government of India.
Thulasiraj Ravilla is part of the leadership team at Aravind a social organization providing eye care for the needy.
Ravilla was born in 1951 in Southern India. He studied at
the IIM in Calcutta. After receiving his M B A, Ravilla worked there for Berger Paints. In 1981, he chose to leave his corporate job to take a far
less well-paying but more fulfilling position at Aravind.
As a visiting scholar at the University of Michigan, Ravilla studied Hospital and Health Management. He used
his expertise to help turn Aravind into what it is today. In 1992, he developed
the LAICO-Aravind Eye Hospital Care System. He currently serves as its head.
He has served for five years as the chair of the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness for the South East Asia region.
He is head of VISION 2020 The Right to Sight - India.
Edits on 10.11.2019
Dr Venkatesh Prajna Namperumal Swami
VIDEO ADDRESS AT THE PRAYER MEETING FOR DR. VENKATASAMY
23-07-2006 : New Delhi
Lead Kindly Light
I have known Dr. Venkatasamy for over three decades. He is known for his silent contribution and bringing light to 1000?s of people. All his life he has worked for total elimination of avoidable blindness. He has brought with the Aravind Eye Hospital the best of technology and best of management. He has established Aravind hospital in many places and also the mobile clinics. He has created many leaders in the field, who has spread various parts of the world. Whichever eye hospitals I visited, I could meet number of people, who have been trained by Dr. Venkatasamy. Let me recite two verses on remembrance of Dr. Venkatasamy Avargal.
Lead Kindly Light
Oh Almighty, you gave us light,
Light and remove the utter darkness,
His was the enlightened soul,
The soul touched everyone,
Oh Almighty, lead kindly light.
Whenever I visited Madurai, for me, it was a pilgrimage to visit the Aravind Eye Hospital and meet the great soul, Dr G. Venkataswamy, who gave light for more than 100,000 patients. But today Dr Venkataswamy is not with us. But his vision and how he has transformed many hospitals, many ophthalmologists and many managers is visible to all of us. He has left an imprint in the minds of all the members of eyecare community who came in contact with him. I recall an incident which took place few years back. One of my friends Shri M R Kurup, who was the Director of Solid Propellant Rocket Motor Plant, suddenly lost his vision. People around him took him to Aravind Hospital for treatment. I visited him in the hospital and saw the treatment of various patients. That is the time I could see all the patients are given equal priority, equal care irrespective of their status. It was a divine environment. It didn?t look like a hospital. It virtually looked like a temple. My friend was fully treated and he got back the sight. He told me ?when I got the sight the first person I saw was Dr Venkataswamy. I am grateful to God that not only, I got the sight but he gave me an opportunity to meet a great soul?. This was the type of patient ? Doctor relationship in Aravind Eye Hospital.
Edits on 10.11.2019
Dr Venkatesh Prajna Namperumal Swami
Dr A P J Abdul Kalam, Former President of India (Term of office: 2002 - 2007) on Dr Venkataswamy
Source: http://abdulkalam.nic.in/sp230706.html23-07-2006 : New Delhi
Lead Kindly Light
I have known Dr. Venkatasamy for over three decades. He is known for his silent contribution and bringing light to 1000?s of people. All his life he has worked for total elimination of avoidable blindness. He has brought with the Aravind Eye Hospital the best of technology and best of management. He has established Aravind hospital in many places and also the mobile clinics. He has created many leaders in the field, who has spread various parts of the world. Whichever eye hospitals I visited, I could meet number of people, who have been trained by Dr. Venkatasamy. Let me recite two verses on remembrance of Dr. Venkatasamy Avargal.
Oh Almighty, you gave us light,
Light and remove the utter darkness,
His was the enlightened soul,
The soul touched everyone,
Oh Almighty, lead kindly light.
Whenever I visited Madurai, for me, it was a pilgrimage to visit the Aravind Eye Hospital and meet the great soul, Dr G. Venkataswamy, who gave light for more than 100,000 patients. But today Dr Venkataswamy is not with us. But his vision and how he has transformed many hospitals, many ophthalmologists and many managers is visible to all of us. He has left an imprint in the minds of all the members of eyecare community who came in contact with him. I recall an incident which took place few years back. One of my friends Shri M R Kurup, who was the Director of Solid Propellant Rocket Motor Plant, suddenly lost his vision. People around him took him to Aravind Hospital for treatment. I visited him in the hospital and saw the treatment of various patients. That is the time I could see all the patients are given equal priority, equal care irrespective of their status. It was a divine environment. It didn?t look like a hospital. It virtually looked like a temple. My friend was fully treated and he got back the sight. He told me ?when I got the sight the first person I saw was Dr Venkataswamy. I am grateful to God that not only, I got the sight but he gave me an opportunity to meet a great soul?. This was the type of patient ? Doctor relationship in Aravind Eye Hospital.
Every year, Aravind is giving sight to thousands and thousands of people in the country. The mission of Aravind is not only giving sight to the visually handicapped, but also it is a centre of education and research. During the past 30 years, this institution has created the best of doctors, best of nurses and other paramedical staff and has also been responsible for giving birth to many institutions. Recently, I was in Bhubaneswar for inaugurating the Bhubaneswar Eye Institute established by Dr Tara Prasad Das. I asked Dr Tara Prasad Das how he could get a state-of-the-art eyecare facility established within one year after entering into a civil contract, he told me that the contractor had earlier worked for Aravind Hospital. This shows how Dr Venkataswamy had trained even the facility creators and architects.
When I met him one day I asked him how the thought of creating Aravind Hospital came to his mind. He said, he was a practitioner in the Madurai Govt. Hospital and he was concerned about the eye treatment of poor people. That led to the creation of Aravind Hospital with a philosophy of 30:70, that is treating 30 well to do patients can provide free eyecare to 70 poor patients. He has given the leadership to this institution and proved to the eyecare world that it is a self-sustaining proposition.
Eye care community has indeed got a noble soul in Dr. G. Venkatasamy and he will be a ?beacon light? for the entire ophthalmologists and eye care centers across the nation. His services given in the form of research, team work, affordable care to the poor, introduction of a new management style, continuously updating the technology, above all building friendship among multiple nations for the cause of eye care will definitely ensure that the Right to Sight programme will succeed positively.
Eye care community has indeed got a noble soul in Dr. G. Venkatasamy and he will be a ?beacon light? for the entire ophthalmologists and eye care centers across the nation. His services given in the form of research, team work, affordable care to the poor, introduction of a new management style, continuously updating the technology, above all building friendship among multiple nations for the cause of eye care will definitely ensure that the Right to Sight programme will succeed positively.
Whenever I think of a great soul like Dr. Venkatasamy, I would like to refer to an ancient thought: Almighty God addressing his human creation:
?We have made thee neither of heaven nor of earth, neither mortal nor immortal, so that with freedom of choice and with honour, as though the maker and molder of thyself that is Dr. G Venkatasamy, thou mayest fashion thyself in whatever shape thou shalt prefer.?
When I see the divine services Dr. G. Venkataswamy, the founder of Aravind Eye Care System, I can see that he has succeeded in fulfilling God?s mission for man, with freedom of choice and with honour as though the maker and molder of thyself, that is Dr. G. Venkatasamy.
Thank you.
?We have made thee neither of heaven nor of earth, neither mortal nor immortal, so that with freedom of choice and with honour, as though the maker and molder of thyself that is Dr. G Venkatasamy, thou mayest fashion thyself in whatever shape thou shalt prefer.?
When I see the divine services Dr. G. Venkataswamy, the founder of Aravind Eye Care System, I can see that he has succeeded in fulfilling God?s mission for man, with freedom of choice and with honour as though the maker and molder of thyself, that is Dr. G. Venkatasamy.
Thank you.
See also STORY OF THE ARAVIND EYE HOSPITAL
