VOICES Fall / Winter 2024
New York, NY | vellorecmc.org
of VELLORE
"When we do well, we must do good." – Fairfax motto voiced by Ms. Priya Ramesh Mehta, Director of Charitable Giving at Fairfax Financial Holdings
Groundbreaking of the New Pediatric Specialty Centre: A Life-Affirming Milestone for CMCH’s Future
O
n August 12, 2024, the Christian Medical College and Hospital (CMC) of Vellore marked a momentous step in expanding pediatric healthcare in India with its “Turning of the Sod” ceremony to launch the construction of a new Pediatric Specialty Centre. Termed a "life-affirming" project by Rt. Rev. H. Sharma Nityananda, Bishop of Vellore Diocese, this event symbolized not only the beginning of construction but also the commitment to delivering the finest pediatric care for children in need. This center is the result of a transformative $38 million partnership, facilitated by the Foundation, with entrepreneur Prem Watsa’s Fairfax Financial Holdings and its subsidiary, Quess Corp Limited. The
groundbreaking marked a significant milestone in the project’s funding with a donation of $5,945,000 – the largest single gift received in the Foundation’s history. A substantial 80% of this $38 million will flow through the Foundation over the next four years helping the center take shape and serve as a beacon of advanced pediatric care for children in Vellore and beyond. Dr. Deepak Selvaraj, Associate Director of CMC’s Ranipet Campus, emphasized the mission of outreach embedded in this project. He expressed hope that the new pediatric center would empower CMC to "expand its outreach potential and minister to a greater number of people," fulfilling the institution’s long-standing mission.
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Through this new phase of expansion, CMC is not only constructing a pediatric hospital but is also creating a platform for education, training, and innovative programs that could extend to future sites across India. Dignitaries, including Dr. Vikram Mathews, Director of CMC; Mr. Ajit Isaac, President of Quess Corp, Dr. Deepak Selvaraj; and Ms. Priya Ramesh Mehta, Director of Charitable Giving at Fairfax Financial Holdings, attended the event. In his recorded video message, Mr. Prem Watsa praised CMC for its mission to serve the poorest of the poor, reinforcing his trust in CMC’s legacy of compassion and innovative care.
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