VOICES SPRING 2022
New York, NY | vellorecmc.org
of VELLORE
"Fairfax is committed to giving back to the communities where we operate, and we believe this initiative will enable CMC to lead the way in transforming pediatric care in India." - MR. PREM WATSA
Fairfax Financial Holdings, Quess Corp and CMC Vellore Partner to Open 350-Bed Pediatric Specialty Center on CMC’s New Ranipet Campus
I
n 2019, Fairfax Financial Holdings – in
charitable care and its ability to steward
and research. This will help meet the
concert with its subsidiary, Quess Corp
a charitable gift that could equal $40
medical needs of patients who are not
Limited – made public their charitable
million.
only coming from different parts of
interest in underwriting the construction of a pediatric ‘center of excellence’ in India. As they began their vetting process to identify the appropriate implementation partner,
CMC
Vellore’s
expertise
in pediatrics, along with its unique approach to patient care was brought to the attention of Quess Corp Chair, Ajit Isaac, by Vellore CMC Foundation board member, George Varughese.
Three years later, on Friday, May 6, 2022, Fairfax Financial Holdings and Quess Corp, and CMC Vellore reunited
India, but also from across the globe for consultation and treatment. (continued on page 4)
in India to formalize a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) to establish a new pediatric specialty care center on CMC’s Ranipet
(formerly
Kannigapuram)
campus. Fairfax and Quess have pledged up to Rs 300 crore ($39 million) towards setting up this center, with the vision
Following this introduction, members
of providing leading state-of-the-art
“The Magic of CMC”
of CMC Vellore’s leadership team were
pediatric medical and surgical services.
ORATION BY MR. AZIM PREMJI
invited to the headquarters of Fairfax
The proposed center, to be called the
Financial Holdings in Toronto, Canada
CMC Pediatric Specialty Center, will
to meet philanthropist, Mr. Prem Watsa,
have 350 beds covering a range of
and to engage in a series of discussions
pediatric specialties.
covering the history, mission and vision of CMC, its financial stability, its interests in pediatric care, its commitment to
In addition to treatment, the center will also focus on education, training,
The 10th Annual Dr. Ida S. Scudder Humanitarian Oration was held on December 10th, 2020. Read more on page 3.
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT Dear Friends of CMC and the Vellore CMC Foundation, Although hardly worth celebrating, it is important to share with you that due to your extreme generosity, the Foundation served as a primary source of funding for CMC’s 2021 comprehensive COVID-19 relief efforts, providing the resources needed to acquire ventilators for the CMC’s intensive care
PLEASE JOIN US FOR OUR UPCOMING EVENTS
units, personal protection equipment (PPE) for frontline medical workers and oxygen generators & concentrators for both in-hospital and at-home use by severely infected
JUNE 16-19: GOTC ALUMNI REUNION
patients. To be celebrated, however, is that the Foundation completed a two-year fundraising
Austin, TX - For details, visit vellore-gotc.com
the Jawadhi Hills region to augment its other humanitarian activities.
JUNE 23-24: ORDINARY GENERAL MEETING OF THE CMC VELLORE ASSOCIATION SCUDDER AUDITORIUM
on May 6, 2022 with world-renowned philanthropist, Mr. Prem Watsa, the reason for which was
College Campus, Bagayam, Vellore
the creation of India’s most advanced, state-of-the-art pediatric medical and surgical care facility.
campaign resulting in CMC’s ability to start the construction and staffing a maternity hospital in
As you may have seen in a recent press release, CMC signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) to partner in the construction of a new pediatric specialty care center on CMC’s Ranipet (formerly known as Kannigapuram) campus. Mr. Watsa, through the charitable arm of his North Americaand India-based companies, will be donating approximately $39 million with the intent of funding As requested, the Foundation will serve as a vehicle for the transfer of Mr. Watsa’s charitable donations from the U.S. to India. The signing of this MoA represents a milestone event for both
JUNE 24: RANIPET CAMPUS OPENING
CMC and the Foundation, as neither organization has ever received of gift of this magnitude and
Save the Date – additional details coming soon!
In this edition, through the introduction of two of our most staunch supporters, two new programs
amount.
have come to light at CMC. Through an introduction by Charles Scudder to the nonprofit PENTA, a
AUGUST 8-12: ALUMNI REUNION WEEK
organization that receives and donates prostheses to bring high quality, low-cost prosthetic care to
CMC Vellore
lower extremity prosthetic support to its patients at no cost. Similarly, CMC CON alumna, Dr.
amputees all over the world, CMC’s Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PM&R) is now providing Vinciya Pandian, through the development of a partnership between the nursing colleges at CMC
AUGUST 11: 11TH DR. IDA S. SCUDDER HUMANITARIAN ORATION , VELLORE, INDIA This year we will be honoring Drs. Abhay and Rani Bang, Indian social activists and researchers working in the field of community health in the Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra, India. Drs. Bang have done transformative work in rural India with innovative strategies to address inequitable access to health care in low income rural and tribal communities. Their work is well recognized in the country and around the world.
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VOV | SPRING 2022
and Johns Hopkins, is opening a wellness center at CMC to extend mental health resources and support to nurses in India. Also in this edition, we feature an article related to CMC’s 10th Annual Dr. Ida Scudder Humanitarian Oration, which featured India’s most generous and prominent philanthropist, Mr. Azim Premji, as its keynote speaker. In addition, we pay tribute to Ms. Linda Pierce Knutson (former executive director of the Vellore CMC Foundation) and Dr. Ajit Butt (CMC alumnus and Chair of the UK Friends of Vellore organization), each of whom were dedicated supporters of CMC and whose souls now rest in the palm of God’s hands. As in the past, it’s my genuine hope that you find all aspects of this edition of Voices of Vellore both informative and enjoyable! With much appreciation and my fondest regards,
John A. Riehl
(continued from page 1)
“The Magic of CMC” – Scudder Humanitarian Oration Delivered by Mr. Azim Premji
E
very year, the Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore together with the Vellore CMC Foundation
honors Dr. Ida S. Scudder's legacy by
"If expertise provides us the skill and knowhow to contribute, integrity teaches us the right way, then humanity gives us a sense of larger purpose."
recognizing individuals who exemplify
runs the philanthropic Azim Premji
excellence are cornerstones of its
her courage, compassion, and service to
University in Bangalore, and supports
work, and Mr. Premji recognized this
humanity.
over 400 not-for-profit organizations
characteristic as an essential driver
with multi-year financial grants.
for forward momentum and societal
On December 10th, 2021, CMC and
change. He further noted that while
the Foundation were delighted to honor
On the 10th annual Ida. S. Scudder
Mr. Azim Premji, founder chairman of
Humanitarian Oration, Mr. Premji
Wipro limited and founder of the Azim
shared three characteristics that define
Premji Foundation, for his passionate
CMC, while being an exemplar for the
altruism and limitless philanthropy. Mr.
rest of the country: expertise, integrity,
Premji's contribution to India is the
and humanity. “The magic of CMC is not
Secondly, Mr. Premji spoke about
shining example that a company can
only that it helps inspire all three of these
integrity, and how it is core to
be run successfully with transparency,
characteristics, but motivates people to
one’s identity. “Because if you have
integrity and by consistently practicing
continuously improve upon themselves.
uncompromising integrity, you will give
good ethical values. Mr. Premji took
There is nothing remarkably new in
your best effort to everything you do.
over Wipro, the family business, at a
what I’m pointing out, but it is also true
It is the glue that binds your character,”
young age and through his pioneering
that the most important of things are
Mr. Premji noted.
vision, pursuit of excellence and bold
perhaps the simplest of things. The
leadership quickly brought Wipro and
question is to distill those things and
India to the forefront of the IT world.
to focus on them on a consistent basis,”
In 2001, he founded the Azim Premji
Mr. Premji shared.
professional excellence brings about self-satisfaction, it also provides a means to contribute positively to society.
Lastly, he expounded on humanity. Mr. Premji shared, “if expertise provides us the skill and know-how to contribute, integrity teaches us the right way, then
Foundation, which works extensively with India's public education system
On expertise, Mr. Premji shared that
humanity gives us a sense of larger
to help improve its equity and quality,
CMC emanates professional excellence.
purpose.” He also explained that the
CMC’s
essence of humanity is compassion and
dedication
to
professional
empathy, and that he has witnessed this humanity in the work of CMC, from Vellore to the hardest to reach places in the country. What has allowed CMC to sustain a culture of expertise, integrity, and humanity for 121 years? Mr. Premji posed the answer is faith: “My sense is that the source of the faith may be varied. But it is faith that truly is the energy for the magic of this kind.” Visit our website to watch the oration: Dr. Azim Premji visiting CMC Vellore
www.vellorecmc.org. VOV | SPRING 2022
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(continued from page 1)
"We believe that pediatric specialization is the next priority for our country. With this center, we have come full circle from our initial focus on mothers and children to developing and providing specialized pediatric services and training programs for the country." - Dr. J.V. Peter, Director of CMC "The Fairfax-Quess/CMC partnership
to future sites across the country.
lives” further by improving medical care
aims at supporting CMC’s culture of
The Vellore CMC Foundation is also
access for children in need," said Ajit Isaac,
caring for the poor and vulnerable, and
working in collaboration with Fairfax
chairman of Quess.
maintaining a fine balance between
Financial Holdings to support the donor’s
providing quality treatment while being
desire to successfully make charitable
The pediatric center is a phase 2 project
inclusive and minimizing the financial
contributions to CMC through its
burden on patients”, were the thoughts
headquarters in Toronto, Canada, and its
of Fairfax Financial Holdings Chairman
operations in the U.S.
and Founder, Prem Watsa. He also
The MoA also outlines the formation of a
the recent epidemic of road traffic
‘Project Implementation Committee’ that
accidents, as well as to bring about locally
will be set up for the guidance, supervision,
relevant and comprehensive healthcare
and management of the project during the
solutions for victims of accidents.
commented that "Fairfax is committed to giving back to the communities where we operate, and we believe this initiative will enable CMC to lead the way in transforming pediatric care in India."
phases. The committee will be chaired by the director of CMC Vellore and will consist of members nominated by CMC
‘Fairfax-Quess Block’ and will add to the
Vellore, Fairfax, and Quess.
existing capacity of the multi-specialty
“Quess,
services, and resources that are scalable and transferable for potential expansion
through
Foundation,
has
its
Care
been
Works
supporting
children’s wellbeing, health, and hygiene programs for years. This partnership takes our commitment to “impacting
CON Alumna Drives Collaborations between Johns Hopkins and CON, CMC
T
MoA Signing
Institute (JHII) partnered to offer a series of webinars focused on Covidrelated mental health issues for the nursing community in India. Dr. Nancy
he COVID-19 pandemic has had
proportion of the frontline health care
Reynolds and Dr. Vinciya Pandian
a profound negative effect on
workers, have experienced significant
provided leadership from the Johns
the mental health of individuals
mental health pressures that can trigger
Hopkins’ side, and Dr. Vathsala Sadan,
around the world, especially among those
serious psychological distress.
Dean of the College of Nursing, and Dr.
who are faced with combatting the virus.
Rising to the challenge of addressing
During the Covid-driven humanitarian and healthcare crisis in India in the spring of 2021, many healthcare facilities were overwhelmed with the patient load and lack of adequate supplies, thereby placing immense strain on health care staff. Nurses, who comprise a significant 4
next couple of months, will focus on
planning, construction, and operational
out of a new building to be named the
support the development of programs,
1 project, to be commissioned in the comprehensive trauma care to address
The center, upon completion, will operate
medical institution in Vellore. It will also
of CMC’s Ranipet campus. The phase
VOV | SPRING 2022
the mental health toll the crisis and
Manoranjitham Sathiyaseelan, Professor of Psychiatry Nursing from CMC.
overall pandemic has taken on nurses,
Feedback on the five-part webinar series
the College of Nursing at Christian
was positive and attracted over 11,000
Medical College of Vellore, India (CMC),
registrants across 31 countries. The
the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing
series’ outstanding attendance was an
(JHSON), and Johns Hopkins India
indication of the need for mental health
(continued from page 4) training and support, especially during these times. Shortly after the webinar series, JHSON and CON proposed to initiate a wellness center at CMC to extend mental health resources and support to nurses in
LEVERAGING GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP IN ADDRESSING COVID-RELATED MENTAL HEALTH: A WEBINAR SERIES
Fear and anxiety of working in COVID-19 wards Friday, July 9 | 7:00 am EDT (Baltimore, USA) Friday, July 9 | 4:30 pm IST (Chennai, India)
India. An MoU between Johns Hopkins and CMC was formalized in May 2022.
Speakers
Dr. Pandian, a CON alumna, was a driving force behind the collaborative partnership between JHU and CMC. Amid the 2021 India COVID crisis, Dr. Pandian also played a
Mrs. Sheela Durai
Moderators Dr. Bala Seetharaman
Christian Medical College College of Nursing
Christian Medical College College of Nursing
Dr. Katherine Rediger
Dr. Vinciya Pandian
significant role in securing a grant from JHII to purchase critical equipment for CMC’s emergency COVID-relief response. The Wellness Center will be based at CMC
Johns Hopkins Community Physicians
Johns Hopkins School of Nursing
Vellore and will serve as a hub for a suite of wellness education and support services. The Wellness Center will be new to CMC Vellore.
Presented by: "Cultivating partnerships between two prestigious alma maters to meet the mental health needs of nurses is a challenge and a privilege, and I am grateful to both institutions for collaborating." - Dr. Vinciya Pandian
To register, click here or visit:
Scudder Association Foundation Helps Forge Life-Changing Partnership Between CMC and Penta Prosthetics In October 2020, the Christian Medical College, Vellore (CMC) signed an MoU with Penta Prosthetics, a company that collects and repurposes used prosthetics, to establish a constant source of supplies for the benefit of marginalized, differently-abled citizens of India and neighboring countries. The Prosthetics and Orthotic (P&O) unit at PMR is often faced with limitations providing the necessary devices to patients due to cost and general availability. The introduction of Penta Prosthetics to CMC by Mr. Charles Scudder, President of the Scudder Association Foundation, was a welcomed opportunity that would further enable PMR to treat patients without those limitations and provide devices to needy patients at no cost. Though there were delays with shipment, the consignment from Penta reached CMC in
January 2022 and the P&O PMR has to date completed prostheses for four deserving patients free of cost. One such recipient, a 51-year-old male with a left transtibial amputee, received a refurbished prosthesis with the “pylon”, “socket adapter”, and “foot adapter” sourced from the Penta components. For patients within the catchment area, P&O will carry-out follow-ups to monitor long-term effectiveness of the refurbished prostheses. Founded in 1958 under the guidance of Dr. Paul Brand, P&O has had decades of experience helping the needy by sourcing from different organizations. The addition of Penta Prosthetics as a partner and source of lowcost solutions for differently abled patients will ensure P&O continues to provide the care they deserve for decades more to come.
VOV | SPRING 2022
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Fourteen New Students Benefit from the Foundation's Ms. Aleyamma Kuruvilla Nursing Scholarship Fund
O
n March 4th, 2022 the College
of
Nursing
held
its annual Lamp Lighting
Ceremony. In 2022, 200 first year Nursing Students dedicated their lives to the noble profession of ‘Nursing’. Among those first-year students are fourteen fortunate girls who are being sponsored through the generosity of the nursing alumni community in the United States together with the United Methodist Women.
campaign
to
support
nursing
scholarships for low-resource students. The campaign, spearheaded by CON alumni
and
named the Ms. Aleyamma Kuruvilla
Foundation’s efforts to support the
Scholarship Fund.
College of Nursing’s mission to provide
One such student is Ms. Maria
In 2019, the Foundation launched a
CON Lamplighting Ceremony
board
members,
Dr.
Margaret Kumar, Dr. Vinciya Pandian, and Dr. Jane von Gaudecker, received an inspiring response from the U.S.-based nursing alumni, who came together to contribute towards the 13 scholarships
Elizabeth, who has joined the fouryear Baccalaureate in Nursing degree program in 2021. Her father, a mason who was in an accident four years ago, earns only $4.6 a day. He is also a chronic alcoholic. Her mother is also unable to work due to spine related health problems. Her maternal uncles
Another student benefiting from the
the now yearly campaign has raised the
Ms. Aleyamma Kuruvilla Scholarship
funds to support a total of 37 deserving
Fund is Ms. Dhanalakshmi P, a General
students with a full scholarship towards
Nursing
a four-year Bachelor of Science in
candidate. Tragically, she lost her
Nursing or a three-year Diploma in
father in 2018 to a road traffic accident
Nursing. In 2020, in memory of CON’s
and her mother has done her best to
first Indian Dean, the campaign was
support the family as a tailor; however,
and
Midwifery
regardless of their socio-economic background. In 2021-2022, UMW committed to supporting seven of the 14 girls, while supporting six students from the 2019 cohort - all now in their last year at CON.
program
earns is barely enough to cover the day-to-day expenses. Still, her mother found a way to take out a loan that covered the admission fee, and now Ms. Dhanalakshmi feels blessed to be able to continue her studies without putting a strain on her family.
VOV | SPRING 2022
grow personally and professionally
helped Maria to pay the admission fee.
the $80 monthly salary the mother
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environment for every student to
who work as security and chef have
that were funded that year. Since then,
Scholarship Recipient - Ms. Maria Elizabeth
an excellent education and supportive
Scholarship Recipient - Ms. Dhanalakshmi P
Every year, the College of Nursing receives financial aid applications from women like Maria and Dhanalakshi with dreams of following a career in nursing. The scholarships help many of these young women complete their education devoid of financial stress and helped the College be true to their
The United Methodist Women has
vision of providing equal opportunities
also been a critical partner in the
to all meritorious students.
In Memoriam: Dr. Ajit Butt and Linda Pierce Remembering two prominent individuals who dedicated their lives to advancing CMC's mission from afar
DR. AJIT BUTT (1943 - 2022) Dr. Ajit Butt, MBBS Batch of 1960, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on January 18, 2022. Dr. Ajit was Trustee and previously Executive Chairman of Friends of Vellore UK. Dr. Ajit was involved with FOV UK for over 40 years and led the organisation as Chairman for four and a half years from 2016 to 2020. After completing his service obligations at CMC, Dr. Ajit moved to the UK with his wife Alice (MBBS Batch of 1962). Dr. Ajit moved into Family Practice which became his passion for the next 25 years; however they never lost their connection to the work being done at CMC and the mission hospitals. After taking an early retirement, Drs. Butt worked part time in far flung hospitals of the Emmanuel Hospitals Association, India. Dr. Ajit returned to his early passion for cataract surgery while Dr. Alice promoted ultrasound sonography. Besides upgrading the facilities in these services as needed, they offered invaluable fellowship and encouragement to the frontline workers in medical mission. Dr. Ajit also strove hard, and successfully, to bring together the FOV and the Alumni Association, holding the Chairmanship of FOV for a term and passing it on to another alumnus. The annual meetings of the FOV now have become part of the annual alumni gathering. More recently, Dr. Ajit initiated online periodic meetings of the international supporting organizations of CMC to coordinate their efforts on behalf of the institution. Dr. Ajit spoke softly, lived simply, and gave generously. Together with Anila, he travelled widely and befriended CMC alumni wherever they went. The Butts have two daughters. Anita, trained in law and business management, and Asha, a psychiatrist in the Royal Air Force as Wing Commander.
LINDA PIERCE (1939 - 2021) Linda Pierce served as Executive Director of the Vellore CMC Foundation from 1987 to 1994 and remained an active supporter of CMC until her passing on November 27, 2021. Linda’s commitment to mission work began when she was accepted to Stephens College’s Presbyterian Church Junior Year Abroad (JYA) program to study at the American University of Beirut in Lebanon. She would later return to Beirut as a missionary with her first husband, Jim. After being evacuated due to the Six Day war, they returned to the U.S. and settled in New York City, where Linda started a real estate company with her brother building homes for low-income families. Eventually the family moved to Long Island and Linda began working for PCUSA in NYC. It was while living on Long Island that Jim died at 49 years of age. After her children graduated from college, Linda remarried and moved to Virginia, where she worked in Congregational Care at a local church and completed a two-year program at the Shalem Institute to become a Spiritual Director. Linda loved spending time with her family, socializing with friends, traveling around the world, and had a laugh and a smile that could light up a room. She is survived by her son Christopher (Leeza), daughter Lisa (Thomas) and four wonderful grandchildren, Grace, Eleanor, Anya and Sasha. VOV | SPRING 2022
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475 Riverside Drive, Suite 725 New York, NY 10115
Foundation's Recognition as Four-Star Charity Highlights Efficient, Cost-Effective and Impactful Stewardship of Donor Gifts The Vellore CMC Foundation is dedicated to being responsible stewards of the financial resources you have entrusted to us. We will lead and manage the funds with great care, planning, and attention, both at the individual and organizational level. The Vellore CMC Foundation consistently receives high charity ratings from charity watchdog organizations, including the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Charity Navigator, and GuideStar.
The Vellore Christian Medical College Foundation 475 Riverside Dr., Suite 725 New York, NY 10115
P.O. Box 22423 New York, NY 10087-2423 *This address is for donations only.
www.vellorecmc.org foundation@vellorecmc.org