The Loyola Alumni came together to lay the foundation for the Loyola World Alumni Congress 2010 and form the Loyola Chennai Alumni Foundation, which will provide scholarship for higher education for students from the lower-socio-economic strata of society. The Father Casimir Raj Fund for Poor Students, will be established with contributions from alumni.

Loyola Alumni who participated included Union Home Minister, Mr. P Chidambaram, Mr. N. Ram, Editor-in-chief, The Hindu, Dr. T. Janardhana Rao, former Honorary Consul and Honorary Consul General, Melbourne, Australia and Mr. Shyam Kothari, businessman and Board Member, Medical Research Foundation.

In an attempt to spread awareness on eye donation and educate the public on facts of eye donation, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, observes the National Eye Donation Fortnight (August 25 – September 8).

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Dial 28281919 for eye donation

The services were inaugurated by Mr. IYR Krishna Rao, Executive Officer, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD).

Also present on the occasion were Sankara Nethralaya Chairman Emeritus Dr. SS Badrinath, Dr. Vasanthi Badrinath, Chief General Manager Mr. PR Ravindran, Mr. Yuvaraj, IAS, Assistant Executive Officer (TTD), Dr. C Prabhakar, Administrator (SSSN Trust), and Dr. Venkammal, Director, Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences (SVIMS).

Sankara Nethralaya (SN) and the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam signed a Memorandum of Agreement earlier this year for providing ophthalmology services to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam employees,  public and  pilgrims at Tirupati.

The Sri Srinivasa Sankara Nethralaya (SSSN), an eye care centre, is located on the 2nd floor of the TTD’s Central Hospital in Tirupati.

Eye care centre at TTD hospital soonThe Hindu, August 20, 2010

He was delivering the First Vice Chancellor Lalitha Kameswaran Endowment Oration at Sri Ramachandra University.

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The honorary degree is the highest academic tribute that the University awards to recognize the achievements of individuals in their roles as citizens and leaders.

Dr. Badrinath will be awarded the degree at the Honors Convocation to be held at the University of Missouri, United States, on December 18, 2010.

Sankara Nethralaya has taken its eye care services a notch above by setting up a state-of-the-art Oculoplasty Reconstructive & Aesthetic Clinic. The clinic was inaugurated by actor Karthi Sivakumar on August 16, 2010.

Oculoplasty plays a vital role in the management of diseases and abnormalities of the structures around the eye and the Oculoplasty Reconstructive & Aesthetic Clinic will bring to the people of India the latest oculofacial aesthetic procedures on a par with international standards.

While cosmetic surgery is perceived, largely, as the only means to enhance one’s beauty, the Oculoplasty Reconstructive & Aesthetic Clinic will aim for reconstruction with a purpose. People are largely unaware of the causes of oculofacial maladies and the possible treatment available and the clinic will aim on dispelling myths about oculofacial defects and spread awareness on the benefits of availing reconstructive aesthetic procedures.

With an increasing number of people opting for procedures which are less time-consuming, the clinic will offer lunch-time, minimally invasive and short ambulatory procedures. The clinic which will be located at Navausja Sankara Nethralaya, RA Puram, has been refurbished to suit the requirements of the services that will be offered. A wide array of oculofacial reconstructive aesthetic procedures will be provided, which will treat defects like eyelid bags, overhanging lid skin, drooping eye lids – which can hamper basic activities like reading and seeing —, loss of baby fat from face, lines of ageing, skin texture, skin pigmentation and deep sunk eyes, to name a few.

Botox, which apart from reducing wrinkles can also treat migraine, a type of headache, Dermal fillers, which can rid deep facial lines, and Radiage, a radio frequency skin tightening procedure, are among a host of non-surgical procedures that are available at the clinic.

Short ambulatory surgeries like brow lift, which will restore the eyebrow position; blepharoplasty, which will remove the extra burden of skin and fat, ptosis (putting the eyelid at the right position), fat transfer, small incision face lift and other such procedures will also be offered.

Personal and detailed attention will be given to all patients by the experienced team of doctors at the clinic. All patients will be counseled on the treatment options available.

Oculofacial blemishes and moles, which are known to lower a person’s self-esteem and adversely affect their outward personality, will be addressed through a host of quality, safe and tested cosmeceutical products and procedures like chemical peels and dermal abrasions, thus enabling people to enjoy a better quality of life.

The Oculoplasty Reconstructive & Aesthetic Clinic is located at:
Navasuja Sankara Nethralaya
No. 73, Venkata Krishna Road,
Raja Annamalaipuram, Chennai – 600028.
Ph No: 91-044-24611273, 24610118
e-mail id: navasuja@snmail.org

Sankara Nethralaya opens clinic for reconstructive and aesthetic surgeryTimes of India, August 17, 2010

Call for awareness of oculoplastyThe Hindu, August 17, 2010

The untold sacrifices of the nation’s freedom fighters and its rich culture & heritage were recalled on the 64th Independence Day celebrations held at Sankara Nethralaya on August 15, 2010.

Speaking on the occasion, chief guest Justice Ramasubramaniam extolled the greatness of the country and urged the people to carry forward “the value system inherited from India’s rich past.”

He praised the humanitarian endeavours of Sankara Nethralaya and emphasized on service to fellow human beings.

The chief guest gave away the ‘Man of the year’ and ‘Woman of the year’ awards to Mr. Rajashekar and Ms. Rajeswari respectively.

Senior employee Mr. Karupiah, who had unfurled the flag, lauded the hospital’s contribution in providing quality and affordable eye care treatment to people across the globe and free treatment to indigent patients.

Praising the tireless efforts by Chairman Emeritus Dr. SS Badrinath in addressing the nation’s ophthalmic concerns, Mr. Karupiah called upon all employees, to continue with their dedicated services in the field.

The Stores Department was adjudged as the ‘Best Team’ of the year. Special recognition awards and rank-holder awards were given out to Sankara Nethralaya employees. The service of those who have completed 10 years at the institution was also recognized.

ESO International Vision science and Optometry Conference (EIVOC) 2010, a three-day conference to commemorate the silver jubilee of the Elite School of Optometry was inaugurated on August 12, 2010 by Swami Sukhabodhananda, Founder Chairman, Prasanna Trust.

The Guests of Honour included Dr. AS Rathore, Assistant Director General, Health Services/NPCB, Ministry of Health ad Family Welfare, India and Dr. Jo Underwood, Principal, Association of British Dispensing Opticians College, UK. 

The ESO logo was unveiled by Dr. Ravishanker, ex-registrar, Elite School of Optometry.
Also on the occasion, the proposal to introduce in India, for the very first time, a Diploma in Dispensing, which will offer a Fellow of British Dispensing Opticians (FBDO), and a diploma in ophthalmic dispensing, was announced. The courses are the result of a collaborative effort between Sankara Nethralaya and the Association of British Dispensing Opticians.  

EIVOC 2010 covered all specialities of optometric practice and research. The conference at the Chennai Trade Centre had scientific presentations, symposia and workshops to cater to optometrists with different backgrounds and aspirations. Internationally renowned researchers and educationists shared their expertise during the conference.
The conference also had sessions on Contact Lens, Optometric Practice Management, Clinical Optometry, Evolution  of Optics, to name a few.

Sankara Nethralaya launches distance mode course for opticiansThe Hindu, August 13, 2010

Sankara Nethralaya-Kolkata, in association with Century Ply Ltd, organized a teleophthalmology eye camp at Century Ply School Joka, West Bengal from August 6-8, 2010.  A team consisting of a doctor, optometrist and seven interns examined about 800 patients. Seventy-eight patients were referred for cataract surgery and were brought to Sankara Nethralaya-Kolkata where a free-of-cost cataract surgery was performed.

Around 550 spectacles were distributed free-of-cost for those with refractive errors.   Sankara Nethralaya-Kolkata Advisory Committee Members Shri. Bhagwati Prasad Jalan, Shri. Sajan Bajanka and Executive Directors of Century Ply Ltd visited the camp.

The course — Fellow of British Dispensing Opticians — will be conducted in partnership with the U.K.-based Association of British Dispensing Opticians (ABDO).

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ABDO collaborates with the Elite School of Optometry in IndiaABDO, August 03, 2010