The Indian Panorama

Tag: Rotary

  • Rotary Foundation approved a grant for 25 Shelter Homes for Kerala Flood Victims

    Rotary Foundation approved a grant for 25 Shelter Homes for Kerala Flood Victims

    Ravi Bhooplapur raises $194,750  through Rotary for housing for flood victims in Kerala

    NEW YORK (TIP):  Long Island based eminent Rotarian & Philanthropist Ravishankar Bhooplapur has managed to raise $194,750  for funding to provide 25 low cost housing in the Kottayam and Pathanamthitta districts of Kerala, India for the people affected by the floods there last year. In the second phase of this initiative, another 25 houses will be provided for.

    The Rotary Foundation has confirmed through a letter dated July 15 to Rotary District 3211 (located in Kerala) and District 7255 (Long Island and parts of NYC) about the approval of the Rotary Global Grant of $94,750 to match the $100,000 raised locally. Bhooplapur is thankful of the role of Dr Thomas Mathew (President of AKMG – Association of Kerala Medical Graduates) and Mr Biju Chacko (ECHO charity) for the Kerala flood relief fundraiser held last year at Cotillion in Jericho, New York.

    Bhooplapur, past Rotary District Governor, informed  proudly: “This is one of the biggest grants in recent years I got approved and raised full funds for.”

    He is known for his penchant to rise to the occasion and take leadership roles to help when disasters strike like the Gujarat Earthquake and Tsunami in south India in the past.

    Commented Kamlesh Mehta, also a past Rotary District Governor, “It is an excellent humanitarian service arranged by Ravi as he took the lead in securing such a big Rotary Grant. Everyone on Long Island should take inspiration from him.”

    Ravi Bhooplapur,  President of Xavier University School of Medicine, Aruba since 2008,

    has been a very active member of Rotary International and has donated generously  to Rotary and raised funds for its various projects. The Rotary Foundation has honored him  with its highest award “Service Above Self”for his commitment to humanitarian work worldwide.

     He is a board member of numerous charities, hospitals and businesses. He is the founder of the “Gift of Life India” that has been instrumental in saving over 6,000 children’s lives to date by providing  free heart surgery to children under the age of 15.

    He is also a recipient of the “Ellis Island Medal of Honor”.

     

  • Dr. Raju honored for his four-decade crusade to eradicate avoidable blindness in India

    Dr. Raju honored for his four-decade crusade to eradicate avoidable blindness in India

    KAKINADA, AP(TIP): Dr. V.K. Raju, an eminent ophthalmologist based in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA was honored  for his over 40 years work to eradicate avoidable blindness in India during  the Diamond  Jubilee celebrations of Rangaraya Medical College in Kakinada on Saturday, January 5. The award was presented to him by the Vice President of Indi, M Venkaiah Naidu who was the chief guest. This award adds to a long list of awards and honors conferred on Dr. Raju.

    Dr. V.K. Raju is  founder and president of the Eye Foundation of America, a nearly 40-year-old not-for-profit engaged in the work of eradication of preventable blindness across the world. (www.eyefoundationofamerica.org)

    Dr. V.K. Raju was on a visit to India to attend a couple of conferences and speak at some events. He was in Mumbai on December 28 to attend the AAPI-GAPIO Summit where he spoke on Diabetics & its Pandemic health consequences.

    In Kolkata on January 1, Dr. Raju spoke at  Kolkata Rotary Club, which is the oldest Rotary Club in India and which will be  celebrating its centenary towards the end of 2019. Dr. Raju was the keynote speaker on childhood blindness.

    Addressing the Rotarians he complimented them for their tremendous achievement in “wiping out Polio in 28 years. He  exhorted them to evince the same zeal in respect of preventing avoidable blindness from the face of India.

    “If Rotary puts in its effort for as many years, we can have a world without blindness, he said, reminding that “80% of our learning comes through vision”. It needs only three wills- political will, professional will, and people’s will to achieve the desired goal. He quoted US Ambassador Galbraith, the hyper educated economist of the world who underscored the importance of education when he said, “Education is the most effective equalizer”.

    While in Kolkata, he took the opportunity of spending 2 days at the Asiatic Library  where he studied the original Bowerman manuscripts dealing with Yoga.

    Dr. Raju delivered a lecture at Andhra Medical College at Vishakhapatnam on January 2. He also attended a meeting at the Eye Bank where he pointed out that corneal blindness which  is rampant in India, is preventable. In fact, 70% of it can be prevented through education and affordable primary care in every village.

    Next, in Kakinada on January 5, Dr. Raju attended the  Diamond Jubilee celebrations of Rangaraya Medical College where he was honored for his work by the Vice President of India.

    However, the most absorbing engagement for Dr. Raju was lecturing to staff and examining patients at the Eye Foundation of America supported  Goutami Eye Institute in Rajahmundry. Over a period of 5 days, Dr. Raju worked day and night with the Goutami Eye Institute staff, examining hundreds of patients who have great faith in Dr. Raju and Goutami Eye Institute.