Latest news with #Namperumalsamy
New Indian Express
4 days ago
- Health
- New Indian Express
Aravind Eye Hospital founder Dr Namperumalsamy dies at 85
MADURAI/CHENNAI: Chairman Emeritus and one of the founding members of Aravind Eye Care System Dr P Namperumalsamy, Professor of Ophthalmology, passed away in Chennai early on Thursday morning. He was 85 and is survived by his wife and two sons. The funeral will take place at his native Ambasamudram village in Theni on Friday. Born in an agricultural family in 1940, Dr Namperumalsamy started his career at Government Rajaji Hospital, Madurai. In 1967, he established India's first Low Vision Aid Clinic. He specialised in vitreous surgery in the USA. In 1979, Dr Namperumalsamy started the Retina Vitreous Clinic at Aravind Eye Hospital. He also founded the GOVEL Trust which runs Aravind Eye Hospital & Postgraduate Institute of Ophthalmology. He launched Aravind Eye Hospital with a mission to eliminate blindness by providing high-quality, compassionate and affordable eye care to all. Dr Namperumalsamy was conferred the Padma Shri in 2007. Governor R N Ravi, Chief Minister M K Stalin and several leaders expressed condolences over the passing of Dr Namperumalsamy. Governor Ravi said Dr Namperumalsamy was a visionary whose profound contributions to clinical excellence, academic scholarship and philanthropy illuminated countless lives. CM Stalin, in his message, said, 'Dr Namperumalsamy dedicated his life to restoring vision to lakhs of people. His passing is a great loss not only to the field of medicine but also to the people of Madurai.' AIADMK general secretary Edapapdi K Palaniswami, PMK 'president' Anbumani Ramadoss and AMMK general secretary TTV Dhinakaran also condoled the death.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Sr ophthalmologist Dr P Namperumalsamy no more
Madurai: Dr P Namperumalsamy, chairman-emeritus of Aravind Eye Hospital, who transformed eye care in Tamil Nadu and beyond, died on Thursday at the age of 85. Known for his medical excellence and deep sense of service to society, he was guided lifelong by the principle that none should remain blind simply because they are poor. He is survived by his wife Dr G Natchiar, director-emeritus of the hospital, and sons Venkatesh Prajna and Vishnu Prasad. "My father was thorough professional and a perfectionist, be it at work or home. He performed his duties diligently as a father, as a grandfather, and a great grandfather as well,'' Prajna told TOI. "The way he challenged himself constantly and aspired for global standards despite coming from a humble background is a rare feat," he said. Born on July 9, 1940 in Ambasamudram village in Theni district, Namperumalsamy did his MBBS at Madurai Medical College. His classmate, Dr Annamalaisamy, 86, a cardiologist, recalls that Dr Nam, as he is fondly referred to, entered the college as a timid boy but grew soon to be the smartest. "I met him only two months ago. He never forgot his roots. Even now, after retiring, he has taken an interest in agriculture," he said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Namperumalsamy started his career at Government Rajaji Hospital and established India's first Low Vision Aid Clinic in 1967. After training in the US, he started the Vitreous Surgery Centre at GRH, a first of its kind in India, and then Retina Vitreous Clinic at Aravind Eye Hospital in 1979. Dr Sridhar, state president elect, IMA, Tamil Nadu, says Namperumalsamy was the perfect definition of a gentleman. Under his stewardship, Aravind became a global model for efficient, high-volume, high quality eye care, winning the Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize in 2010. TIME magazine recognized him among its 100 most influential people in 2010 for transforming cataract surgery into a rapid, assembly-line operation. He was also a recipient of Padma Shri. Several political leaders including chief minister M K Stalin condoled his death. "He gave vision to lakhs of people,'' Stalin said. Dr Namperumal's mortal remains were kept at their house in Anna Nagar in Madurai on Thursday, and will be cremated in his native village on Friday.
The Hindu
5 days ago
- Health
- The Hindu
Dr. Namperumalsamy was Madurai's yet another identity: Su. Venkatesan
Madurai MP Su. Venkatesan expressed his condolence on his social media X handle for the death of Aravind Eye Hospital's chairman emeritus P. Namperumalsamy, who passed away at the age of 85 on Thursday. He wrote, 'An icon of Madurai, was the first to establish a low vision aid centre in India at Government Rajaji Hospital. He is renowned for numerous remarkable achievements, including introducing assembly-line efficiency in eye surgeries.' Under Dr. Namperumalsamy's leadership, Aravind Eye Hospital received the Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize in 2010, a prestigious award given for extraordinary work in alleviating human suffering, he said. Through his work, Dr. Namperumalsamy emphasised that service should be the foundation of the medical field, he added. Madurai District Collector K.J. Praveen Kumar visited Dr. Namperumalsamy's house paid his last respects to his mortal remains.
The Hindu
5 days ago
- Health
- The Hindu
Namperumalsamy, Aravind Eye Hospital chairman, passes away in Madurai
The Madurai-based Aravind Eye Hospital's chairman emeritus P. Namperumalsamy passed away at the age of 85 years, on Thursday (July 24, 2025). Born in July 9, 1940, in a small hamlet with an agricultural background in Theni district, he did his MBBS from Madurai Medical College and moved to Boston, USA, to pursue higher education. He was the first retina specialist in the country. He practised in the Erskine Hospital Madurai, (now known as Government Rajaji Hospital) before starting his own venture, his elder son N. Venkatesh Prajna, said. Dr. Namperumalsamy received the Padma Shri in 2007 for his immense contributions in the field of Ophthalmology. He received several awards through the course of an illustrious, and long career. The cremation is expected to be performed at Ambasamudram in Theni district on Friday (July 25). He leaves behind his wife Nachiar and two sons - Venkatesh Prajna and Vishnu Prasad. Condolences Amar Agarwal, chairman, Dr. Agarwals Group of Eye Hospitals said Dr. Namperumalsamy was a doyen in Ophthalmology. 'What the Aravind eye care group has created under his leadership is just phenomenal. His contribution is not only in the number of patients he treated, which was huge, but also the number of doctors he trained. All these doctors are treating patients all over the world and helping eradicate blindness. The legacy he has left being will remain forever.' Mohan Rajan, chairman and medical director, Rajan Eye Care Hospital, said, 'Dr NAM is no more, but his legacy lives on. Very rarely do we see a combination of a great teacher, great clinician, fantastic surgeon, great researcher, good speaker and an able administrator in one person, he was all of this,' he said. Dr NAM, along with Dr Badrinath, was one of the earliest movers as far as the vitreoretinal surgery was concerned in this part of the world. 'He is a great inspiration, a role model and a motivation for all the ophthalmologists in the country and across the world. He has literally put India in a prominent position in the world map of Ophthalmology,' he added. C. Ramasubramanian, psychiatrist and founder M.S. Chellamuthu Trust & Research Foundation said Dr NAM was concerned for the differently-abled population. He was instrumental in popularising the 'Arvind model' which tried to take ophthalmological care to all people irrespective of passing capacity. Dr. NAM had also advocated for community psychiatry, in order to make it more accessible, Dr CRS said and recalled an event where the late President APJ Abdul Kalam was amazed during his visit to Aravind Eye Hospital over the seamless doctor-patient care rendered on a mass scale. Hari Thiagarajan, managing director, Thiagarajar Mills said Dr NAM was Madurai's pride. 'He was an alumni of Thiagarajar College and a well wisher of the institution. He continued the visionary path set by the founder of Aravind Eye Care and provided the group with moral and outstanding leadership. Under his tutelage, Aravind expanded and grew in great measure. 'He was a gentle person and care for the betterment of society especially, the rural India,' Mr. Thiagarajan added.
