Governor asks citizens to imbibe spirit of giving at St John's 50 yr celebration

From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Aug 11: Wamly applauding the service and achievements of St John’s Hospital and Medical College, which commenced its golden jubilee, Karnataka Governor Hans Raj Bharadwaj described the institutions as one of the best that made the State and the country proud by being the embodiment of the love, compassion and tolerance.

Inaugurating the Golden Jubilee Year of St John’s Medical College, he advised the people, particularly the well-off and affluent sections, not to be too materialistic in their attitude and learn to be more philanthropic in helping the poor, needy and less privileged sections of society. In a country of pluralistic society with people of diverse religions, castes, communities and cultures living together in harmony, St John’s College was a shining example in its service to the poorer and needy sections, especially from rural and remote areas.

''The moneyed people and affluent sections must realize that money or wealth is to be shared to improve the lot of people because the real joy in life is through giving,” he said asking the people to donate generously because all must remember that that the wealth and money will be of no use after death as nobody carries their possessions.

The Governor told the thousands of Alumni of St John’s to generously donate to their alma mater to continue its work of serving poor and needy. ''Money is like a shadow. It always follows you but you cannot catch it,” he said adding: ''When you become prominent, money will follow you. But it is good to give and inculcate the philanthropic spirit.”

Dr Francis Kallarakal, Archbishop of Verapoly and Chairman of the St John’s Governing Board, who presided over the function, said St John’s Medical College had followed transparency and absolute merit as its guiding principles right from its inception and had taken care to provide admissions to the poor and deserving students committed to serving the poorer sections of society in remote and unreachable areas.

The St John’s Medical College had emerged as a centre of excellence and its hospital strived to provide healthcare to all and make it affordable to realize its motto of ''He shall live because of me.”

Dr Aaron Friedman, Dean of Medical School, Minnesota University, USA, who was the guest of honour, said his happiness at the international collaboration of his University with St John’s and described the association as mutually beneficial. He said while the St John’s was celebrating its golden jubilee, the Minnesota University would be observing its 125th anniversary next year which provided education programmes across diverse disciplines from nursing, para-medicals, pharmacy to medical courses for doctors and post-graduates.

Dr Prem Pais, Dean and a student of the first batch, said the St John’s Medical College had grown tremendously over the last 50 years from a borrowed building in St Mary’s Town and a borrowed hospital of St Martha’s to have a full-fledged 1200-bed hospital. The College has produced over 2,600 MBBS graduates and was the first college to start the practice of compulsory 2-year rural service bond some 30 years back. The Disaster Management Team had been doing pioneering service in major natural calamities including the Bangladesh Refugee work and the more recent Uttarakhand flood relief works, he said.

Earlier, the Governor unveiled the plaques of the newly built St John’s Oncology Centre and St John’s Unit of Hope. Dr Aaron Friedman unveiled the plaque for the renovated St John’s Auditorium, while Dr Bernard Moras, Archbishop of Bangalore, unveiled the plaque for the renovated Students’ Dining Hall, donated by Dr Brian Pereira, noted nephrologist in US and his wife Dr Sunita Pereira. In a rare gesture, the Archbishop asked Dr Brian Pereira to come on to the dais to be by his side while unveiling the plaque.

The Governor also felicitated Archbishop Emeritus Alphonsus Mathias, who is also celebrating the golden jubilee of his ordination as a Bishop this year, for his long association with the St John’s Medical College and Hospital as its Director, Chairman of the Governing Board, by presenting a shawl and a commemorative plaque.

Commemorative plaques were also presented to the Governor and Archbishop Dr Francis Kallarakal.

Fr Lawrence D’Souza, Director of the St John’s National Academy of Medical Sciences and Chairman of the Golden Jubilee celebrations committee, welcomed the gathering.