 Dr. Vasudev. Pandurangi Life History Date of birth : 5th January 1930 Place : Ranebennur, Karnataka Father’s Name : Ramacharya Mother’s Name : Seethabai Brothers : Three Sisters : Four Education : MD (Obstetrics & Gynecology) Grant Medical College Bombay Marital Status : Married with three children-two sons and one daughter I was born at Ranebennur, then the Dharwad District on 5th January 1930. My father was a great Sanskrit scholar and in my early days, I learnt Sanskrit. My early education was at Ranebennur and college education was at Dharwad.
Education I joined Grant Medical College Bombay in 1949 and graduated in MBBS in October 1954. Later on I did MD –Obstetrics and Gynecology at Grant Medical College Bombay. After my graduation (MBBS), I started practice from 1956 to 1966 at Bassein Road about 30 miles from the centre of Bombay. I moved to Bangalore in the year 1966 and established Nursing Home at Rajajinagar. I also worked about six months at Vellore Medical College to gain more experience. I went to United Kingdom in 1973 worked in National Health Service until January 1987. After my retirement, I devoted my time for CAMHADD activities. Appointments 1955-1973 Worked as Resident House Surgeon and Junior Lecturer at J.J. Hospital Bombay, BCG Medical Officer, Part Time Medical Officer at Late Dr V.N.Shirodkar Nursing Home in Bombay. Junior Lecturer at Vellore Medical College And Maternity Home at Rajajinagar Bangalore-10 1974- January 1987
The events, the incidence and the coincidence of ‘Tirupati Tragedy’ inspired me to take a leading role in prevention of mental handicap which is preventable I came to Bangalore in 1974 to take my family consisting of my wife and four children Arvind was the youngest. Curiously enough he was born after sterilization of my wife. I took them to Tirupati to get blessings of Lord Venkateshwara. After performing Pooja, I left for Madras along with three children to get their visa to UK. My wife, Arvind and wife of my friend and my brother returning to Bangalore by car. My interest in the prevention of mental handicap started from the end of 1974 on my personal experience of having had a mentally retarded son who died in a car accident near Tirupati on 24 April 1974. He was a victim of mentally retarded due to forceps delivery which could have prevented. Following this tragedy I took my three children who were in great shock to Sheffield. Sheffield Health Authority helped me in rehabilitating them. I am grateful to Sheffield Health Authority who gave me support and encouragement to rehabilitate my children. The Events, the Incidence and the coincidence of ‘Tirupati Tragedy’ inspired me to create Shashi Aravind Pandurangi Memorial Trust. ‘TIRUPATHI’ a holy place and a famous Hindu Religious and a Pilgrimage centre situated on a hill in Andhra State of South India. The Lord of this hill is famous God called Lord Venkateshwara who is also well known as a protector of his devotees (Bhakta-Rakshaka) and for Hindus this place is known as ‘Bhoovaikunta’ i.e. Heaven on this earth. It is the belief of most Hindus to visit this place i.e. a sacred and a holy place to invoke the blessings of His Lord Venkateshwara before any auspicious occasion. Thousands of men, women and children from all walks of life visit this place day and night for the blessings of His Lordship. With the same belief, I went to Tirupathi on 23-4-1974 with my wife and children and worshipped His Lordship (by Kalyana-Mahotsava) to invoke his blessings before celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary on 25-4-1974 and before flying back to Sheffield (UK) on 3-5-1974. I thought god has blessed us and I was very happy and I thought everything would turn best. Then I left Tirupati at 9-30 p.m. on 23-4-1974 to Madras to fetch the Endorsed passports for visa to UK from the office of the British High Commission. It was not at all in my dream to create this memorial trust until the ghastly accident of Tirupathi Tragedy of 24-4-1974 in which 5 persons including my beloved wife Shashikala (Sindhu) and my loving son and my wife’s friend Vimala were killed on the spot in a car accident at 9-30 a.m. while returning to Bangalore. This was due to a sheer madness of Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) bus driver who drove his vehicle rashly and negligently with dangerous and desperate speed, ignoring all the normal traffic rules of the country and having no regard for the safety of human lives on the road and collided with the car smashing it into pieces. My wife and party were on the way to Bangalore to make arrangements to celebrate our 20th wedding Anniversary next day. But the happy moment of our 20 wedding anniversary became the scene of her and my loving son’s funeral ceremony. The mysterious will of god, is very difficult to understand The hope in one’s life is a means to get disappointment and fear, if one relies too much on hope. We hope to earn, we hope to enjoy, we hope to lead a happy life, we hope to have all comforts of life, and we live in the world of hope, and in the end hope will remain as a hope only. And if one wants to avoid disappointment in life, one ought to go through life hoping for as little as possible. In theory, it is true that good deeds lead to happiness and bad one leads to misery. In theory life is full of happiness and success and full of ideals. But whatever events occur in one’s life and the immediate reactions to them are true and practical. Thus in practice, life is full of failure and disappointments. Hence it is very, very difficult to understand the mysterious will of God if we believe that He exists and at the heart of life, then we must also believe that His will in the end is the directing force behind all the events that happen in one’s life. Today is ours as was yesterday. The present joy, happiness and sorrow are ours. We do not know what will happen tomorrow, and living tomorrow and living ahead lies in the hands of His Almighty, god that is one’s fate or destiny by whatever it is called, and no one can alter one’s fate or destiny. So whatever will happen, will happen, and we have to accept situations and circumstances as and when they come. In the end, man will remain as a slave to his fate or destiny, and will never conquer it. However it was my a bitter experience of the tragedy. My (Dr. V. R. Pandurangi’s) Journey To learn more about prevention of mental handicap I started my journey by attending international conference of (a) the International League of Society for Mentally Handicapped (ILSMH) at Dublin in 1975 and, (b) International Association for Scientific Study of Mental Deficiency (IASSMD) at Washington D.C. (USA) in 1976. I met many experts and pioneers who were involved with rehabilitation of mentally handicapped Persons. I met many international experts at Dublin, Washington and United Kingdom and learnt more about prevention of mental handicap. The International Year of the Disabled Persons (IYDP): 1981 The International Year of Disabled Persons (IYDP) 1981, was proclaimed by resolution 31/123 adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 16 December 1976, and was celebrated throughout the world with the theme full participation and equality. The year had as its main objectives promoting all national and international efforts to provide disabled persons with proper assistance, training, care, and guidance to make available opportunities for suitable work and to ensure their full integration in society”. There were three pioneers in the area of prevention during International Year of the Disabled Persons (IYDP) Kenneth Thompson: Consultant to Commonwealth Secretariat, London, prepared report on prevention of disabilities Sir John Wilson: Primary prevention of disablement was his focus. He established IMPACT Foundation- Dr V.R. Pandurangi : He developed the concept of the Commonwealth Association for Mental Handicap and Developmental Disabilities (CAMHADD) following the Bangalore Conference in May 1981 on ‘Early Detection and Early Intervention of Mental handicap. CAMHADD- A Commonwealth Professional Association and Pan Commonwealth NGO was established in January 1983 with the support from the Commonwealth Foundation London with the objectives of prevention of mental handicap in developing countries. CAMHADD is in Official Relations with WHO and a long standing Partner for collaborative activities with various technical divisions of WHO/HQ/Geneva Global and National Contribution 1. Global Contribution
2. National Contribution
Initiated Bidadi Project in 1990 on safe motherhood and child survival for two years. A team of medical experts visited Bidadi to give their free service for pregnant women and children. Many pregnant women and children were benefitted Significant contribution to develop Bangalore Healthy City Initiative for Urban Poor Pioneer in developing preventive and promotive health care for low and middle income group in urban settings by establishing Preventive Medicine and Healthy Life Style Clinic (HLC)-An initiative of CAMHADD and WHO India Office encompassing all aspects preventive and promotive care in Bangalore Healthy City Initiative. Bangalore Model is developed following a series of meetings with various Technical Divisions of WHO/HQ Geneva and WHO India Office, Technical Divisions of ILO/HQ/Geneva and Developing WHO Technical Collaboration and involvement of Tri-sector partners and the experience gained in establishing ‘Preventive Cardiology Centre at BBMP Shanthinagar Centre and Healthy Life Style Clinic at KSRTC Hospital at Jayanagar Bangalore This will also promote ‘The Right to Health Approach’ The following two preventive and promotive health centres were developed jointly with BBMP and KSRTC respectively.
Promotion of a Healthy Life style through counseling plays an important role in preventive health care by raising awareness on reducing common risk factors, counseling on healthy diet and physical activity. A Healthy Society requires the construction of planning systems that concentrate on the prevention of diseases. This model can be replicated in other Commonwealth Countries. In my experience, the policy makers, health care providers, majority of politicians and bureaucrats are not interested in providing preventive and promotive health care to millions of low and middle income groups in urban settings. Promoting The Right To Health: A Human Fundamental Right for Health and Medical Care for poor, low and middle income group in urban settings On the experiences of developing these programmes and the lessons learnt in achieving the goals of access to the basic health care for Bangalore Urban Poor including low and middle group population it was thought it is more appropriate to bring this programme: Integrating Human Rights in Health -:A Human Fundamental Right for Health and Medical Care. The global consultative meeting was held in February 2010 following meetings with the staff of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Geneva, Health and Human Rights Programme at WHO/HQ and Karnataka State Human Rights Commission Bangalore .Finally launching of the ‘Right to Health-A Human Fundamental Right for Medical care. by His Excellency Governor of Karnataka Sri H. R. Bhardwaj on 20 October 2010. For promoting and protecting: The Right to Health Approach integrating Health and Human Rights as an integral component of Bangalore Healthy City Initiative focusing on: No one should be denied the right to health in emergency medical care and accidents. Preventive and Promotive Health Care and Healthy Life Style Approach for low and middle income group in urban as well as in rural settings. A Healthy Society requires the construction of planning systems that concentrate on the prevention of diseases. Thus I am promoting the Right to Health-A Human Fundamental Right. What I am doing is just awareness programme. The action and implementation will take a long time. Honour 1996: Honoured by the Regional Institute of Ophthalmology, Minto Ophthalmic Hospital Bangalore, during its Centenary Celebration in November 1998 for outstanding services in Community Eye Care to Eradicate Blindness. 1999: Honoured by Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health Bangalore in June 1999 2003: Honoured by Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiology Bangalore for promoting Tri-Sector Partnership for preventive Health Care for Bangalore Urban Poor. 2005: Bharat Gaurav Award by India International Society for Global Friendship 2008: Felicitation at Pondicherry for 25 years contribution to develop CAMHADD 2009: Felicitation by Lakeside Education Trust for contr bution to the cause of Children and Society through CAMHADD for over three decades Publications Research Papers. Compiled CAMHADD Workshops proceedings and 25 CAMHADD Newsletters and project documents Research Activities Involved in research study drug trial, Developing simple and culture appropriate technology Prevention of Birth Asphyxia (lack of oxygen either before or immediately after birth) as an Integrated Component of Safe Motherhood and Child Survival in BIDADI PHC near Bangalore in South India. Project Director and Project Co-ordiantor: 1987 till today CAMHADD/UNICEF-Bombay Joint Project on “Promotion of Genetic Counseling in Community Centres in association with Tata Institute of Social Sciences Bombay (India) Study of Low Birth-Weight Infants at the Paediatrics Department of KEM. Hospital Bombay (India): Community oriented pre-pilot project jointly with Bangalore Rural District Council at Bidadi-PHC near Bangalore on safe motherhood and child survival to prevent brain damage due to birth asphyxia in association with College of Nursing Bangalore WHO Study on Validation of WHO-Risk Management Package Scenario one Protocol Project Co-ordinator for Shanthinagar (Bangalore) centre for Preventive Cardiology for screening of 4000 sanitary workers of Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) for hypertension, diabetes and oral health Bangalore Healthy City Initiative for preventive and promotive health care for low and middle income group of Bangalore population in urban settings through Healthy Life Style Clinic(HCL)-An Initiative of CAMHADD and WHO India Office focusing on prevention of hypertension, diabetes(including diabetic retinopathy), eye screening and oral diseases Occupational Health and Safety at work Health Hazards including musculoskeletal disorders in Bangalore Healthy City Initiative Spinal Screening for school children • Launched the Right to Health-A Human Fundamental Right of Every one in October 2010 For promoting and protecting: The Right to Health Approach integrating Health and Human Rights as an integral component of Bangalore Healthy City Initiative focusing on: No one should be denied the right to health in emergency medical care and accidents. Preventive and Promotive Health Care and Healthy Life Style Approach for low and middle income group in urban as well as in rural settings. A Healthy Society requires the construction of planning systems that concentrate on the prevention of diseases. Promotion of a Healthy Life style plays an important role in preventive health care by raising awareness on reducing common risk factors, counseling on healthy diet and physical activity. Important Meetings : 1975-2008
Receptions Attended: 1982-2008: The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh at Buckingham Palace London. During Commonwealth Health Ministers Meeting from 1986 -2008, Second Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, Bahamas and Mayor of Melbourne(Australia),Second Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference and Reception in West Minister Hall London, Commonwealth Secretary General and Director WHO/HQ/Geneva. Organiser of Regional, Inter-Regional, Pan Commonwealth and Global Workshops and International Conferences from May 1986-May 2008 Attended National, Regional and International conferences/ seminar/ workshops Educational Tour
In conclusion
Dr V.R.Pandurangi Founder and Patron CAMHADD/COMHAD CAMHADD Project Director for Bangalore (India) Healthy City Project For Low and Middle Income Group in Urban Settings Campaigner for the Right to Health-A Human Fundamental Right for Health and Medical Care |
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