Mr Change of Heart - Dr Jose Chacko Periyappuram

As he wielded the scalpel, cardiac surgeon Jose Chacko Periappuram closed his eyes and said a prayer—let this patient not be among those unlucky souls whose heart hesitated to beat again. The prayer was intense this time, for Periappuram was going to perform the first heart re-transplant.

On March 6, 2014, Periappuram became the first cardiac surgeon to conduct the first successful heart re-transplant in the country.

 Periappuram calls it a miracle. Gireesh, a 39-year-old software professional from Palakkad in Kochi was suffering from a rare heart ailment called dilated cardiomayopathy. His heart was not pumping blood efficiently. The first heart transplant was done on June 4, 2013, but soon he developed fever which led to an infection in one of his valves.

On February 27, 2014, he had a cardiac arrest after being resuscitated. On March 2, he was put on a ventilator as his condition worsened. On March 5, he suffered a second cardiac arrest. There were only two options—either remove the transplanted heart or the infected valve. Re-transplant is usually done when an already transplanted heart fails. But it accelerates risk as another surgery on a patient who had undergone cardiac surgery is not advisable. For every transplant, the heart should start beating again within four hours after being moved from the donor to the recipients’ body. The operation was a success.

“However hard we try, a 10 per cent mortality rate cannot be ruled out,” he says. “Hence, it is not always in the doctor’s hands to save a life.” Periappuram is the only cardiac surgeon in Kerala who has undertaken nine successful heart transplants so far. He was the first in Kerala to conduct a heart transplant in 2003.

Ask him what goes through his mind when he is about to operate on a patient, Periappuram says, “Absolutely nothing. I am detached and indifferent. Hardly any emotion clutters my mind. I am a doctor who has nothing else to think, but saves the patient in front of me.” He had a strange reply when asked why he chose to be a surgeon. “I was always fascinated by the beauty of a beating heart,” he says.

Call it a coincidence, but the doctor always had brave patients who made his task much easier, whether it be Gireesh or Abraham on whom he had conducted the first heart transplantation surgery. “Abraham was young. When I told him that I have never done a transplant before, he clasped my hands and said, ‘I believe in you and you can do it,” says the 55-year-old surgeon. It was more or less the same with Gireesh. He says the re-transplant surgery would not have been successful if Gireesh had not shown tremendous will and determination.

Periappuram, who is the chief cardiac surgeon and head of the department, cardio-thoracic department, Lisie Hospital, has many other ‘firsts’. He initiated a beating heart surgery programme in Kerala. He is also credited with the first successful TAR (Total Arterial Revascularization) and first awake bypass surgery in Kerala. Recognising his achievements, the government of India conferred on him the Padma Shri in 2011.

Periappuram now dreams of giving artificial hearts to those who cannot undergo transplants for various reasons. “Some might not get a suitable heart at the right time and for others, they cannot undergo heart transplants owing to the failure of other organs. Western countries are big on artificial hearts. Now my effort will be to make low price artificial hearts,” he says.

He also runs the Heart Care Foundation which provides heart surgeries to poor people by helping them financially.

On the Top

■ First doctor to successfully conduct a heart transplant in Kerala

■ Sole cardiac surgeon in Kerala who has undertaken nine successful heart transplants

■ Awarded Padma Shri in 2011

■ Periapurram is also credited with the first successful TAR (Total Arterial Revascularization) and first awake bypass surgery in Kerala

published in the Sunday Standard, The New Indian Express

Lost Childhood -What Happened When 6 Year Olds Appu and Bhagat Went Missing, And Were Then found!

by Shalet Jimmy
Published in www.riseforindia.com ( Rise for India )


We talk about child rights often. But, have we ever made an attempt to delve into the psyche of abandoned children – The answer is an emphatic ‘NO’.

It was a Monday morning.  A train had just arrived at the Majestic railway station, Bangalore from Mysore.

Six year old Appu and his nine year old brother got down from the train. Anxiety was written all over their face. They arrived unaccompanied and do not know where to go. Luckily, before the brokers who were lurking in the nook and cranny of railway station could lure them to child labour, the Railway CHILDLINE staff of BOSCO identified them.

Then, they were taken to the BOSCO’s child care centre. It seemed finally, they could relax. But after a few minutes, Appu burst out crying when the counselors in the child care centre started inquiring about their parents and whereabouts. The elder brother seemed very cautious while answering their questions. It was evident that they did not want to go back.

The counselors gathered that they were living with their mother, uncle and his family. Their father had left them. As it became a strenuous task for them to earn their daily bread, the uncle decided to admit them in a hostel. It was from there, they fled.

But this story may or may not be true. We get only 30 percent of truth from them, says Mary Triza, counselor, BOSCO. “It’s not their fault. The life has given them many scars. Though we talk about a lot of child rights violations, nobody has bothered to delve into the psyche of children who endures a lot in such a tender age,” she says.

Every day, BOSCO rescues an average of 20 runaway/unaccompanied children who arrive at the railway stations, bus stands and other city areas. But the number of children reaching the streets are many more. And the organization has got just 24 hours to identify the parents of children so that they could send them back. If their whereabouts could not be identified, they would be presented before the child welfare committee (CWC) to take further decision especially to decide about the shelter home where the child could be admitted for rehabilitation.

Whether they are send back or admitted in any homes, their disturbed psyche is completely ignored.


Some children open up fast and some don’t, explain Mary Triza. “We can handle those children who ran away from their home owing to reasons such as poverty, peer influence, migration of parents due to work etc. But it is not that easy with children who have backgrounds such as death/suicide of any of the parent, separated parents etc. They will not open up readily. For such children, the healing has to come from inside. But how many of them get such a chance?” She asks.

Om, a 14 year old boy arrived at the child centre just a day ago. He is from Belgaum. Tears welled up in his eyes when asked why he chose to leave his house. He says “I used to work from 9 am till 9 pm for a daily wage of Rs 300. But my parents are forcing to work for additional money.” The boy burst out crying when he said “There were times when I was not given anything to eat.”  Om had to load and unload goods from a truck. But was it the whole truth, maybe not. For he also said, his parents used to pressurize him to study.

Six year old Bhagat arrived at the BMTC bus stand, unaccompanied. He was wearing his school uniform and kept on insisting that he came to meet his elder brother and that he took permission both from his parents and teachers. He could have been easily believed if he were not in his uniform. The counselors later learnt that he is a single child living with his mother.

Explaining further, Mary Triza says “How much love and care, I shower upon them; I am not their real mother. Take the case of Appu and his brother. They are too little to be taken away from their mother and to put in a hostel. It has definitely left a scar in their mind.” She also recollects a 12 year old boy who was brought to the child centre. “He had lost both his parents and was living with his maternal grandmother uncle and aunt. He did not want to go back for he knew his aunt would create problems for his grandmother if goes back. The little one is hurt to the core and the trauma remains.”

Language is yet another major hurdle, says M D Shake Shafi, another counselor. “We speak around six languages. But it becomes difficult when children from Orissa, Bengal, Jharkhand etc arrives. We don’t know the language,” he says. Besides, we have a very little time to understand the children and their problems as they have to send them back to their parents in 24 hours, he adds.

originally published in http://www.riseforindia.com/happened-6-year-olds-appu-bhagat-went-missing-found/

Child trafficking, an alarming issue in Bengaluru

by Shalet Jimmy

published in the International Business Times (India)

It was 10.30 a.m. on Monday at the BMTC bus stand in Bengaluru, when the field staff of BOSCO's Child Assistance Centre at Majestic bus stand came across a seven-year-old boy in school uniform. He said he came to meet his elder brother and that he had taken permission from his teachers and parents before leaving the school.


But that did not seem to be the truth as he was wearing his school uniform. The field staff decided to take him to the child care centre. Just then another six-year-old child was found loitering at the bus stand. We had a hard time exacting information from him, as he seemed mentally challenged. As we moved to the Bangalore City Railway Station nearby, we found another seven-year-old boy sleeping at the 8th platform. His clothes were soiled, and he started crying after being woken up. He was initially reluctant to go with the Railway CHILDLINE Coordinator and kept saying that he wanted to go to Mandya.

Eventually, when all of them were taken to the BOSCO's Child Assistance Booth at the 4th platform, there were three more children waiting, including a 14-year-old girl. It certainly gave us more than enough reasons to panic as all the incidents happened in a matter of a few minutes – six children were rescued in half an hour. According to BOSCO, an average of 20 run-away/unaccompanied children are rescued from railway stations, bus stands and other city areas every day. But the number of children reaching the streets would be many more.

BOSCO, an organisation run by the Salesians of Don BOSCO, is a registered NGO that has been offering services to the young at risk, including children living on the streets, child labourers, abandoned/ orphaned children, victims of drug abuse and child abuse, beggers, rag pickers, etc. since 1980. "We are doing our level best to rescue children and rehabilitate them. Though we rescue and rehabilitate over 7,000 boys and girls a year, the actual number of children reaching the streets would be many more. Where do the rest reach?," asks Fr Mathew Thomas, the Executive Director of Bengaluru Oniyavara Seva Coota (BOSCO).

Chances are high for those children to end up in the wrong hands, he adds. Brokers frequent the areas around the railway station and bus stand to trap such children away from the family. "Most of them will be in a state of bewilderment, thereby exposing their vulnerability. Hence, it becomes easy for the brokers/traffickers to approach them with offers for job, food and shelter and the children easily fall prey to them," says Thomas Paul, programme manager, BOSCO.

The brokers are approached by hotel owners, who want to employ children. This arrangement, which involves commissions for the brokers, happens in broad daylight near the Majestic railway station. While some children are taken to factories, sweets makers, eateries/hotels, automobile workshops and construction sites, others end up with marriage caterers and are employed to cut vegetables and wash plates. Some are used for begging and pick-pocketing. 

The runaway children come from almost all the states in the country, mostly from Bihar, Orissa, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and West Bengal.Thomas reveals they are able to rescue children because the in-fights among brokers sometimes results in one group tipping them off against the rival group.

Ramaswamy, the Co-coordinator at BOSCO Railway CHILDLINE, says rescuing children from the railway station is becoming a strenuous task as most children don't even reach the main railway stations now. "To avoid us, the brokers/traffickers make them get down at the adjacent railway stations. From there, they take them away by autorickshaw or taxi," he says.


Besides, many are brought from other states in the name of education to get them enrolled in religious institutions, or under the name of some orphanages. "In such cases our intervention gets difficult as they would produce everything, including an identity card and other necessary forms. We could only intervene in those cases when we get a cue that the children are not aware of the contractors who have brought them here," he points out, adding that in many cases they are not able to register cases against the traffickers as it is difficult to identify the trafficker. If at all cases are registered it stops with the lodging of the FIR.

Female foeticide thriving business for radiologists, astrologers in Salem, Tamil Nadu

y Shalet Jimmy
published in the International Business Times (India)

It wasn't an easy decision for Meena, nor was it voluntary. It all began after an astrologer told her that it would be a girl. Coming under severe pressure from her family and society, the 28-year- old had taken abortion pills.

Just three days after taking the pill, she started feeling ill; and soon her condition got worse. She could not even stand straight. Still she didn't take rest. Writhing in pain, she went to work in the fields to provide for her children. In the middle of the work, the pain aggravated and she looked for an isolated corner across the field. That's where Meena underwent the much-painful abortion, unattended and solo. Soon she dug up a pit and put an end to that little being.
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Meena's is a clear case of forced female foeticide, a rampant phenomenon in Salem. Meena had undergone nine deliveries, including three abortions, until she turned 28.

She was so anaemic that one wondered how she could have endured the painful abortion procedure and also her deliveries. She took abortion pills during the sixth month of her pregnancy.

"The pain is as similar as labour pain," she said. Even such terrible pain could not stop her from having two more abortions.

Though many national dailies report on the issue, female foeticide continues to exist in a rampant form. The issue is, of course, not confined to Salem alone. It's happening in most parts of the country and is yet to show a downward trend.

To make matters more worse, illegal scanning centres and astrologers thrive in Salem. Many, like Meena, are ready to kill their foetus in the womb when an astrologer says it would be a girl.

Geetha, 24 is all tears when she spoke about her two abortions. "People would speak ill of me if I don't deliver a baby boy. That's why I was forced to do it." She had four deliveries and two abortions.

Ultrasound centres and astrologers practise unscrupulous methods to determine gender. For instance, if the first and the second children are female then they say that the third child is also likely to be a girl child. Then they push the mother/elders to commit foeticide.

There also exists another crude form of foeticide – inserting the sap of Arka flowers or Calotropis gigantea into the genitals of the expectant mother.

The scariest thing is that most of these abortions are conducted sans any scientific medical intervention. There are no instructions from doctors. Besides, most of them do not even know the name of the abortion pill.

"It's a small pill but I don't know the name. It costs Rs 500-600," says Selvi.

Ask them how they came to know about the pill, and they say "We got the name from other patients who were there in the scanning centres."

The sex ratio of the district is 929 against the state ratio of 972. The child sex ratio is 918 in the district against the state ratio of 946. The low child sex ratio is a clear indicator that the number of cases of female foeticide is huge in the district.

While the numbers are left as mere statistics in government records, the one question that needs to be constantly asked is, "Is public aware of this reality?"

(Names have been changed in the story to protect the identity of the sources.)

Child Rights - The Real struggle, The Real Stories

I met little Meena during my project visit to a village called Kuppannoor at Salem. Female foeticide, bonded labour, child labour, child marriage, untouchability- you name it, the village has everything.
I do not remember when Meena started holding my hand. I stayed in that village with my team for about 5 hours and she did not leave my hand even for a minute. My hands were profusely sweating and the little girl was wiping it with her soiled dress, then clutching to it as if she never wanted to leave it.



When she was convinced that I would not leave her soon, she asked me in Tamil “ Nan ungale akkannnu koopidalama” (“Can I call you Akka?” Akka is sister in Tamil). Overwhelmed with emotion, I told her “Yes, dear”.



She was one among those many underprivileged children in the village who were denied education. Belonging to a bonded labour family, there is a huge chance that either she might end up being a child labour or could be a child bride. But on that day, she was not aware of what is in store for her. I cannot ever forget her smile and those big eyes with hope.

Meena, you will always be in my prayers.

The dalits of this village belongs to the Arundhatiyar community, considered as the most inferior group among dalits. Majority of them are under bonded labour for a meagre monthly salary of Rs 300 for many years. For outside world, they were untouchables, but I assure you, they make the best tea and will serve it you with lots of love.

Mohanapriya was all happy when she met us. I became dead cautious while answering her questions for she had started to look upon us. It was a moment of realization that I amidst them with a huge responsibility. She is the first girl in the Arundhatiyar community to pass 10th standard. I could see dreams in her eyes. She wanted to be an IAS officer.

She said “ Akka, the officers do not want to hear our story. We are always pushed around when we try to meet them. But if somebody from our community becomes an officer, it would be helpful for the community to place our needs.

There is another bright young girl whose name just slipped from my memory. She had no parents and lives with her grandmother and a younger sister who is a speech and hearing - impaired child. Tears welled up in my eyes when I saw her grandmother. She is so old and walks with a stoop.
I met some grandmothers also. To my utter dismay, they were in their late 20’s. Besides, many had been forced to undergo female foeticide.

The children at Ponmalai nagar village again amazed me. Sans any facilities, they were a bundle of talent. If given facilities, they could challenge any privileged child.

My note would be incomplete if I didn’t mention Jayam who have started bringing real change into this downtrodden community. She was a child labourer, child bride, a mother who was forced to undergo female foetcide. If Jayam did not raise her voice, the community would never experience a change.

I believe people like Jayam are the real leaders. She get death threats often but those are not enough to bog her down.

And I salute Jayam – the REAL LEADER

All pictures are copyrighted  PS

Justice V R Krishna Iyer - Bhishmacharya of Indian Judiciary

This was Justice V R Krishna Iyer's Last interview and I am privileged. I could not ask much. He was tired and 100.

On June 12, 1975 Justice Jagmohanlal Sinha of Allahabad High Court held the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi guilty of rigging the Lok Sabha election of 1971. The judge held her election to parliament null and void. He also barred her from contesting elections for six years. Indira Gandhi’s lawyers filed an appeal in the Supreme Court believing that the highest court in the country will pull her out of the quagmire she was in. But her hopes were dashed when the then Supreme Court judge V R Krishna Iyer barred Indira Gandhi from participating in debates or voting in Parliament.  He then referred the matter to a larger bench of the court. Justice Krishna Iyer’s stand on the issue prompted Indira to act fast and declare ‘Emergency’, the darkest chapter ever in the history of India. However, his undaunted spirit led to the rise of new school of thought and a new era of ‘Judicial Activism’ was born. Ironically, it was Indira Gandhi who appointed V R Krishna Iyer as a Supreme court judge.On November 13, ‘Krishna Iyer Swamy’ as he is fondly called celebrated his 100th

birthday.He looked tired but the energy had not diminished one bit. “You know, I am 100. I am tired. I have terrible knee pain. You are young and have a lot to travel before you reach my age,” he had said with a friendly smile. Though he often complained of not being able to hear and see, the way he promptly replied to every question that was put to him made one wonder whether he really was able to do so or not.

“You will have to come close to my ear and speak,” he had said.Ask the man who always stood for every noble causes, is there any regrets in life? He replied promptly,”eradication of poverty and the upliftment of the underprivileged. Those days are yet to come when everyone gets justice from the judiciary.”

This intention was the main force that led Iyer to support a campaign to introduce Islamic banking and finance in India in 2010. Iyer said, “I welcome Islamic finance in India for it has proven successful in poverty alleviation and promoting sustainable growth in many countries, including the United States, and it is very relevant in our country where 20 million people are starving.”

Speaking about the judiciary he said, “I am not at all satisfied with the way it is going ahead. Cases drag on and pile up. Certain judge retires without pronouncing verdict on cases being heard by him. Hence, before appointing any judges, they should be put on posted on the post for six months on a temporary basis. If their work is found to be satisfactory, their appointment can be confirmed,” he said.He has never ever taken a break from reading and especially, writing until yesterday. “I used to write. But I stopped doing so from yesterday.”

His PA Ramanathan said that though the newspapers are dictated to him, he goes through the headlines with magnifying glasses.

Dr Mani- Lal- Bhoumik - The Man who saves eye sight

In 1943, three million people died of starvation and malnutrition during the Bengal famine. There was extreme penury all around. But even amid these difficulties, there was a 12-year-old boy who used to dream big every night. He often thought he could easily touch the stars.

“Those days were full of blind faith, superstition and primitive practices,” said Dr Mani Lal Bhaumik. Superstitions had Dr Bhaumik’s mother remain standing after her delivery, because the umbilical cord was being cut by people of lower caste.

Son of a school teacher, Dr Bhaumik walked four miles on his bare foot to reach school.

Little did he know that despite his poverty, one day, he would grow up to become a renowned name. Dr Bhaumik is the co-inventor of the Laser surgery for the eyes (LASIK).

Speaking about his invention, he says, “Earlier, when laser made a hole, it would burn. But when the experiment was going on, the laser rays accidentally fell on somebody’s hand, and it did not burn. The discovery paved the way for corrective eye surgery.” Dr Bhaumik says that his team took 10 years to study the pros and cons of the surgery.
When it was pointed out that patients are still reluctant to undergo the surgery, out of fear, he says, “It might be because of lack of  awareness. To me, it is as safe as scratching your skin. Around 30 million people worldwide have undergone it. As far as I know, there has not been a single complaint. The success of the surgery depends on the skill of the surgeon. But, undoubtedly, the surgery is a bit expensive.”

  It was Dr Bhaumik’s association with the renowned Indian physicist, Satyendranath Bose, which changed his life. “He was my mentor, who had an independent and brilliant mind,” said Dr Bhaumik. “My professor was his student and he introduced me to Bose.” And then there was no looking back.

  Dr Bhaumik also recollects his one-week stay with Mahatma Gandhi in his ashram. “He did not speak much,” says Dr. Bhaumik. “But whenever he spoke, it was a gem. He was highly disciplined. We had to get up at the crack of dawn. By this time, the hymn, ‘Raghupati Raghava Raja ram’, would be reverberating everywhere.”

  Dr Bhaumik was at Kochi recently to deliver a talk at the Photonics Department of CUSAT. And despite having lived for 55 years in the United States, he is an Indian in every sense. “The West has achieved a lot, but whenever they feel a vacuum, they turn to India,” says Dr Bhaumik. “A blend of East and West can do wonders for you.”

  Nevertheless, he reiterates the bond that binds everyone in this world. “The particles with which the universe is made up of is from a single source and interconnected,” he says. “If the world knows this fact, there would not be any religious wars.”

  Dr Bhaumik has won many awards including the Padma Shri, in 2011, for his achievements in the field of science and engineering. He has also set up the Mani Bhaumik Educational Foundation, Kolkata, which  funds the university education of several underprivileged but meritorious students from rural Bengal. And, recently, the man, who was born in poverty, donated $150 million to the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, his alma mater. His book, ‘Code Name God: The Spiritual Odyssey of a Man of Science’, which became a best-seller has been translated into 100 languages.

published in the New Indian Express

Dr Robert Gallo - interview

As the country frets over how to contain Ebola in the event of an outbreak, eminent American virologist Dr Robert Gallo, who had substantially attributed AIDS to HIV, reassures that vaccines are available for Ebola, and that the public administration has to play a prominent role in making their benefits available to patients.   “Experiments are currently on to develop around 12 vaccines for Ebola. Of which, three have turned out to be successful,” he said.

Dr Gallo was in Kochi on Sunday in connection with the International Conclave on Cancer Care, hosted by Aster Medcity.

“Though the fear of Ebola is gripping the whole world, with the recent outbreak termed as the worst in the history, the real villain is HIV that is capable of literally squeezing life out of man. Unlike HIV, Ebola will not leave its gene in human beings. It is a fleeting phenomenon,” Gallo pointed out.
“Millions of people have died of AIDS, and some people are not aware of the fact that they are infected with HIV. Some of the infected persons do not get proper medication, while some fail to find competent doctors,” he said. When asked about curing AIDS, Dr Gallo said, “a biological cure for AIDS still remains a distant reality.”

When asked about the controversy surrounding the vaccine being administered on patients suffering from cervical cancer, Dr Gallo, who is impressed with the healthcare scenario in Kerala, dismissed it saying that the whole issue was purely political.

According to experts in the field, there are effective vaccines available for cervical cancer, which should be administered to boys and girls before they become sexually active.

Dr Gallo further pointed out that there were different types of cancers caused by viruses.

“Twenty per cent of the cancers are caused by viruses, and there are eight types of viruses, including Hepatitis B, C, and the Herpes virus. Of all the viruses, HIV is the worst because of the high mortality rate among patients. HIV does not cause cancer directly, but affects the patient’s immune system, "he added.

Me with Dr Gallo

published in The New Indian Express

Dr George John - World renowned Sports Surgeon

Photo courtesy : Melton Antony
published in The New Indian Express on May 13, 2014

I can show you 100 better players than Roger Federer. But it might not be easy for them to beat him. Because he plays with his mind, says Dr George John.

 Dr George John can talk at length not only about Federer, but also on many other top-seeded stars like Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Cristiano Ronaldo and even Diego Maradona. Years have gone by since this sports surgeon has been attending to their bruises and sprains. In a span of few years, this Orthopedic and sports surgeon, hailing from Punalur, became one of the most sought after surgeons by world renowned sports persons across the world.

A keen observer of sports, Dr George John is certainly not happy with the way sports are developing in the country. “Why are we missing out on several Sachins and Dhonis in tennis and badminton? Why is a boy who loves to play rugby or badminton taken so lightly?” he asks.

George John sadly points out that even now many sports organisations feel that it is unnecessary to hire a sports medicine expert as they already have physiotherapists.

Hence in an attempt to bring about a change in this scenario, George John is all set to share the experience he gained in the field of sports medicine. And as a first attempt on these lines he will soon start a full-fledged centre for Minimal Invasive Surgery in Kochi, which will be the first-of-its-kind in the country.

“It will become a reality in a matter of three years,” he adds. But to bring a whole new culture to the land, he is not ready to beseech the help of the government or any other sports organisations for that matter. “I have acquired a lot and it is now my turn to give it back to my motherland which I will do with my own resources,” he says. 

George John says that even the psyche of the people towards sports is blatantly disillusioning. “In our country, it is just the performance of a sports person that really matters. But in Western countries they go for both the individuals and the performance. The sportsmen have real values to impart,” he says.

Besides, the kind of promotions sports stars get here is definitely in the wrong direction. “It is all about money and brand they talk about. Where are those potent values that a sportsperson can offer,” he asks.

Ask him how he managed those sports persons who were faced with career threatening injuries, he says,“We normally do not slap it on their faces that they could not go on any further. Instead we take our own time and break the news gently. That’s why before donning the garb of a doctor for them, it always helps if you could understand their emotions,” he points out.

Thus he went on to narrate an experience he had with Federer.  “There was a time when Roger Federer lost his game to Novak Djokovic. He came to my room and I knew that he did not need my counselling but an outlet to vent out his emotions. I left the room. Sometime later when I came back, almost everything in my room was destroyed. He was just getting it out of his system. Understanding the players’ emotions at a particular moment as this and reacting accordingly is pivotal,” points out the surgeon who had associated with Federer for eight years.

Apart from sports, he is also into film industry. He is the executive producer of the film Kamasutra 3D.

Interview - Tamil poet and writer SALMA - Shaking off the shackles

Years ago, to be precise, at the age of 22, Rukkaiah dropped a bombshell in the conservative and Islamic confines of a hamlet in Tamil Nadu called Thiruvankurichi, when she scribbled her controversial poem Oppandum (The Contract) under the pen name ‘Salma’. The words were her way of venting her anger.

Like most of the girls in her village, Rajathi, as she was called prior to her marriage, was denied education when she reached puberty. A small window of her house, painted in green, facing a deserted street was her only link to the world outside. Clutching the window grill, her sister and she would look into the street to capture any sign of life in a world which was taboo for them. Time flew by and anger brewed. She resisted marriage proposals until the age of 22 when she was tricked into it by her mother. Sadly, even after her marriage, the fetters did not loosen. Its repercussions emerged in the form of the poem Oppandum. It was her first daring declaration of sexuality under the name ‘Salma’, her anonymous identity for quite some time.

She sulked for two years and was angry with her mother who had coaxed her into marrying by acting ill. But call it a paradox, it was her mother who smuggled the writings that she jotted down in pieces of paper she could lay her hands on, from her in-laws’ house to the publisher. Daring to defy the existent norms, Salma has become one of the most noted poets and writers of south India. Her story has reached different quarters of the globe. Kim Longitto, a film director from UK, has produced a documentary on her.

When I caught up with her at St Albert’s College, she was all smiles. Her face did not show any shadow of the bitterness she had to swallow during her early years of life. She had come here to promote her film Salma which portrays her struggle. The programme was organised by the Film Club and Women’s Club of the college.

It is one among the 10 selected films under the category ‘Movies that matter’  by the Amnesty International. “I was told by the Amnesty International that I should travel across the country promoting this film for it talks about human rights violations. They will bear the expenses for it. And now I am here,” she says.

So far she has had 11 screenings of the movie in the state. “The response was truly overwhelming. There are many who still go through the same plight as mine. Education is a way out, but sometimes, I feel sad that even  education fails to liberate women. What we need is an education that permeates to grass-roots level,” she points out.

Asked what she did first with her new-found freedom, she says, “Earlier, I was Rajathi and Rukkaiah, But neither of those identities gave me freedom but Salma did. Now I am enjoying it to the fullest as a breath of fresh air.” She did not waste any time before commencing her education which abruptly ended at the age of 13. “I completed my graduation in BA Tamil and now I am pursuing my post-graduation in MA History,” she says.

She got the first vibe of discrimination when she was barely 12. She narrated it in hushed tone still suggesting that freedom is yet to be gained in its true sense. “Once we went to watch a Malayalam movie Avalude Ravukal. We were clueless about the film. The moment we entered the cinema hall, all eyes were on us. That was the end of everything. When my family got wind of it, I was barred from going to school even before I reached puberty. But I was shocked when I saw my cousin, a male, who also watched the movie but could go scot-free. For him, nothing changed,” she says.

Confinement did not end her urge to be liberated, thanks to the umpteen books she read. “I devoured every book that came my way and was quite amazed by the world, the Russian literature opened for me. Dostoyevsky and Leo Tolstoy put me on a pedestal to cut out a new path,” she says

Salma has come a long way. There was a time when she used to go to the common bathroom of her house and write poems on small sheets of papers despite the stench and hide them.

For, very often the scribbled bits would  disappear as her husband would take them away. But now things have changed. She entered into politics with the backing of her husband. But still her relationship with him and sons are distant. “They are yet to accept me with a liberal mind,” she says.

But that is not going to deter her from going ahead. “I should do more, there are many girls in my village who could not muster the courage to come out of the confines,” she said.

Salma’s work comprises poems, short stories and novels. Some of her works daringly examine woman’s sexuality and her identity and some were also translated into English. One can flip through her works at www.poetsalma.com

Art a Panacea for one and all - Dr Iva Fattorini and Dr Latha Mani

Each one is a patient at one time or other. The pent up emotions and mounting tension always seek an outlet. Unfortunately, many do not know that art offers great solace to the disturbed mind, said Dr Iva Fattorini, who was here to launch Arts and Music therapy, an initiative of the Kochi Muziris Biennale Foundation, in the General Hospital on Saturday.

 She says being an artist is not a tough job, for, all are artists in their own way. “You become an artist when you find a way of triggering the energy around you. Art therapy is not limited to music alone. Poetry, dance, creative writing and other creative work, by invoking the positive energy around us, take care of not only our body but also the soul,” she said.

Dr Latha Mani said, “Many artists were born in the Nazi regime, and saw only the darker sides of Germany. It is like your life is shattered one fine morning and you want to rewind.”

  While Dr Iva is the chairman of Global Arts and Medicine Institute, Cleveland clinic in  Abu Dhabi, Dr Latha is an Abu Dhabi-based paediatrician and both have been associating themselves with arts therapy.

Dr Iva said that the art therapy is going places in the US where she was earlier based. It has made a giant leap by successfully treating multiple sclerosis patients who became speech-impaired. Stroke disrupts the parts of the nervous system and affects the ability to communicate. Hence the message of speech cannot reach the brain directly. But music therapy has the ability to rewire and the message takes a detour to reach the brain. “It is not easy for a speech-impaired patient to say a simple sentence such as ‘Give me a glass of water’. But surprisingly, a stroke patient can say it after the sentence is repeated  rhythmically, as the words become coherent after many attempts,” she said.

In a survey on patients who underwent art therapy, 90 per cent of them were brimming with positive attitude, she said.

When asked how they are going to handle Keralites who are rigid by nature, they said, “Time has a way of unwinding itself.

 “This issue prevails everywhere. Arts therapy is not a session but a journey and when it is done regularly, it becomes a culture. We are not imposing it on anybody. But if somebody wants a moment of respite, the opportunities are always there." Dr Iva added.

Dr Sun Siyu, one of Asia’s leading gastro endocrinologists from China

by Shalet Jimmy

published in The New Indian Express

August 26, 2013

photo courtesy : Mithun Vinod

With no scar and considerably less complications, Gastrointestinal endoscopic surgery can be used to treat intestinal cancer. Here the diagnosis and surgery are done simultaneously. But the method is yet to gain momentum in the country.

Dr Sun Siyu, one of Asia’s leading gastro endocrinologists, from China said that his country has woken up to the advantages of the surgery,but in India it is yet to pick up due to lack of awareness. He was in Kochi to participate in the two day workshop conducted by the Gastroenterology department of the Medical Trust Hospital.

The anomaly should be detected at an early stage for the surgery to be successful. “It is of scant help in advanced stages. To put it simply, an instrument with a camera is inserted through natural orifices (openings) of the body. If a growth is diagnosed in the intestinal tract, it is removed at once. It leaves no scar”, he said.

“Some of  complications that can arise from the surgery are bleeding, stenosis - stricture of Gastro Intestinal (GI) tract - and perforation. But these can be treated as soon as they arise”, he says. One of the reasons why the surgery is yet to catch up here is the absence of experts. “Since it deals with the inner walls of the body, meticulous study of the technique is necessary.”

Dr Siyu said that since the technology is only eight years old, government intervention is pertinent in luring the public to undertake screenings. “Cancer rate is high in India and China. Early stage detection happens in China as the government allots funds for screening of cancer. But in India, owing to less awareness and no government support, detection happens at an advanced stage”, he says. Besides, in China, information regarding the updates in the health sector is available on the government’s website.

Dr Siyu pointed out that tremendous effort has to be put in to make this enterprise successful. “I conduct 50,000 screenings a year, 5000 EUS (Endoscopic Ultrasound), more than 1000 Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and many more. I work five days a week with 14 hours a day. I travel all through China and across the globe on Saturday and Sunday to give training programmes on this new system. I never had a vacation in many years. This is the kind of work we have to put in to make this method a huge success”, he concluded.

Padmabhushan Dr Girinath - Chief Cardiovascular surgeon of Apollo Hospital, Chennai

by Shalet Jimmy
published in The New Indian Express
September 30, 2013
photo courtesy : P K Jeevan Jose

His scalpel has handled more than 25,000 surgeries and he has won awards and accolades, including Padmabhushan for his contributions to his field. But Chief Cardiovascular surgeon of Apollo Hospital, Chennai, Dr Girinath, also one of the  pioneers of heart transplants in the country, is unperturbed by the buzz created by these recognitions. However, he is happy with the way the country has woken up to heart transplants but concerned about the social problems arising from it.

“Recently, I did a heart transplant on a 25-year-old man from Kolkata. He is recuperating. But now his parents want to marry him off. They approached me for suggestions. What am I supposed to tell them? You can’t guarantee anything,” he says.

Dr Girinath was in Kochi to receive the Life-time Achievement Award instituted by the Heart Care Foundation. He points out that the technicalities involved in the surgery are simple but things can go awry in the post-operational period. “Lungs can get infected any time. The normal heart is not used to the diseased lungs and is directly exposed to the atmosphere. The anti-rejection medicines can help or encumber the progress of recovery. If you increase the anti-rejection medicines, it will automatically reduce the immunity of the patient. If you decrease it, you may be exposing the patients to risk. The patients have to be isolated and barrier nursing is required to avoid any infective complications. Strict monitoring of the patient is a prerequisite. Moreover, meticulous care has to be given while taking care of a heart transplant patient. No one can conveniently gloss over these facts and complications involved in it,” he points out.

To put it honestly, it is kind of replacing one disease with another. “But definitely it would give a qualitative life to the patient,” he said. Recollecting an incident, he said that India is on the process of surpassing many other countries in giving qualitative treatment. “I had a patient from Jordan. He was living with an artificial heart. But after two years, it started giving him nightmares. After browsing thorough the Net, he zeroed in on us. His heart was transplanted successfully and is now recuperating in the hospital,” he said. He lauded the doctors who are committed enough to undertake heart transplants. “It is time-consuming and needs single-minded devotion. Besides, heart transplants can be efficiently undertaken by senior surgeons who have an active unit. Dr. Jose Chacko Periyapuram deserves special mention in this regard,” he said.