Drs. Abraham Jospeh and Sulochana Abraham, former professors and heads of department of Community Medicine at CMC Vellore are people whom Anna and I have admired as role models. Their friendships and caring ways have touched us.
Dear sir and ma’m,
Greetings.
Sir, my first meeting with you was during the council meetings which I used to attend from 1983. After Dr V Benjamin retired, there was a new direction which CHAD took under your leadership. You enlarged the mission of CHAD. I remember the presentations you made to the CMC council about CHTC and upgrading the facility of the hospital. The new direction was well received by the council. What I recall about your presentations and leading the discussion was the clarity you brought in in the listener’s ears. You looked beyond the immediate. I was just embarking at that time on the journey of setting up ASHIRVAD Child Development Centre at Chennai. Your analytical and logical thinking influenced me to look at the opportunities and use them to our advantage.
You were gifted in net working. While others talked about net working, you were far ahead in doing it effectively with others in India and overseas. The Danish government supporting the CHTC was an example of this. I felt inspired by this model you presented through your multiple initiatives at CHAD.
I remember having a personal conversation with you once, when you were the vice-prinicapal of CMC Vellore. You elaborated on your dream of developing a net work of Christian Medical Colleges. You made it happen. You even envisioned collaboration of the South Asian Christian Medical Colleges. You have a passion to collaborate with others because you believe in others and value them. I have seen this as your relational style and I have immensely benefitted from this example.
When I joined CMC in 1997, I was keen to get to know the senior faculty to learn about the history, ethos, heritage and traditions of CMC in order to become part of the institution as I was a non-alumnus of CMC. In that context I remember having a hour long recorded interview with both of you when you elaborated on your student days at the hostels and the many good traditions which have been part of the college life. The long conversation traversed through some of the exciting experiences both of you have had and some difficult experiences along the way. You sounded grateful for what you received and conveyed readiness to accept what was not possible. It was during that conversation I got to know the wide spectrum of activities you both have been responsible for or initiate and sustain at CHAD. The story of how you equipped women masons still stays with me. The residential programme in the community for the students in the first year was one of the impressive pioneering efforts, about which you spoke most passionately. Listening to you talk about work, family life, community life, the mission CMC, etc broadened my understanding of the culture at CMC .
I was most encouraged by the reference to the Student Christian movement and all that you contributed to its vibrant role in the life of students.
It was when I got to know Priya and Vinod I realised even more the way you lived and worked at CMC leaving an outstanding inspirational example to both of them. It is more than just coincidental that Vinod chose your specialty.
I watched you breathe in a new life to the Karigiri hospital. Although it did not take the turn that you envisioned, I know for sure that it was an opportunity that others did not pursue well enough. But you compensated for it all when you went to Dimapur. Although you inspired me to be associated with it, I had my constraints. But the several conversation we had on this matter gave me a sense of the strategist that you are when you are in a leadership role. A visit during your time to Dimapur gave me a feeling of the effectiveness of your leadership by creating a culture of enabling and empowering. Even when you had some resistance from some people, you patiently endured it and when the time had come, you left it in safe hands only to return to Vellore to begin with the Chitoor project. I know that you were keen for our son Arpit to come to Chittoor. When that did not happen, you seemed to accept it graciously!
Sir, your mission of service, leading by example and bringing cohesiveness in difficult circumstances inspire me a lot.
Every time I had an occasion to meet you, you left me encouraged and affirmed. During the recent months when I was through a difficult experience with CMC council, I could reach out to you to get a sense of your thoughts and inisghts.
I am grateful to both of you for valuing me as a friend and sharing yourselves and your experiences. You have been a special family in our lives! Anna joins me in expressing her immense gratitude for your friendship.
M.C.Mathew
Greetings.
Sir, my first meeting with you was during the council meetings which I used to attend from 1983. After Dr V Benjamin retired, there was a new direction which CHAD took under your leadership. You enlarged the mission of CHAD. I remember the presentations you made to the CMC council about CHTC and upgrading the facility of the hospital. The new direction was well received by the council. What I recall about your presentations and leading the discussion was the clarity you brought in in the listener’s ears. You looked beyond the immediate. I was just embarking at that time on the journey of setting up ASHIRVAD Child Development Centre at Chennai. Your analytical and logical thinking influenced me to look at the opportunities and use them to our advantage.
You were gifted in net working. While others talked about net working, you were far ahead in doing it effectively with others in India and overseas. The Danish government supporting the CHTC was an example of this. I felt inspired by this model you presented through your multiple initiatives at CHAD.
I remember having a personal conversation with you once, when you were the vice-prinicapal of CMC Vellore. You elaborated on your dream of developing a net work of Christian Medical Colleges. You made it happen. You even envisioned collaboration of the South Asian Christian Medical Colleges. You have a passion to collaborate with others because you believe in others and value them. I have seen this as your relational style and I have immensely benefitted from this example.
When I joined CMC in 1997, I was keen to get to know the senior faculty to learn about the history, ethos, heritage and traditions of CMC in order to become part of the institution as I was a non-alumnus of CMC. In that context I remember having a hour long recorded interview with both of you when you elaborated on your student days at the hostels and the many good traditions which have been part of the college life. The long conversation traversed through some of the exciting experiences both of you have had and some difficult experiences along the way. You sounded grateful for what you received and conveyed readiness to accept what was not possible. It was during that conversation I got to know the wide spectrum of activities you both have been responsible for or initiate and sustain at CHAD. The story of how you equipped women masons still stays with me. The residential programme in the community for the students in the first year was one of the impressive pioneering efforts, about which you spoke most passionately. Listening to you talk about work, family life, community life, the mission CMC, etc broadened my understanding of the culture at CMC .
I was most encouraged by the reference to the Student Christian movement and all that you contributed to its vibrant role in the life of students.
It was when I got to know Priya and Vinod I realised even more the way you lived and worked at CMC leaving an outstanding inspirational example to both of them. It is more than just coincidental that Vinod chose your specialty.
I watched you breathe in a new life to the Karigiri hospital. Although it did not take the turn that you envisioned, I know for sure that it was an opportunity that others did not pursue well enough. But you compensated for it all when you went to Dimapur. Although you inspired me to be associated with it, I had my constraints. But the several conversation we had on this matter gave me a sense of the strategist that you are when you are in a leadership role. A visit during your time to Dimapur gave me a feeling of the effectiveness of your leadership by creating a culture of enabling and empowering. Even when you had some resistance from some people, you patiently endured it and when the time had come, you left it in safe hands only to return to Vellore to begin with the Chitoor project. I know that you were keen for our son Arpit to come to Chittoor. When that did not happen, you seemed to accept it graciously!
Sir, your mission of service, leading by example and bringing cohesiveness in difficult circumstances inspire me a lot.
Every time I had an occasion to meet you, you left me encouraged and affirmed. During the recent months when I was through a difficult experience with CMC council, I could reach out to you to get a sense of your thoughts and inisghts.
I am grateful to both of you for valuing me as a friend and sharing yourselves and your experiences. You have been a special family in our lives! Anna joins me in expressing her immense gratitude for your friendship.
M.C.Mathew
No comments:
Post a Comment