Dr V.I.Mathan, former professor of Gastro-enterology and Director of Christian Medical college Vellore is a special person whom I have known for about thirty five years. There were many associations with him which nurtured and enlarged my life. The recent association of knowing him when I was the chairman of the CMC Vellore council was significant in more than one way.
Dear sir,
Greetings.
I have turned seventy now. As a part of recollecting my life, I have decided to write to about 200 friends who influenced, impacted or mentored me in the last forty five years, since my post graduate training. I write one to two letters each day to reach out to all in my list so that I can complete it before June 2019.
You are one of those special persons. So I write this letter to share briefly how You have contributed to my life. Let me recollect a few instances to share my sense of gratitude I have for you and M’am.
1. The earliest experience that I recall is when I was put in a committee by the CMC council along with you and Dr K.C. Mammen to evolve a policy on Medical Termination of pregnancy at CMC Vellore. It was 1985 if I remember correctly, when Dr LBM was the director. He had read the manuscript which was ready for my book, ‘Let me live-an alternative to abortion’. It was during the couple of meetings with you and Dr Mammen, I realised how resourcefull you were as a thinker, planner and envisioner. Although I had gone overseas before the final recommendations on the MTP at CMC was submitted to the council, I remember hearing from you about the thoughts that had converged towards a proposal. I still recall that as having had a seminal influence on me to be highly appreciative of your wide ranging skills, particularly clarity in thought and expression. I benefitted a lot by listening to you in the council meetings- your analytical and logical thinking stand out in my memory when I recall conversations with you.
2. The second was a difficult experience, which was perhaps in 1987 or so. While discussing the opportunities for CMC for the future in a council meeting, I had suggested forming a department of clinical ethics in the institution in the way St John’s Medical College had established, with definite curricular training programme in bio-ethics. You vehemently opposed it although some others did support the idea for CMC to consider. You argued against it by saying, that ‘ethics is caught rather than taught’. But after the meeting, you came to me and talked to me personally. You listened to me as to why I was proposing this for CMC. There was a need to have a protestant institution taking a lead to define clinical ethical issues, as until then it was predominantly the catholic priests who had taken the initiative to discuss ethical issues. I remember that personal conversation because I saw in you an openness to listen and consider even if you had another view point. I saw that as a good example of a noble practice- one might differ in opinion, but always value the person. Sir, I have seen this in you all the time! You excel in giving due honour to others when they deserve it.
3. Another instance couple of years later in the council meeting- There was a discussion about providing residential accommodation for post graduates in the campus. This came up while the budget was being discussed. I had heard from Dr Punnoose Mathew that morning how his son who had to live outside the campus while doing his post graduate training, dId not get to see his wife and child for 72 hours or more sometimes! The way Dr Punnoose told me tearfully moved me and I raised in the floor of the council a discussion to set part some money yearly towards post graduate accommodation in the college or hospital campus. Although you initially hesitated due to other compulsions and financial constraints, you invited me to your office in the after noon of the second day of the council to listen to me about my thoughts on the PG accommodation. If I remember correctly you were the MS at that time. I was touched by your generosity with your time. It was a two hour long meeting. You mentioned to me at the end of the conversation that you would bring some proposal to the next council and a report on the number of houses needed for post graduates. I valued your willingness to invite me to your office on your own initiative and look at the issue from the need of the families and for the institution to be known for its family friendly policy. This is yet another aspect of your magnanimity- you see the larger picture and look for ideas to pursue the larger picture. You can see miles ahead and value any put to strengthen that journey.
I must say this to complement you even more. When the post graduate accommodation at the hospital campus was inaugurated in 1997, I was present on the occasion. You turned to me and said, that ‘it was MC who put this thought to us during the council meeting’. I was embarrassed, but your gesture to make a reference to it touched me deeply. I saw how lavish you were towards others in recognising them. It stays with me as a a gesture of your kindness.
4. The next was an accidental meeting with considerable significance. I was waiting at the toll gate cemetery at Vellore on a Thursday morning in Jan1993, to catch a bus to go to the Scudder auditorium to attend the council meeting. You stopped your fiat car seeing me, and invited me to accompany you to the college campus. You enquired from me as to why I was waiting at the toll gate bus stip. That is when I shared briefly about our daughter who was buried there and the child development work I was involved with ASHIRVAD at Chennai. You had heard from Dr Pulimood who was the director then, about some conversations to invite me back to CMC, which was inconclusive. Mr Thomas Abraham who became the council chairman used to visit ASHIRVAD at Chennai, who probably would have told you about what we were doing at Chennai. I knew that Dr William Cutting also had mentioned to you when you took over as the director about the value of a Developmental paediatrics Unit at CMC. During the council meetings you cared to get to know me more and about what we were engaged in at ASHIRVAD. A year into your term as the director you formally invited ASHIRVAD to establish the Developmental paediatrics Unit at CMC by incorporating the Child development centre of ASHIRVAD at Chennai. It was that invitation following many meetings with you, which led to the signing of the MOU after receiving approval from the council in 1997. That is how we started the developmental paediatrics in CMC in Feb 1997. The developmental paediatrics unit became one among the five new departments you fostered to establish, in connection with the centenary of CMC hospital.
Sir, the specialty of developmental Paediatrics in India is a testimony to your vision. The developmental Paediatrics department in CMC was the first such facility in any Medical college in India, which became the first centre to offer higher specialty fellowship programme and PhD in Developmental Paediatrics.
You were the midwife to give birth to this academic specialty in India.
I knew after joining CMC that here was resistance from your own administration to invite me to the faculty and give weightage to my experience….. but you withstood all of that and gave an encouragement to me to bring this specialty to CMC.
Sir, yours was a noble act. What you did is history! Among many other more important initiatives you fostered, this one for helping the developmentally challenged children would be well remembered as something unique, in the years to come. You had the insight and foresight to take a risky decision at that time against the opinions of your administrative colleagues!
It is yet another aspect of your leadership- take defining decisions and allow the outcome to justify your decision!
I remain grateful for your seminal contribution to the specialty of Developmental Paediatrics in India.
Jesus said, 'In as much as you did it for the least.. you have done it unto me..'’ This is a legacy of spiritual significance that you leave behind.
5. Let me recall another experience during 2006 admission related stress in CMC. Your relationship was strained with Dr LBM, and both of you expressed a desire to me if both of you could meet and talk over matters. I remember your initial reluctance, but you met with Dr LBM to create ambience of consultation. Although that did not help much in resolving matters, I recall this as another illustration of your willingness to negotiate to find a way forward in difficult circumstance. I felt for both of you as I kept listening to both of you because both of you were closest friends or companions at one time. During several conversations I have had with you at that time, I became conscious of the openness and friendliness you carry in your heart which many people fail to recognise about you.
Another experience which brought a similar sentiment in my heart towards you and m’am was when you gave me an interview of your life and work in CMC from the time you were students. Th interview was an exercise I undertook with about thirty faculty of CMC in 1998 to become familiar with the story of CMC. Having joined the faculty in 1997, I needed to get an overview of the story of CMC. It was during the interview, I came to realise how much you were part of the formative process of the administrative processes in CMC. You were an architect to make your department world class; you set in motion processes and governance guidelines for CMC; you critically and cleverly led the affairs of CMC as the MS, council secretary and also as the director. It was during your term of office you brought the culture of compassionate technology and gave a thrust to move CMC into a new centenary of excellence in service. I am familiar with your skills of discernment and capacity to offer wise counsel.
6. During the four years when I was recently involved with the CMC council, there were some occasions when we exchanged letters and spoke on phone and met with each other. There were differences between us on some matters. You were particular that the chairman followed the governance policies laid out in the constitution. The season was a turbulent time for CMC with many complex matters facing the institution.
Greetings.
I have turned seventy now. As a part of recollecting my life, I have decided to write to about 200 friends who influenced, impacted or mentored me in the last forty five years, since my post graduate training. I write one to two letters each day to reach out to all in my list so that I can complete it before June 2019.
You are one of those special persons. So I write this letter to share briefly how You have contributed to my life. Let me recollect a few instances to share my sense of gratitude I have for you and M’am.
1. The earliest experience that I recall is when I was put in a committee by the CMC council along with you and Dr K.C. Mammen to evolve a policy on Medical Termination of pregnancy at CMC Vellore. It was 1985 if I remember correctly, when Dr LBM was the director. He had read the manuscript which was ready for my book, ‘Let me live-an alternative to abortion’. It was during the couple of meetings with you and Dr Mammen, I realised how resourcefull you were as a thinker, planner and envisioner. Although I had gone overseas before the final recommendations on the MTP at CMC was submitted to the council, I remember hearing from you about the thoughts that had converged towards a proposal. I still recall that as having had a seminal influence on me to be highly appreciative of your wide ranging skills, particularly clarity in thought and expression. I benefitted a lot by listening to you in the council meetings- your analytical and logical thinking stand out in my memory when I recall conversations with you.
2. The second was a difficult experience, which was perhaps in 1987 or so. While discussing the opportunities for CMC for the future in a council meeting, I had suggested forming a department of clinical ethics in the institution in the way St John’s Medical College had established, with definite curricular training programme in bio-ethics. You vehemently opposed it although some others did support the idea for CMC to consider. You argued against it by saying, that ‘ethics is caught rather than taught’. But after the meeting, you came to me and talked to me personally. You listened to me as to why I was proposing this for CMC. There was a need to have a protestant institution taking a lead to define clinical ethical issues, as until then it was predominantly the catholic priests who had taken the initiative to discuss ethical issues. I remember that personal conversation because I saw in you an openness to listen and consider even if you had another view point. I saw that as a good example of a noble practice- one might differ in opinion, but always value the person. Sir, I have seen this in you all the time! You excel in giving due honour to others when they deserve it.
3. Another instance couple of years later in the council meeting- There was a discussion about providing residential accommodation for post graduates in the campus. This came up while the budget was being discussed. I had heard from Dr Punnoose Mathew that morning how his son who had to live outside the campus while doing his post graduate training, dId not get to see his wife and child for 72 hours or more sometimes! The way Dr Punnoose told me tearfully moved me and I raised in the floor of the council a discussion to set part some money yearly towards post graduate accommodation in the college or hospital campus. Although you initially hesitated due to other compulsions and financial constraints, you invited me to your office in the after noon of the second day of the council to listen to me about my thoughts on the PG accommodation. If I remember correctly you were the MS at that time. I was touched by your generosity with your time. It was a two hour long meeting. You mentioned to me at the end of the conversation that you would bring some proposal to the next council and a report on the number of houses needed for post graduates. I valued your willingness to invite me to your office on your own initiative and look at the issue from the need of the families and for the institution to be known for its family friendly policy. This is yet another aspect of your magnanimity- you see the larger picture and look for ideas to pursue the larger picture. You can see miles ahead and value any put to strengthen that journey.
I must say this to complement you even more. When the post graduate accommodation at the hospital campus was inaugurated in 1997, I was present on the occasion. You turned to me and said, that ‘it was MC who put this thought to us during the council meeting’. I was embarrassed, but your gesture to make a reference to it touched me deeply. I saw how lavish you were towards others in recognising them. It stays with me as a a gesture of your kindness.
4. The next was an accidental meeting with considerable significance. I was waiting at the toll gate cemetery at Vellore on a Thursday morning in Jan1993, to catch a bus to go to the Scudder auditorium to attend the council meeting. You stopped your fiat car seeing me, and invited me to accompany you to the college campus. You enquired from me as to why I was waiting at the toll gate bus stip. That is when I shared briefly about our daughter who was buried there and the child development work I was involved with ASHIRVAD at Chennai. You had heard from Dr Pulimood who was the director then, about some conversations to invite me back to CMC, which was inconclusive. Mr Thomas Abraham who became the council chairman used to visit ASHIRVAD at Chennai, who probably would have told you about what we were doing at Chennai. I knew that Dr William Cutting also had mentioned to you when you took over as the director about the value of a Developmental paediatrics Unit at CMC. During the council meetings you cared to get to know me more and about what we were engaged in at ASHIRVAD. A year into your term as the director you formally invited ASHIRVAD to establish the Developmental paediatrics Unit at CMC by incorporating the Child development centre of ASHIRVAD at Chennai. It was that invitation following many meetings with you, which led to the signing of the MOU after receiving approval from the council in 1997. That is how we started the developmental paediatrics in CMC in Feb 1997. The developmental paediatrics unit became one among the five new departments you fostered to establish, in connection with the centenary of CMC hospital.
Sir, the specialty of developmental Paediatrics in India is a testimony to your vision. The developmental Paediatrics department in CMC was the first such facility in any Medical college in India, which became the first centre to offer higher specialty fellowship programme and PhD in Developmental Paediatrics.
You were the midwife to give birth to this academic specialty in India.
I knew after joining CMC that here was resistance from your own administration to invite me to the faculty and give weightage to my experience….. but you withstood all of that and gave an encouragement to me to bring this specialty to CMC.
Sir, yours was a noble act. What you did is history! Among many other more important initiatives you fostered, this one for helping the developmentally challenged children would be well remembered as something unique, in the years to come. You had the insight and foresight to take a risky decision at that time against the opinions of your administrative colleagues!
It is yet another aspect of your leadership- take defining decisions and allow the outcome to justify your decision!
I remain grateful for your seminal contribution to the specialty of Developmental Paediatrics in India.
Jesus said, 'In as much as you did it for the least.. you have done it unto me..'’ This is a legacy of spiritual significance that you leave behind.
5. Let me recall another experience during 2006 admission related stress in CMC. Your relationship was strained with Dr LBM, and both of you expressed a desire to me if both of you could meet and talk over matters. I remember your initial reluctance, but you met with Dr LBM to create ambience of consultation. Although that did not help much in resolving matters, I recall this as another illustration of your willingness to negotiate to find a way forward in difficult circumstance. I felt for both of you as I kept listening to both of you because both of you were closest friends or companions at one time. During several conversations I have had with you at that time, I became conscious of the openness and friendliness you carry in your heart which many people fail to recognise about you.
Another experience which brought a similar sentiment in my heart towards you and m’am was when you gave me an interview of your life and work in CMC from the time you were students. Th interview was an exercise I undertook with about thirty faculty of CMC in 1998 to become familiar with the story of CMC. Having joined the faculty in 1997, I needed to get an overview of the story of CMC. It was during the interview, I came to realise how much you were part of the formative process of the administrative processes in CMC. You were an architect to make your department world class; you set in motion processes and governance guidelines for CMC; you critically and cleverly led the affairs of CMC as the MS, council secretary and also as the director. It was during your term of office you brought the culture of compassionate technology and gave a thrust to move CMC into a new centenary of excellence in service. I am familiar with your skills of discernment and capacity to offer wise counsel.
6. During the four years when I was recently involved with the CMC council, there were some occasions when we exchanged letters and spoke on phone and met with each other. There were differences between us on some matters. You were particular that the chairman followed the governance policies laid out in the constitution. The season was a turbulent time for CMC with many complex matters facing the institution.
When I was 'attacked' and a hate campaign was initiated against me, you reached out to me with several letters to encourage, affirm and support. Although I stepped down when it was beginning to affect my health, although you wanted me to continue, I felt that you were able to appreciate my helplessness.
I REAMIN GRATEFUL FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND CARE DURING THE MOST DIFFICULT TIME IN MY LIFE, WHEN THE PEOPLE WHOM I trusted and mentored lost trust in me…
You have been a comforting companion during this season of several losses personally.
So sir, let me conclude. It is a history of about thirty five years I summarised in appreciation of all that you mean to me.
May you remain well and be enabled to continue to be a support to others in need.
As for me you have left with me some values and insights which have formed my understanding and thinking!
Than you sir and Ma’am,
M.C.Mathew
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