The Foundation Day Celebrations of PSG Institute and Medical Sciences and Research (PSG IMS&R) was celebrated on September 30, 2024, at the PSGIMSR Auditorium.

In 1985, the government of Tamil Nadu permitted the starting of three medical colleges for the very first time in the state, and PSG IMS&R was one of them. The Medical College began on the 30th of September, and from then onwards, this birth anniversary of the institute is celebrated as Foundation Day.

The chief guest of the occasion was Dr. J. S. Rajkumar, a Surgical Gastroenterologist. He is Chairman & Chief Surgeon at Lifeline Group of Hospitals, Kilpauk, Chennai. He extended heartfelt congratulations to the awardees. He commended the illustrious legacy of PSG and Son’s Charities, highlighting its profound impact on society. The organization’s multifaceted contributions include Medical Facilities (Providing essential healthcare services), Education (Supporting educational initiatives), Environmental Conservation (Promoting eco-friendly practices) and Community Empowerment (Offering opportunities for education and employment to underprivileged communities). He also praised the Trust’s dedication to preserving and promoting cultural heritage. Addressing the students, he encouraged them to draw inspiration from the Trust’s selfless deeds and embrace charitable giving. He reinforced his message by quoting from ancient Indian knowledge systems, including the revered Ancient Tamil Literature.

The four alumni who received the Distinguished Alumnus Scroll of Honour are as follows:

Dr Urmila Soman, Lead Consultant, Minimally Invasive Gynaecology, Apollo Adlux Hospital, Cochin. She joined MBBS at PSG IMSR in 1988. She specializes in Minimally Invasive Gynaecology, has performed over 8,000 laparoscopic procedures, and provided consultancy services at various tertiary care hospitals in Kerala. She is certified by the Society of European Robotic Gynaecological Surgery. She is the first Urogynaecologist in India to achieve 100 successful robotic gynaecological surgeries within ten months and the first to perform neovaginal reconstruction using robotic surgery. She mentors surgeons in laparoscopic and robot-assisted procedures through various training programs. She has received multiple prestigious awards, including the Dr Kalyani Devi Endowment Award for Best Paper in 2010, the FOGSI Achiever Award in 2023, and the KFOG PACESETTER Award for Outstanding Achievement and Excellence in Obstetrics and Gynaecology in 2024.

Dr M Malarvizhi, Professor & Head Department of Medical Gastroenterology, Kilpauk Medical College, Chennai, belonged to the class of 1989. She specialises in Medical Gastroenterology and has served the Government of Tamil Nadu since 1997. As the state nodal officer, she monitored the national viral hepatitis control program and offered expert guidance as a panel member of the cancer screening program of the national health mission. She has also conducted various camps and awareness programs on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and viral hepatitis. She screened high-risk groups for Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV through camps in association with the NGO “Social Welfare Association for Men (SWAM)” in Chennai and organized walkathons to create awareness of fatty liver disease. She conducts advanced endoscopy workshops for post-graduates and has received the award of excellence for exemplary service during COVID-19 from the Collector of Chennai district.

Dr M Ganesh, Chief Gastroenterologist & Chairman, SG Gastro Care, Coimbatore, is a 1991 batch alumnus. He completed his specialized training in Medical Gastroenterology in the United Kingdom. He established SG Gastro Care in Coimbatore and served the public during the COVID-19 pandemic by setting up the Kovai COVID Care Centre. He has performed over 100,000 endoscopic procedures, including several challenging cases, and conducted more than 500 capsule endoscopies. His efforts were recognized with numerous prestigious awards, including the “Outstanding Contribution to the Field of Gastroenterology” in 2022 and the “GEM of India” award in 2018. In addition to his clinical work, he is a distinguished speaker at conferences, served as an analyst in guideline committees, coordinated clinical trials, and organized numerous free medical camps as a dedicated Rotarian.

Dr Saravana Kumar S, Senior & Lead Consultant, Department of Obesity & Diabetic Center, GEM Hospital, Coimbatore started his MBBS course in 1992. After completing a Fellowship in Minimal Access Surgery, he was conferred the honorary Fellowship of Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery (Hernia) by the Indian Association of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Surgeons (IAGES). He has performed routine and complex Bariatric and Upper GI surgeries and conducts annual training courses on basic laparoscopy, hernia, upper GI, and bariatric surgery for surgeons across India. He edited two monographs, ‘Bariatric Surgical Practice Guide’ and ‘Clinics in Bariatric & Metabolic Surgery,’ both published by Springer. As part of the Childhood Obesity Prevention in Schools (COPS) project, he screened over 9,000 children and conducted awareness programs on obesity in village schools.

The Managing Trustee of PSG & Sons Charities Trust, Sri L Gopalakrishnan, delivered the Presidential address. He spoke on the Trust’s initiatives in Healthcare, which began with the setting up of the rural health centre at Vedapatti almost 50 years ago. He commended the medical school for performing excellently well at the national level by consistently being in the top 50 among medical schools as per the National Institute ranking framework. He appreciated the role of alumni Alma mater by supporting students in their academic sojourn, offering mentorship and sharing their best practices with both the students and the faculty.
The institute’s Principal, Dr T. M. SubbaRao, delivered the welcome address, while Dr G Sumithra, The Vice Principal of Academic Affairs, delivered the Vote of Thanks.