The Hindu Business Line : Osmania alumni seek Rs 100-cr Govt aid

OLD FRIENDS' CLUB: The alumni of 1952 to 54 batches of Osmania Medical College at a meeting in Hyderabad on Sunday to discuss the platinum jubilee celebrations of the college begining this month. - A. Roy Chowdhury

Hyderabad , March 1

THE alumni of Osmania Medical College has appealed to the State and Central Governments to allocate Rs 100 crore to totally refurbish the Osmania General Hospital, which is celebrating its Platinum Jubilee this year.

A group of senior medical practitioners from the class of early fifties, led by Prof. (Dr) A. Gopal Kishan, asked the Governments to grant a lump sum amount of Rs 100 crore, as piecemeal allocations of a few crores would not do for solving the problems. "The hospital's infrastructure was meant for 400 beds. But now it houses 2,000 beds," Dr Gopal Kishan told newspersons.

The alumni, who joined hands to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee, include luminaries such as Dr S.A. Mannan, Dr Balaparameshwar Rao and Dr Ranganatha Rao. "Our view is not just to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee. We would like to turn the occasion into a movement to revive the glory of the institution which served the poor," said Dr Gopal Kishan, a

well-known Nephrologist and elected Organising Secretary of Platinum Jubilee Celebration Committee.

"We have decided to set up a corpus fund to mark the fete. We are here because of the great institution. We would like to pay back something in gratitude," he said.

To start with, a small group of alumni from the batches of 1952, 53 and 54, which met to discuss the nitty-gritty of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations, chipped in Rs 20,708. Appealing to the alumni and others associated with the hospital to contribute to the fund, Dr Gopal Kishan said the fund would be utilised for the development of the institution.

The organising committee sought to involve all the former superintendents, principals and teachers in the celebrations.

The year-long revelry includes medical expos, sports tournaments, speciality clinics and felicitating those who not only earned a name but also won accolades for the institution. It will culminate in a weeklong packed programme.

One interesting aspect would be the revival of `Garden Fete', the annual feature that was discontinued in 1989. The fun-filled event used to involve the general public in the festival.

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