Formatting necessary for an accurate reading of this text may be shown by tags (e.g., <DELETED> or <BOLD>) or may be missing from this TXT display. For complete and accurate display of this text, see the PDF.
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E952]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING DR. GOVINDAPPA VENKATAWSWAMY
______
HON. RAJA KRISHNAMOORTHI
of illinois
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, October 13, 2020
Mr. KRISHNAMOORTHI. Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor Dr.
Govindappa Venkataswamy, who devoted his life to preventing blindness
in India and across the world. His work preserved the vision of
millions of men, women and children, allowing them the blessing of
sight and the opportunity to enjoy independent, productive lives.
Dr. V, as he was affectionately called, was born October 1, 1918, in
a small village in Tamil Nadu, India. After graduating from medical
school, he joined the Indian Army Medical Corps, but had to resign
after contracting a severe form of rheumatoid arthritis that left his
hands permanently disfigured. Unable to practice in his chosen field of
obstetrics, Dr. V. returned to medical school to complete specialty
training in ophthalmology and, despite his infirmity, mastered the art
of cataract surgery. In 1956, he was appointed head of the Department
of Ophthalmology at the Madurai Medical College, where he performed
thousands of ocular surgeries until reaching the mandatory retirement
age of 58.
Dr. V's work at the medical college sensitized him to the terrible
impact of blindness on those without means to pay for care or cope with
disability. That experience, and his deep religious conviction that the
noblest purpose in life is to serve others, inspired him to pursue an
extraordinarily ambitious program to end preventable blindness in
India. In 1976, immediately after retiring from government service, Dr.
V and members of his family founded the first Aravind Eye Hospital in
Madurai, India.
Dr. V took a special interest in the lean business processes of
highly efficient enterprises like McDonald's restaurants, while
maintaining the highest standard of care. The self-sustaining Aravind
Eye Care System is notable for its imaginative division of labor,
consistent delivery of positive patient outcomes, and intense focus on
reducing costs. One highly successful byproduct of this focus: Aurolab,
a Dr. V innovation that manufactures high-quality intraocular lenses so
competitively priced that it exports the majority of its production to
clinics all over the world.
The Aravind Eye Care System has been acclaimed by Harvard Business
School and is the focus of an HBS case study; was recognized for
excellence in publications including Fast Company, Forbes and the Wall
Street Journal; and has inspired health-care organizations throughout
the developing world. From its humble beginnings in Madurai, the
Aravind Eye Care System now provides care to over four million patients
and performs over five hundred thousand surgeries each year in
hospitals and clinics in South India. Its consulting and training arm--
the Lions Aravind Institute of Community Ophthalmology (LAICO)--
supports ophthalmologic health care programs throughout the world, and
the Dr. G. Venkataswamy Eye Research Institute investigates causes and
evaluates treatment options for various eye diseases, and provides
clinical and operations support.
Thankfully, Dr. Venkataswamy's service to humanity did not go
unnoticed during his lifetime. The Government of India bestowed upon
him one of its highest civilian honors, the Padma Shri Award, in 1973.
Other honors include recognition by Helen Keller International, the
American Academy of Ophthalmology, the Harold Wit Lectureship at
Harvard Divinity School, and the International Agency for the
Prevention of Blindness. Additionally, in 2008, the Aravind Eye Care
System received the prestigious Gates Award for Global Health from the
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Dr. V passed away in 2006, but his legacy continues to give eyesight
to those who otherwise would be blind, and his story continues to
inspire. His life is best celebrated by his own words: ``[when] we
identify ourselves with all that is in the world . . . there is no
exploitation. It is ourselves we are helping. It is ourselves we are
healing.''
____________________
