Profile of DR SENGAMEDU SRINIVASA BADRINATH ( Dr S S Badrinath) - Sankara Nethralaya

 

BIOGRAPHY OF

DR SENGAMEDU SRINIVASA BADRINATH ( Dr S S Badrinath)

Founder / President & Chairman Emeritus of Sankara Nethralaya

A unit of Medical Research Foundation, No 18 College Road, Chennai – 600 006, India

 

Dr Sengamedu Srinivasa Badrinath was born on February, 24 1940 in Triplicane, Chennai.  His father, Sri S. V. Srinivasa Rao, a Licentiate in Engineering from the College of Engineering, Guindy, Chennai, was employed in the Madras Government Service as an Engineer in Public Works and Food production department. Badrinath's mother, Smt. Lakshmi Devi was the daughter of a leading advocate from Nerur, Tamilnadu.  Youngest of seven siblings, Dr Badrinath was brought up in "middle class" ethics and rooted in the culture and tradition of our Bharath.  He lost both his parents while still in his teens and completed his medical studies from the life insurance policy money obtained following the demise of his father.

 

Beginning his education at age 7, due to a childhood illness, Dr Badrinath studied at P S High School, Mylapore and Sri Ramakrishna Mission High School, T.Nagar, Chennai. He completed the "intermediate" collegiate study at Loyola College between 1955 and 1957.  He was a student of the Madras Medical College between 1957 and 1962 completing his medical studies in the first attempt and securing the highest marks in ophthalmology in the University Examination.

 

He pursued his graduate studies in ophthalmology in the United States of America at Grasslands Hospital, New York University postgraduate medical school and Brooklyn Eye and Ear Infirmary between 1963 and 1968.  He worked as a fellow in the vitreoretinal services of Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston under Dr Charles L. Schepens from 1968 to 70.  He passed the examination for the Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons (Canada) and the American Board Examination in Ophthalmology in 1969 and 1970 respectively.

 

He met Dr Vasanthi Iyengar, a board-certified pediatrician and Hematologist in Brooklyn New York in 1966, and married her on 3rd June 1967.   They have two sons.  Forsaking citizenship and immigration into Canada and USA, the Badrinath returned to India keeping their promise to his Guru, Dr Charles L Schepens, in March/April 1970, after a seven and half year stay abroad.

 

In the first two years, following their return, the family suffered immense hardship. During this period of trials and tribulations, Col. S. Vasudevan, Badrinath's elder brother was of immense and immeasurable support and dissuading the couple from returning back to USA.

 

From 1970, for a period of six years, Dr Badrinath worked at the Voluntary Health Services, Adyar as a consultant.  He set up his private practice in ophthalmology and vitreoretinal surgery at the H.M. Hospital (1970 to 1972) and Vijaya Hospital, Chennai (1973 to 1978).

 

In 1974, Dr Badrinath was most privileged and blessed to have had the opportunity to serve His Holiness Jagadguru Sri Chandrasekerendra Saraswathi Swamigal, the 68th Peetathipathi of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam.

 

In 1975, he was most fortunate to have been ordained to start a medical institution with a missionary spirit by His Holiness Jagadguru Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Swamigal.

In 1978 Dr S S Badrinath founded the Medical Research Foundation as ordained by His Holiness Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Swamigal.  He is currently the president of Medical Research Foundation of which Sankara Nethralaya is the hospital unit, a registered society, a charitable non-profit ophthalmic organization. He is also the Chairman Emeritus of Sankara Nethralaya. Over the next 24 years, he and his colleagues relentlessly pursued the triple objectives of the foundation; 1) quality care at affordable cost, 2) teaching and training of ophthalmologists and paramedical personnel to create an army for combating blindness in India and, 3) research in vision sciences addressing the ophthalmic problems specific to India.

 Today Sankara Nethralaya enjoys a good national and international reputation and recognition.

• The Government of India awarded Dr Badrinath Padma Sri in 1983
• Padma Bhushan in 1999 from The Government of India
• Recipient of Dr B. C. Roy National Award (1991).
• He is a fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences and has been bestowed honorary doctorate degrees by Annamalai and Tamilnadu Dr M.G.R. Medical University, Chennai, in 1995. 
• Dhanvantri Award, in 1999.
• Dadhabhai Naoroji Award (2004),
•  Rameshwardas Birla Award (2004),
• Life Time Achievement Award given by the International Medical Integration Council & Optimal Healthcare Group (India) in 2004,
• Qimpro Platinum Standard-Healthcare Award in (2005),
• Hall of Fame Award (2005),
• Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award (2005),
•  Felicitation given by St. John Ambulance (24^th December 2005),
• Award of Excellence (25^th December 2005),
• Life Time Achievement Award given by ICFAI in 2005,
• Mahaveer Award (11^th January 2006),
• Nayanashri Award given by the 25^th Madhva Tatvajnana Sammelana in 2006.
•  ICO Golden Apple Award for the Best Clinical Teacher in Ophthalmology in the APAO region 2006 by APAO - June 2006.
•  “The Distinguished Citizen Award - 2006” given by Hamsadhwani – a cultural organization on 17.8.2006,
• he is recipient of Dr Subramanian Oration Award presented by Karnataka Ophthalmic Society at its 25^th Annual Conference on 11^th November 2006 at Hubli,
• Humanity Award given by the Hindustan Chamber of Commerce – Chennai on 29.11.2006,
• 9^th Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati National Eminence Award given by The South Indian Education Society, Mumbai on 9.12.2006,
• Lakshmipat Singhania – IIM, Lucknow National Leadership Awards 2006 given by the Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow from the hands of the Honourable Prime Minister in Delhi on 23.12.2006,
• IMC Juran Quality Award from Indian Merchants’ Chamber on 13.3.2007 at Mumbai,
• Received Corporate Citizen Award for the year 2006 by Economic Times of India on 27.10.2007 at Mumbai on behalf of Sankara Nethralaya,
•  recipient of Sun Life Time Achievement  Award given by Bank of Baroda on 20.7.2008 at Mumbai,
• recipient of  Dr K V Thiruvengadam Award for Health Care for the year 2008-09 in Chennai on 15.10.2008,
• Medical Excellence Award function by Priya Vison, Chennai,
• Shri V Krishnamurthy Award for Excellence by Centre for Organization Development (2009),
• Received the Life Time Achievement Awards from Madras City Ophthalmological Association on 29.11.2009 and was The Chairman of The Telehealth Society of India,
• Recipient of CNBC TV - 18 India Business Leader Awards at Durbar Hall, Taj Palace Hotel on 3.12.2009  S P Marg, Diplomatic Enclave, New Delhi,
• Life Time Achievement Award by FICCI on 20.2.2010, Felicitated by The Rotary Club of Chennai Galaxy in Chennai on 27.6.2010,
• Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa) by University of Missouri, USA,
• Public Service Excellence Award by All India Management Association on 21.2.2011,
• Lifetime achievement award by M V Hospital for Diabetes on 13.3.2011,
• received “Seva Rathna” award from Srirangan Srimad Andavan Ashramam on 10.4.2011,
•  “Life Time Achievement Award by AIOS at Cochin on 2.2.2012,
•  “Sat Paul Mittal National Award 2012” by Nehru Sidhant Kendra Trust at Ludhiana on 17.11.2012,
• Life Time Achievement Award by The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE) on 3.12.12 in Chennai ,
• Doyen of Madras Award on 29.8.2013 and He was the Honorary Ophthalmic Surgeon to the President of India. 
• He is a consultant in ophthalmology to the Armed Forces of India and a non-official member of the Armed Forces Medical Research committee.
• The Lions Club and the Rotarians have also honoured him.

Dr S S Badrinath has many scientific publications to his credit and works hard even today at the age of 71 for a brighter tomorrow for Sankara Nethralaya and Ophthalmology in India