The former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam on Wednesday urged young doctors from St. John’s Medical College to inculcate the values of generosity, ethics, tolerance, perseverance, concentration and intelligence.
Addressing them on the occasion of the annual graduation ceremony of St. John’s Medical College, the former President said that doctors’ service to their patients would be more meaningful if they inculcated these values.
“Every medical graduate must have two hearts, a biological heart and a kind heart, to reach the 700 million people living in rural areas in India,” Dr. Kalam said while asserting the importance of research in health sciences.
Lauding the services of erstwhile chief of Karnataka Health Task Force H. Sudarshan in the tribal areas of B.R. Hills, Dr. Kalam called upon the students to emulate Dr. Sudarshan.
“Dr. Sudarshan and his team select difficult regions and make a difference among the people there. Our country needs such doctors to provide healthcare to our rural citizens,” he said.
As many as 185 students graduating from the college received certificates from the former President. These included 66 MBBS graduates, 50 post-graduate and diploma candidates, three super-specialists, six Ph.Ds apart from 33 M.Sc and 27 B.Sc graduates.
Alphonsus Mathias, Emeritus Archbishop of Bangalore, presided over the function. Prem Pais, Dean of St. John’s Medical College, presented the annual report of the institution.
