Promoting positive agents of change

First-ever ‘Puducherry Young Social Change Maker Award’ presented to Dr. Navneeth Selvan and Jean Claude

August 18, 2015 12:00 am | Updated March 29, 2016 03:54 pm IST

PUDUCHERRY, 16/08/2015: (For Page 2) Lyricist Arivumathi and Meenakshi, Director of Tamil Heritage Centre, Auroville, releasing the book on ‘Rising High’ written by Kavithai Sathya (sitting) at the International Youth Day celebrations held in Puducherry on Sunday. Photo: S.S. Kumar

PUDUCHERRY, 16/08/2015: (For Page 2) Lyricist Arivumathi and Meenakshi, Director of Tamil Heritage Centre, Auroville, releasing the book on ‘Rising High’ written by Kavithai Sathya (sitting) at the International Youth Day celebrations held in Puducherry on Sunday. Photo: S.S. Kumar

ne wants to bring nobility back to the medical profession and the other wants to ensure quality education for all children. Both of them also want to fight against money being a constraint.

For their untiring efforts in providing health care and education, Dr. Navneeth Selvan, president of The Doctors United Charitable Trust, and Jean Claude, Secretary, Juvenile Educational Society, were given the first-ever ‘Puducherry Young Social Change Maker Award’ by NGOs Mughil and Trust for Youth and Leadership (TYCL).

The awards were given away by Jegadesan Kannan, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Puducherry.

It was during his house surgency that Dr. Navneeth Selvan came across several cases where patients suffer as they were unable to afford basic tests. Wanting to help the patients, he followed the suggestion of one of his professors to start an organisation which could bring together like-minded doctors, medical professionals, philanthropists and others to serve the needy.

Today, his organisation, The Doctors United Charitable Trust, founded in 2012, has benefitted more than 23,000 people through awareness camps, held medical camps in 45 villages, and partnered with organisations like The NCD (Non Communicable Diseases) alliance, said Dr. Selvan.

The organisation’s website claims it has benefitted more than 1 lakh people through its activities.

“Being able to start the organisation when I had just finished my MBBS was among the toughest years. We received very little help for such an idea. Today, medical students are only focused on pursuing their MD or getting into practice when they finish their MBBS,” he says. Dr. Selvan says that the field has become money driven. “Medicine is a noble profession and we should bring this back,” he says. Dr. Selvan’s dream is to build a hospital where everyone, irrespective of their financial status, is treated alike.

As a school going boy, Mr. Claude was moved by the plight of the poor and destitute. With a desire to help the needy, he started the Juvenile Educational Society four years ago, after working at an NGO.

His organisation equips school and college students through various free classes like typewriting, spoken English and French, dance and drama.

Volunteers of the organisation also collect food to be given to those living on the street, apart from visits to a Kombakkam orphanage where they hold classes and distribute refreshments. Mr. Claude’s dream is to build a school which will provide free education with all facilities.

“Money should never become a constraint for learning,” he says.

The Puducherry Young Social Change Maker Award aims to identify and promote young positive social change agents for the betterment of Puducherry.

Book, short film release

The English translation of young poet Sathya’s book, ‘Nimirndhu Kondal’ titled ‘Rising High’ was launched at the programme by lyricist Arivumathi.

The first copy of the book was received by Meenakshi, Director, Tamil Heritage Centre, Auroville.

A short film, ‘Kanam-Expression of Youth Feelings,’ directed by Immam Jafar Ali and produced by TYCL and Mughil was also released at the event.

“Medicine is a noble profession and we should bring

this back.”

Dr. Navneeth Selvan

president of The Doctors United Charitable Trust

“Money should never become a constraint for learning.”

Jean Claude

Secretary, Juvenile Educational Society

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