Ramanathpuram
The newly developed ‘Joe’s beach shack’, alongside the Ariyaman beach, the white sand seashore on the outskirts of the town, provided the perfect backdrop as the ‘1973 Madurai medico’s batch’ joined hands to once again take a trip down the memory lane.
The alumni of Madurai Medical College have been meeting once in three or four years alternatively in hill stations and beach resorts but the meet on the sands of the shack on Saturday evening turned out to be an unforgettable event for many as they thoroughly enjoyed the calm and clean surroundings on the one side and gentle soothing waves in the Palk Bay on the other.
The sprawling venue added a refreshing touch as the doctors in their early 60s, busy in their chosen specialised areas, took off from their full-time work to unwind and cherish the joy of bonding with their children and grand children. “For the first time in four decades, the largest number of about 90 of the 170 odd batch mates got together with family members and I am happy they thoroughly enjoyed the meet,” said Dr. Joseph Rajan, the chief organiser.
The meet, though organised to keep alive the bonding, provided an ideal atmosphere for his colleagues to de-stress themselves, he said. In the changing lifestyle, people develop dementia and stress and doctors were no exception and the meet turned out to be a stress reliever, he said.
Those who attended the meet included Dr Jaffar Ali, who came all the way from the US. “I am attending the meet for the first time and its amazing catching up with friends after nearly 40 years,” he said.
The doctors also used the meet to discuss the latest scientific developments and share their achievements, said Dr T.S. Chandrasekar, founder chairman, MedIndia hospitals, and Padma Shri award winner (2016).
“It is a matter of pride that nearly 50% of the batchmates are serving in rural or remote places,” he said.
Dr P Rajasekaran from Theni, Dr R Jayaraman from Chennai, Dr Sudhamathy Kannan from Bengaluru and Dr D Ganesan from Coimbatore were among others who regularly attend the meet.
“We make alternative arrangements well in advance to attend the meet, wherever it is organised,” they say. They used to meet in family functions but the get-together was something special for them, they said.
Family members watched in awe as some of the doctors shook their legs and bumped their shoulders to the latest numbers played by an orchestra from Tirunelveli. Ending the three-day meet on Sunday, the doctors returned back to get engrossed in their work, but not before offering worship at the historic Sri Ramanathaswamy temple in Rameswaram.
