Dr G. Bakthavathsalam, the chairman and the managing trustee of Dharmaveera K Govindaswamy Naidu Medical Trust, which runs the K.G. Hospital in Coimbatore, attended the FeTNA conference held in Sacramento, California, USA on 30th June 2023. He delivered a speech on the ‘Joy of Ultimate Living’. In addition, he spoke on the “Power of Philanthropy,” highlighting the purpose of life and how to lead a happy and meaningful existence.
Dear Friends!!!
I am extremely pleased to share with you a glad news in the Golden Jubilee Year of KG Hospital. I have been invited to California, USA, to give a talk on the topic “Joy of Ultimate Living” in the FeTNA conference to be held there.
The Federation of Tamil Sangams of North America (FeTNA) has invited me for the conference. It will be held at Sacramento, the headquarters of California, USA on 30th June 2023.
The talk will be delivered in the 36th Annual Convention of FeTNA that will go on for 3 days. The event is being held to celebrate the victory of Tamils in their chosen spheres of activity in America. Tamils living in North America will assemble in great numbers at the venue.
Cultural programmes and Quiz competitions would also mark the occasion. My talk on “Power of Philanthropy” will highlight on the purpose of life and how we could lead a happy and meaningful life. After all, man is born to have a cheerful and peaceful existence on this Planet Earth.
America is not new to me. I had been there during the period from 1972 to 1973 in furtherance of my medical career. After that initial stint, I went to America after a gap of seven years in 1980. America is a very beautiful country.
America is the Mecca of Medicines. It is a land of opportunities. All the advancements and the latest developments in the medical field always happen in America. Bypass surgery, heart-lung machine, and so many other medical inventions have come from America.
America can boast of having the best of the best hospitals in the world. The outstanding elite hospitals in that country include Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Cleveland Clinic, MD Anderson Clinic and the American Heart Centre. These iconic hospitals mainly focus their attention on inventions and improvements, all for the betterment of medical services.
Americans excel in whatever they do. My stay there was a great learning experience for me. From 1972 to 1973, I was at Mount Sinai Hospital, Chicago. It was an exciting and rewarding experience to be working in such a world-class hospital.
During that period the “idea of setting up a hospital” in the stature of Mount Sinai Hospital in India germinated in my mind.
I acknowledge that in terms of hospital charges American Hospitals are very costly compared to Indian hospitals. You know, treatment in American hospitals is costly. In America it will take a long time to get an appointment from a doctor.
For example, if you want to have a Master Health Check-up involving blood tests, X-Ray, ECG, including Tread Mill Testing, and CT Scan of the coronary arteries, it will normally take not less than a week’s time. It will also be prohibitively costly, for one has to dole out about 6000 US dollars, ie., approximately 4 lakhs of Rupees, for getting the Master Health Check-up done.
There was a constant inner urge in me to provide advanced medical facility, comparable to that of America, to the people of my motherland, at an affordable cost.
When I was in America, I had dreamt of building a multi-speciality (super-speciality quaternary care hospital) in Coimbatore, after the American model.
After I returned to India, my vision to start an American type of hospital in Coimbatore materialized in 1974. When I initiated the step for starting a hospital in Coimbatore, there were only government hospitals and nursing homes.
I single-mindedly pursued my passion with great zeal against all odds. After a great deal of efforts, my dream has come true. Now, KG Hospital, a super multi-speciality hospital, stands as a proud landmark and a beacon of hope for the ailing humanity, in the heart of Coimbatore city.
Every dawn is a new dawn, and every day is a new day for me, as I have created a “Centre of Excellence” in a Sea of Mediocrity. We have imported all types of modern equipments, starting from an ECG machine, ventilator, and so on.
After having completed the 50-year-long journey, in the Golden Jubilee year, I recall my experience in America, and feel it was worth it.
God bless you all!!!
Dr. G. Bakthavathsalam
Chairman, KG Hospital
