THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
The Loyola Old Boys’ Association (LOBA), the alumni association of the old students of the Loyola School, Thiruvananthapuram, today presented its annual Global Leadership Award (GLA) and Young Achiever’s Award for this year.
Air Marshal B Suresh PVSM AVSM VM ADC AOC in C, Southern Air Command, the Chief Guest for function organised at Sri Mulam Club here, presented the Global Leadership Award to Dr Sujith Varghese Thomas, while Loyola School Principal Father Devassy Paul S J presented the LOBA Young Achiever’s Award to Sanjay Vijayakumar.
Dr Sujith Varhese Thomas had spent the last 11 years rebuilding the 100-year-old Broadwell Hospital at Fatehpur, UP, from a dilapidated and ramshackle structure in one of the most backward districts of the country into one of the finest in UP. Sanjay Vijayakumar founded one of the finest start-ups from Kerala MobMe and is Chairman of the Startup Village Board among many other positions of repute.
The Loyola Old Boys’ Association (LOBA) launched its annual Global Leadership Awards (GLA) in 2015. The award, a first among schools in India, is into its fourth year. Dr. C V Ram Mohan, President, Loyola Old Boys’ Association (LOBA), presided over the awards ceremony. LOBA has a membership of over 4000 old boys spread across the globe.
The LOBA Global Leadership Award winner Dr Sujith Varghese Thomas, of the 1993 batch, did his MBBS and MS in general surgery from CMC, Vellore. With his dedication and painstaking efforts, he converted the ancient Broadwell hospital into one of rural UP’s best. He has initiated many community projects to help the citizens of the area with primary and preventive health care.
Their palliative care unit is a model for the entire state today, giving people in their dying hours the dignity they deserve. The journey was laden with pitfalls – suspicion, administrative apathy, lack of funds, and even death threats. Sujith and his family have shown what can be achieved with grit, compassion and single-minded focus. He is truly a leader and role model for Loyolites, and indeed, for every Indian.
The Young Achiever’s awardee Sanjay Vijayakumar, of the 2000 batch, is the recipient of the Young Achiever Award. His present roles include Chairman of the Startup Village Board, Kochi; member of the board of the APJ Abdul Kalam Technical University, Kerala; member of the AICTE startup implementation committee; among others. Founding MobMe straight out of college and raising it to international fame was only the beginning. He remains passionate in encouraging youngsters to build startups in multiple states in India, with the backing of the governments and NASSCOM. He is also deeply interested in developing curricula for the students of today to make them future-ready.
