Commitment, dedication, passion, empathy, grace, and humour were some of the words frequently uttered as a number of eminent people from Chennai and across the world paid their tributes at the event organised here on Saturday to celebrate the life of M. Sarada Menon, India’s first woman psychiatrist and an institution builder, who died last week.
R. Seshasayee, chairman, Schizophrenia Research Foundation (SCARF India), which was founded by Dr. Menon, said while many people pursued their passion, it was only a few who converted that passion into building an institution and in turn institutionalised their passion and concern for society. Dr. Menon was one of them, he said.
R. Thara, vice-chairperson, SCARF India, traced the life of Dr. Menon and highlighted her role in developing not just the Institute of Mental Health in Kilpauk, but in opening psychiatry departments in many district hospitals in the State. Recalling her commitment to patients, she recalled how Dr. Menon cooked for the patients when the workers at IMH’s kitchen went on a strike.
Soumya Swaminathan, Chief Scientist, World Health Organisation, whose recorded message was shared at the event, said that Dr. Menon was one of the most inspiring persons that she could ever meet.
‘Long way to go’
N. Ram, Director, The Hindu Publishing Group, said that what Dr. Menon achieved as the first woman in the field when there was little support and sensitivity on mental health was heroic. “We can truly say without exaggeration that her life and tremendous work made a significant difference,” he said. He stressed on the need to carry on her legacy and work as there was still a long way to go to achieve Dr. Menon’s larger goal of ensuring that mental health patients led a life as normal as possible.
Filmmaker Rajiv Menon said that if Chennai continued to remain in the forefront of mental health study and care, it was largely due to the efforts of one trailblazing woman — Dr. Menon.
V. Mohan, chairman, Dr. Mohan's Group of Diabetes Institutions, recalled his family’s long association with Dr. Menon.
Stating that he cherished and preserved all the handwritten letters received from Dr. Menon, he recollected in particular her advice on excellence. “Excellence is doing your very best in everything, in every way and every day were her words,” he said.
Highlighting how Dr. Menon had been an inspiration for many reforms, Poorna Chandrika, Director of IMH, said the State government’s recent acknowledgement on the need for a psychiatrist in obstetrics and gynaecology departments was in fact an idea that Dr. Menon had been pushing for long.
Prince of Arcot Nawab Mohammed Abdul Ali said that Dr. Menon was a dynamic person and a great leader. Vandana Gopikumar, co-founder of The Banyan, highlighted how Dr. Menon thought beyond organisational boundaries towards the common cause of mental health.
Lakshmi Vijayakumar, founder of Sneha, an organisation that works towards suicide prevention, said that Dr. Menon embodied the term “science with humanity”.
O. Somasundaram and Peter Fernandez, who worked with Dr. Menon for several years at the IMH, reminisced the phase when IMH underwent transformation under her leadership.
Many of her former colleagues, students and academicians from international institutions paid rich tributes.
A photo exhibition of her life was organised as part of the event.
