Dr. S. Sasikumar & Dr N. Radhakrishnan
The long felt need of the ophthalmologists of Kerala to have a common forum for expressing their views and for group discussion of professional matters was fulfilled on 22nd Dec 1974. On that day Kerala State Ophthalmological Society was inaugurated by Dr. Benedict Rizuti, Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology, NewYork Medical College at Hotel Dwaraka, Ernakulam. A symposium on cataract was conducted on that day. On the previous days (20th and 21st of December 1974) a workshop on Keratoplasty, Glaucoma and Ptosis surgery and Orbit reconstruction was organised by Dr. Tony Fernandez at Little Flower Hospital Angamali where Dr. Rizuti and Dr. Martin Bodian of Newyork Medical college were the chief faculties.
The following took charge as the first office bearers of KSOS
Dr. C E Oommen
(President)
Dr. S Tony Fernandez
(Vice President)
Dr. P T Chacko
(General secretary)
Dr. E T Kuriakose
(Treasurer)
Dr. K Narayanan Kutty
(Joint Secretary)
Dr. K E Eapen
(Bulletin Editor)
Managing Committee Members
Dr. M V John
(Alleppey)
Dr. Padmajan Pillai
(Quilon)
Dr. G Vijayan
(Kannur)
Dr. M V John
(Alleppey)
Dr. M V John
(Alleppey)
Other delegates who were present in the meeting were Dr. K Mohandas, Kollam and Dr. K P Mathew and Dr. George Puthooran from Ernakulam. All this was done thanks to the initiative of Dr. Tony Fernandez. He had contacted all the leading Ophthalmologists of Kerala for a discussion at Ernakulam for the formation of the Society. The response was lukewarm except from Ernakulam. The meeting which was chaired by the senior most Ophthalmologist Dr. George Puthooran was attended by about 17 ophthalmologists. The above office bearers were nominated at that meeting. Dr. P T Chacko, the convener of the meeting was authorised to draft a constitution.
Initially the term was for 1 year. Dr. V S Gopinathan’s term as secretary was fixed for 2 yrs and others one year. In 1990 Dr. Radhakrishnan brought in an amendment in the byelaws and the term of all office bearers except president was fixed as two years and two terms for an individual. The byelaw was printed and distributed for the first time to all members along with KSOS car stickers at that time. Dr. P T Chacko, the founder secretary started the society on a firm footing and drafted the constitution of KSOS in the lines of AIOS. Dr. V S Gopinath tried to put some order in the working of the society by maintaining many registers and also designed the emblem of KSOS.
Dr. N Radhakrishnan during his tenure enrolled more than 200 life members and enhanced the membership strength from below 100 to above 300. He issued identity card to life members with membership numbers. The membership applications were properly stored and registers for annual and life members were separately maintained. The financial position was improved by increasing the membership fee (from Rs.100/- to Rs.500/-) and making it obligatory for the organisers of annual conferences to share the proceeds with KSOS. Separate funds – General and Trust funds were maintained. Minutes of the meetings were recorded in the minutes book from 1987 onwards. Stalwarts and seniors of KSOS were honoured by instituting Dr. C.E.Oommen memorial KSOS Lifetime achievement award. The first recipient was Prof. K S Subramanium. Later Dr. E T Kuriakose, Dr S. Tony Fernandez, Prof.T.Gopinatha Menon, Prof.K.V.Prabhakaran and K.Krishnankutty were honoured with that.
KSOS Awards
Ophthalmic Society of Pathanamthitta
Dr. Cheriyan
Shane Mathew
President
Dr. Priyanka Thilak
Secretary
Dr. Ann Tresa Antony
Treasurer