LMS (London) LRCP&S (Glasgow) LFPS (Edinburgh) DOMS (Madras)
Erstwhile Superintendent, Government Eye Hospital, Thiruvanathapuram
(Kerala) India
Dr. Padanair
Ayyappan Velayudhan Pillai hailed from Kuttanad region of Kerala.
He was born to the family of `Padanairs' at Padanair House, Pullangady, Champakulam, Alapuzha district. Kuttanad is located
amidst the picturesque backwaters of Kerala and is known as the
`rice bowl' of Kerala. Until the late 1950s, the only means of
reaching this area was by boat.
After his early education in India, he did his basic medical
studies in Madras State and then proceeded to UK for his
specialisation in Ophthalmology. He earned his professional
qualifications of LMS LRCP&S LFPS and DOMS from London,
Glasgow, Edinburgh and Madras. He was an extremely skilled and gifted doctor
and was held in high professional repute. His last tenure was as the Superintendent of Government Eye Hospital in
Thiruvananthapuram. He was also the Professor of Ophthalmology at
Thiruvananthapuram and Alapuzha Medical Colleges when these
colleges were established.
By nature, he was a deeply religious, charitable and
compassionate man. He had no airs about him and had no greed for
the material comforts of the world. To him every individual was
equal. He had implicit faith in Lord Ayyappa. Not only was he
instrumental in the initial formation of Ayyappa Seva Sangham (as it was
earlier known) but he was also responsible for evolving tacit guidelines for its growth
in physical and moral terms. To this day, these guidelines act as the
`Commandments' guiding the functioning of the Sangham.. It
would not be an exaggeration to say that Late Dr Velayudhan Pillai continues to
be the invisible but omnipresent moral guardian of ABASS even now.
After formal retirement, though he was reluctant, he was coaxed by his followers and admirers to
continue his professional medical work as a Consultant. He was
`At Work' even a week before he died. He left for his heavenly
abode on 15th of July 1976.
He was a
regular visitor to Sabarimala till the year of his death. In 1999, at his birth
place in Pullangady, Champakulam, (Alapuzha District) a sacred Ayyappa temple
was consecrated in memory of the late Dr PA Velayudhan PIllai.
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