Prominent physician Dr Mohan Thomas has been honoured with the inaugural Bailey Medal award.
Bailey Medal was instituted by CMS College Kottayam, India, this year. This is an award named after Benjamin Bailey, the first principal of the college, to recognise the contribution of students, alumni, teachers and non-teaching faculty members and their achievements at the international level.
The award includes a medal and a citation regarding their achievements.
Dr Thomas, who is an alumnus of the college, was presented the award at a virtual ceremony recently for his philanthropist activities and community services.
The citation said, “Dr Thomas led a Covid-19 Community Group under the Embassy of India for medical assistance and counselling. As a doctor, community leader, entrepreneur, educationist and philanthropist, he pledges to continue working for the welfare of the community as well as to serve the people in all possible ways. He is the chairman of a private family-owned charitable foundation called Serve People Foundation, which supports families in need in the areas of health and education.”
The citation also acknowledges that Dr Thomas has been conferred with the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award for his noble services in medicine on January 9, 2021.
Besides Dr Thomas, three other alumni of the college were also honoured on the occasion. Among them is Prof Sabu Thomas, currently the vice-chancellor of Mahatma Gandhi University and is among the top 2% of the most cited research scientists in the world, according to Stanford University.
Dr Laly A Pothen, a research guide at the Department of Chemistry, CMS College, is also among the top 2% of the most cited research scientists in the world in the list published by Stanford University in November 2020.
The fourth awardee is Reema Poddar, an alumna of the Department of Physics, is currently the executive vice-president, chief product and technology officer, Teradata Information Technology and Services. She was inducted in the Hall of Fame list of top 100 Asian American by the TheboardiQ in October 2020 and in the top 50 California Diverse Leaders Award by the California Diversity Council in November 2020.
