Meet doctor good-looking

By Thushara Ann Mathew  |  Express News Service 

 |   Published: 22nd November 2017 11:27 PM  |  

CHENNAI: With a smile and a white lab coat, Dr V Sethuraman sits in his clinic — a dream that he built from scratch. Coming from a family of doctors, his career did not suprise anyone. And since he always presented himself well even when he was in college, this doctor knew that dermatology was his calling. “I knew this was where I would end up, but I also knew that I did not want to do anything surgical. And that’s when I learnt about cosmetology and aesthetic cosmetology in particular,” says the MD of ZI Clinic.

After training under the late dermatologist Dr GR Ratnavel, Dr Sethuraman set up a clinic in the city and began the process of creating awareness about skin care and also offered treatment at affordable prices. “Skin care and treatment is not just for celebrities; we need to take care of our skin. For that, it is important to do check-ups and treat any problem that arises, then and there,” he adds. The celebrity-doctor who has acted in a couple of films talks to CE about his life as a sportsman, films and more. Excerpts follow:
Tell us about your schooling. Were you the popular kid in class or the studious one?
I studied in Montfort School, Yercaud. To be the popular one in Montfort, you need to take part in sports. I played tennis, athletics and others. I was actually keen on playing tennis but I had stopped sports and gymming after I started practicing, but now I am trying to get back to it. Growing up in an all-boys school taught me a lot. I became very independent and since I lived with my friends, I connected with them more and was not in touch with my family as much.
Do you have any phobias?
I have a lot of phobias, not just one (chuckles). To name a few — acrophobia (fear of heights), claustrophobia (fear of confined places), etc. In fact, a couple of days back, I did this movie with actor Santhanam in which we had a song sequence, which was being shot in a dark AC room. I was inside the room and kept feeling that something will attack me. So I used to keep coming out every now and then. Similarly, in one of the songs in Kanna Ladu Thinna Aasaiya (2013), we had to sit on top and do a dance step, and if you notice only Power Star and Santhanam did that scene, I wasn’t there in that, because of my fear of heights.
How did you get into acting?
While I was pursuing medicine at Annamalai University, I was involved in cultural activities, not because I knew to dance or sing, but just to get celebrities as chief guests and show off a bit in front of others (laughs). I brought actor Prasanna once and even Santhanam. At that time, Santhanam had just set foot into movies and was very popular for his jokes. That’s when I met him for the first time, and from then on, our friendship bloomed. We have been good friends for the last 14 years. It was through him that I got into movies. I never in my wildest dreams imagined that I would see myself on screen.
What’s your pick — Beaches or mountains?
I am a beach person; I love the calm and quiet of a beach. I love to travel a lot in general and make it a point to go and see different places. Next one on the bucket list is Spain.
Are you a foodie?
I would have visited every restaurant in Chennai at least once (laughs). I love to eat and try out different varieties of food, however continental is my favourite cuisine. I try and eat as much of it as I can.
If not a doctor, where do you think you would have ended up?
An engineer! It was only in the last minute that I got medicine. My principal did not give me biology initially and told me to take up engineering. I wanted to do that as well back then. So I think I would have definitely gone to the US and worked there as an engineer.
Acting bug
Dr V Sethuraman  has acted in Kanna Laddu Thinna  Aasaiya (2013), Vaaliba Raja (2016) and did and cameo on Sakka Podu Podu Raja (2017)

DVAC search in Municipal Commissioner’s office 

Staff Reporter 

 KANCHEEPURAM, November 24, 2017 00:00 IST

Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption personnel on Thursday conducted a search at the camp office of the Municipal Commissioner, Kancheepuram. Enquiries reveal that a team of officials landed at the camp office on the Railway Road here around 7 a.m.

After informing the Commissioner, A. Sardar, about the purpose of their visit, they started searching the premises.

Sequel

The team left the office around 1 p.m. after completing their exercise. The search was a sequel to a complaint received against Mr. Sardar while he served as the Commissioner of a Municipality in a western district, sources added.

HC gives college time to return capitation fee 


Special Correspondent 
 
CHENNAI, November 24, 2017 00:00 IST

They were admitted before SC made national test mandatory

The Madras High Court on Thursday came across a case of a private college in Kancheepuram district of having admittied many foreign nationals in bachelor of dental surgery course just days before the Supreme Court delivered its verdict in May last making it mandatory that all seats in the country be filled only on the basis of marks secured in National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET). Expressing anguish over the dreams of the foreigners having been shattered due to change in the medical admissions policy after they had secured admissions here, Justice M.S. Ramesh gave time till Monday to the management of Asan Dental College at Keerapakkam to enter into an amicable settlement with the foreign nationals who demanded return of the money paid in April last year.

During the course of hearing of a petition filed by the administrators of the college to quash a FIR registered against them by Thirukalukundram police on the basis of a complaint lodged by an Iranian student Nasser Hamidavi Zegheiri, the student’s counsel R.C. Paul Kanagaraj brought it to the notice of the court that several medical and dental colleges had admitted foreign nationals before the Supreme Court passed the judgment.

However, in most of those cases, the colleges returned the capitation fees. But Asan College management had not returned the money, he alleged and claimed that as of now only 4 students were demanding their money back since all others had gone back to their countries. He also claimed the four students had paid Rs. 25 lakh each as capitation fee. Counsel for the suspects mentioned in the FIR contended that there were receipts to prove payment of only Rs. 5.5 lakh by the complainant. Further stating that no criminal offence had been made out against the college administrators since they were willing to provide education to the complainant, counsel said the student could start attending classes.

SC orders compensation to students 

Legal Correspondent 
 
NEW DELHI, November 24, 2017 00:00 IST

For admitting students without government permission

The Supreme Court on Thursday directed a medical college to grant compensation of Rs. 10 lakh each to every student which it admitted in the MBBS course without formal permission from the government.

It also said an Allahabad High Court order allowing the college to admit the 150 students for this academic year, despite the Medical Council of India (MCI) concluding that it had indulged in “unethical and callous” practices in respect of patients and even admitted fake patients, was against the principle of judicial propriety.

The Bench, led by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, imposed costs of Rs. 25 lakh on the respondent, GCRG Memorial Educational Trust, to be paid within eight weeks. The students have to be refunded their fees as well.

The college was one of the 32 barred by the MCI from taking students into academic sessions of 2017-18. It had earlier approached the Supreme Court, which had allowed it to withdraw the petition. It had then moved the High Court.

The MCI, which came in appeal, said it had debarred the college from admitting students for two academic years.

The High Court had on September 1 quashed the MCI decision without even hearing it.

“Catena of cases has categorically held that in matters relating to medical and dental colleges, the High Court should refrain themselves from allowing admissions by way of orders as the same will jeopardise the career of students,” the MCI argued in the Supreme Court.

The Council argued that the HC did not even consider that the “medical college had failed even to comply with the minimum norms/standards for grant of permission for the first batch of 150 MBBS students. Therefore, the college should not have been granted provisional permission to admit a second batch of 150 MBBS students …”

Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma apologises for his 'cancer is divine justice' comment

 

DNA Web Team | Updated: Nov 23, 2017, 09:21 PM IST, DNA
Sarrma tendered 'unconditional apology' and claimed that he was quoted out of context.
After much uproar over Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's comment about cancer being divine justice, the BJP leader has now issued a public apology. He said that his statement was taken out of context but if it had caused anxiety to someone, he offers 'unconditional apology'.

Sarma who initially tried to defend his remarks and even sparred with P Chidambaram on Twitter, apologised on Thursday evening. He had made the statement on Tuesday when he said, "God makes us suffer when we sin. Sometimes we come across young men getting inflicted with cancer or young men meeting with accidents. If you observe the background you will come to know that it's divine justice. Nothing else. We have to suffer that divine justice".

"In this lifetime or in our previous life, or perhaps my father or mother... perhaps that young man did not do but his father has done something wrong. It is mentioned even in Gita, Bible about the outcome of one's actions. No point in being sad... all will get the outcome of this life's actions in this life only. That divine justice always will be there. Nobody can escape the divine justice that will happen".

However after much outrage, Sarma has apologised.

In a written statement he said, " My speech on divine justice and Karmic deficiency is being quoted out of context. In their bid to trivialize and sensationalise, no one is looking at content of my whole speech and intent. It was said in the context of helping poor students of Government schools and request to teachers not to neglect them. It was also a message to indicate district eduction officers not to harass teachers."

He further wrote, " At no point my statement was intended to cause any pain to cancer patients. However, if owing to the blatant distortions, it has caused any anxiety and problems to anyone, I hereby offer my unconditional apology for the pain."

Karnataka will soon have university on police investigation: Minister

DH News Service, Belagavi, Nov 23 2017, 16:53 IST 

 

Ramalinga Reddy, Home Minister

The state government is planning to establish a separate university on police investigation, Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy said on Thursday.

Replying to BJP's Tara Anuradha in the Legislative Council, he said the proposed university will help the state police adopt modern technology in the investigation of crimes, cyber crime. Besides, the Home department is spending Rs 80 crore for upgrading forensic science laboratory in Bengaluru, he added.

Tara said that the police personnel are using the traditional methods for the investigation of crimes. She also demanded the state government to come up with a policy for implementing welfare programmes for police personnel.

Vyapam case: CBI files charge sheet against 592 accused

Press Trust of India, New Delhi/Bhopal, Nov 23 2017, 20:48 IST 

 

The charge sheet was filed in a special CBI court in Bhopal in the case of Pre-Medical test (PMT) conducted by the Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board or Vyapam in 2012.

Chairmen of four private medical colleges in Madhya Pradesh and two officers of medical education department are among the 592 accused named in a charge sheet filed by the CBI in a Vyapam-related case, officials said today.

Those listed in the charge sheet included J N Choksey, chairman of L N Medical College; S N Vijaywargiya of People's Medical College; Ajay Goenka of Chirayu Medical College (all in Bhopal) and Suresh Singh Bhadoriya of Index Medical College, Indore, they said.

While three promoters did not comment when contacted by PTI, Bhadoriya claimed neither his nor his college's name was mentioned in the CBI charge sheet.

All four of them are understood to have filed application for anticipatory bail, the CBI officials said.

The charge sheet was filed in a special CBI court in Bhopal in the case of Pre-Medical Test (PMT) conducted by the Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board or Vyapam in 2012.

The test was for selecting candidates to various medical colleges of the state.

Explaining the modus operandi, the CBI officials said middlemen followed an engine-bogey system for pairing of candidates to take examination in alleged connivance with certain Vyapam officials.

In this, a bright candidate (who had already taken coaching to prepare for the test and is well versed with the examination pattern) would be alloted a roll number just ahead of a not-so-bright aspirant so that the latter could cheat from him, they said.

The bright candidate would act as engine and the other as the bogey, the official said.
The middlemen were charging anything between Rs 15 and 20 lakh for this pairing, the CBI officials said.

Giving further details of the case, they said on the basis of successful selection, the bright students would then take admission only in the four private medical colleges named in the charge sheet, despite they being in the merit list and hence eligible for admission in government institutions.

These successful candidates, in connivance with middlemen and office bearers of private medical colleges, would later withdraw their admission, the officials said.

Instead of reporting these vacancies to state government department concerned, the college authorities would fill these seats through management quota charging a hefty amount from a minimum of Rs 50 lakh to Rs 1 crore, they said.

The students who took admission through the management quotas were not the ones who sat in the examination, the officials said.

Among those named in the charge sheet, 334 are 'engine- bogey' candidates, 155 are guardians of these candidates, 46 invigilators of the examination, 26 officials of four private medical colleges, 22 middlemen and two officers of department of medical education, Madhya Pradesh, they said.

The state government officials named in the charge sheet are S C Tiwari, the then director, and N M Srivastava, the then joint director in the medical education department, they said.

Of the total people named in the charge sheet, 245 have been made accused for the first time. Others have been named in different charge sheet filed earlier by the CBI.

The probe agency is looking into the various cases of massive irregularities in various examination conducted by the Vyapam to select candidates for medical colleges and also for state government jobs