May 22, 2005

Chennai – The Coimbatore based Isha Foundation has scheduled the launch of five Mobile Health Clinics for sustained medical assistance to villages in the tsunami affected regions surrounding Chennai. The Foundation has joined into partnership with corporate sponsors including AMM-Chennai, Sanofi-Aventis, HSBC, and the Times Foundation, whose donations, along with that of a private donor have helped make five mobile clinics available. The launch will take place on 26 June, 2005, 6:00 P.M. at Pachaiyappa’s College Grounds in Chennai. The Mobile Health Clinics are provided under the auspices of the Foundation’s Action for Rural Rejuvenation initiative.

Action for Rural Rejuvenation is a unique and well defined plan to rejuvenate rural India, the core of India’s life force and root of the country’s rich cultural heritage. The project, developed through the will and vision of Isha’s founder, Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, concentrates on initiatives to revitalize the human spirit and restore the fundamental.

An essential part of Action for Rural Rejuvenation are the free Mobile Health Clinics which provide timely medical care to people who would otherwise not have access due to financial constraints or the remoteness of the region. Action for Rural Rejuvenation also brings free yoga classes and introduces medicinal herb gardens which support the health of villagers through indigenous methods. Another health promoting activity of the project is the community games organized in each village, which offer a healthy alternative to alcohol and drug abuse.

Implemented in 900 villages across the Coimbatore, Erode, Salem, and Cuddalore districts of Tamil Nadu and in Chamaraj Nagar in Karnataka, Action for Rural Rejuvenation has reached 750,000 villagers. The launch of these five mobile clinics will bring the total number of clinics to nineteen. Each clinic has the capacity of serving 60 villages on a fortnightly basis.

Mr. Vinod Hari, co-coordinator for ARR in Chennai, will give the opening address, with Mr. M.V. Murugappan, chairman of AMM Foundation, presiding. Mr. N. Kumar, Vice-Chairman of The Sanmar Group, will inaugurate the Action for Rural Rejuvenation program. The Mobile Health Clinics will be inaugurated by Mr. Alexandre De Carvahlo, MD of the Sanofi Aventis Group, Ms.Malini Thadani, Senior Vice President of HSBC, and Mr. Lakshmi Narayanan, Regional Head of the Times of India.

Renowned Carnatic vocalist Padmashri Smt. Sudha Ragunathan will give a special address at the launch, followed by a special discourse by Sadhguru.

The event is open to the public.
For further details, kindly contact Shri Vinod Hari at 98410 48949.