Published on: June 9, 2023

Dr M. R. Rajagopal elevated as Chairman Emeritus

Mr Binod Hariharan is the new Chairman of Pallium India’s board of trustees. Dr M R Rajagopal, the Founder of Pallium India, has been elevated as Chairman Emeritus and will continue to guide Pallium India in its journey forward.

Binod Hariharan is an engineering graduate with three decades of experience in different capacities. He is a successful entrepreneur and on the board of 3 IT companies. He has been a trustee of Pallium India for over ten years and has been actively involved with the organization since its inception. Binod has been a volunteer with Pain and Palliative care society, Calicut, and has held the position of Vice President IAPC, Kerala.

Dr Rajagopal will remain as the Director of Trivandrum Institute of Palliative Sciences (TIPS), the flagship of Pallium India, which demonstrates palliative care delivery in and around Thiruvananthapuram, educates professionals who are interested to work in this field, and facilitates palliative care development across the country.

Click to read: Dr Soumya Swaminathan and Dr Vijayakumar have joined as trustees

Dr Rajagopal said: “These twenty years as Chairman of Pallium India been a fulfilling time and I thank everyone who supported us in various ways. The fact that two stalwarts of healthcare – Dr Soumya Swaminathan and Dr K Vijayakumar – have joined us as trustees fill us with hope that we will be able to drastically reduce the burden of health-related suffering in the country. As part of long-term strategy, I am handing over chair of Pallium India to one of the trustees – Mr Binod Hariharan. For the time being, I shall continue as the director of TIPS – the WHO Collaborating Centre. I am also grateful to my colleagues for elevating me to the position of Chairman Emeritus.”

Binod Hariharan said,

“I am humbled and grateful to be named the Chairman of this highly recognised and reputed organization. I would like to thank everyone who placed their trust in me, especially the Trustees of Pallium India who felt that I am worthy of taking on the mantle from Dr. Rajagopal, a living legend in the field of palliative care.

“As you all know, our organization was founded with a clear vision – An India in which palliative care is integrated in all health care so that every person has access to effective pain relief and quality palliative care along with disease–specific treatment and across the continuum of care. Over the years, we have worked hard to make that vision a reality, and I am proud of all that we have accomplished so far. I believe that we have a tremendous opportunity to make a deep impact in the lives of millions of people around us. How do we execute on it ?

“First and foremost, we must stay true to our core values. We must always remember why we are here and what we are trying to accomplish. We must never lose sight of our vision.

“Secondly, we must be willing to adapt. While this organisation has grown in size and strength and today is one of the leaders in the field of palliative care in the country, we cannot afford to be complacent. The world is constantly changing, and if we want to stay relevant, we must be willing to change with it. We must be open to new ideas, embrace new and innovative ways of doing things. Every day we hear about giant leaps in technology in every field and healthcare is no exception. We must adopt technologies which can improve the quality and quantity of our care delivery, and thereby reduce the suffering of millions in needless pain.

“Finally, we must work together. None of us can achieve our goals alone. We need to support one another if we want to make a real difference in people’s lives. We must learn to collaborate with other stakeholders who share our vision, and I look forward to continued support from all the well-wishers and supporters in the days and years to come as we strive to achieve our vision and make a positive impact on the world.

“In conclusion, I am very excited about the future of our organization. I believe that if we hold on to our core values, remain open to change & adapt, and embrace collaboration in our work environment, there is no reason why we cannot move even faster towards our vision.

“Thank you once again for this great honour and I hope I will be able to live up to the expectations of the many inside and outside the organisation.”

Know more about Pallium India’s team