The Australian Board of Vellore Christian College and Hospital celebrated it’s 50th anniversary in 1996. The Board was established on 10th July 1956 at the request of Dr. John S. Carman, the Director of CMC&H at that time, to co-ordinate the activities of the various state branches of Friends of Vellore. For many years the board was based around the Sydney Friends of Vellore. Over the years, the Board has evolved into a truly national organisation with representation from various states of the country.
The Annual General Body meeting of the Board is held at different capital cities of the states in rotation. Delegates from the various state groups of Friend of Vellore and Alumni attend the meeting to discuss the activities of the board. The executive is elected from among the delegates. The AGM for the year 2023 was held in Adelaide. Dr. Vikram Mathews the Director of CMC addressed the meeting via Zoom.
The Directors
2023 – 24
Mahiban belongs to the CMC undergraduate batch of 1981. He dis his Post graduate surgical training at CMC and worked in mission hospitals before migrating to Australia. He did further surgical training over here. At present he is the head of the Maxillary Facial and Head and Neck surgery at Darwin hospital. He is also in charge of the surgical services for the Northern Territory. His wife Dr. Sujatha also belongs the same batch and is a specialist in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. He maintains a very close clinical relationship with his alma mater.
Vice President – Dr. Renjy Nelson
Secretary – Prof. David Runia
David Runia retired as the Master of Queen?s College at the University of Melbourne at the end of 2016. While he was the Master, he learnt about the work of the CMC, with which his College has had a long-standing relationship since the days of Dr Edward Gault. He visited Vellore in 2014 and again in January 2020 when he attended the college council meeting. he is also the president of the Victorian FOV. David is an academic and remains active in research on ancient philosophy, with a particular interesting the Jewish philosopher who lived at the same time as Jesus, Philo of Alexandria. He is married to Gonni, and they have a daughter living in Amsterdam and two sons living in Melbourne. David and Gonni are of Dutch descent and lived in the Netherlands for 25 years before returning to Australia in 2002.
Treasurer: Mr. Richard Caitens
Richard Caitens has been the treasurer of the board since 1998. He has been involved with the Queensland FOV for a long period and has been their treasurer, up till now. He is a charted accountant by profession. His wife Susanna is a teacher and they have 3 children – 2 girls and a boy. Richard visited Vellore for the first time few years ago representing the Board at the council meeting.
Publicity Officer : Dr. Sharon Thomas
Sharon is a CMC alumnus belonging to the batch of 1984. She did her diploma in Ob and Gyn and later obtained the Fellowship of the Australian College of General Practitioner. She has been working on the Gold Coast, Queensland since 2004. Her special interest are in women’s health and chronic diseases. He husband Dr. Koshy George is a neurologist in Gold Coast region. They have three grown up daughters. Sharon is the current president of the Queensland FOV.