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Chandran with his colleagues at Community Health Centre in Agali
Agali: Attappadi native R Chandran became the first person from a tribal community to secure a doctorate in Medicinal Chemistry in Kerala. A resident of Goddiyarkandi hamlet in Attappadi, R Chandran has successfully completed PhD from the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research at Raebareli in Lucknow.
Chandran, who belongs to the Irula community in Attappadi has been working as a pharmacist in the community health centre mobile unit in Agali.
He has achieved PhD in the research for synthetic factors against Tuberculosis.
Pursuing the right career
Chandran decided to opt for a professional course while studying at Govt Tribal Higher Secondary School in Sholayur. Though he attempted to study in two private pharmacy colleges later, he could not pursue the courses as he found it difficult to fit in. Soon he returned to his hamlet.
Later, he went to constructional works for a living. However, his hard work paid off when he got admission for B Pharm in Govt. Medical College in Kozhikode and B.Sc Chemistry in Palakkad Victoria College the next year. He chose the B Pharm course which became the turning point in his life.
Before joining for post-graduation, he worked as a pharmacist at many hospitals. Though Chandran secured a government job as a pharmacist after post-graduation, he decided to take leave and study for higher education in Raebareli.
His vision
Chandran distributes medicines for Sickle Cell anaemia in 36 hamlets in the panchayat via the mobile unit of the Agali community health centre. He said that his greatest aim is to eradicate sickle cell anaemia, which is often a life-threatening disease among the tribal communities here.
Chandran is the son of Attappadi natives Rangan and Lakshmi.
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