AKMG HS: Building a Lasting Legacy of Giving
AKMG HS Office Bearers
From Dr. Nigil Haroon, Chair, on behalf of all office bearers
Dear AKMG Family, we extend our heartfelt thanks to the generous donors who have helped launch our vision of establishing a corpus fund for AKMG HS. Our inaugural 25 patrons have already made a major impact on our community's philanthropic efforts. Their generosity and confidence in our mission have laid the foundation for sustained giving.
We are investing $300,000 into the corpus fund. Based on our discussions with the patrons and the investment committee, the fund will be invested via fidelity. An investment policy statement for AKMG HS has been developed for this purpose. We will continue to build and grow this fund, creating a lasting financial foundation that allows AKMG HS to support meaningful projects on an ongoing basis.
Our discussions have explored several areas where we could make a difference: scholarships, food bank support, and initiatives supporting Indigenous communities' priorities in health and access to clean water. These ideas share a common purpose—to turn our community's generosity into sustained, practical support where it is needed.
AKMG HS is a great way to utilize your Qualified Charitable Distributions. Please consider contributing to the collective mission of our organization by supporting the corpus fund. Becoming a patron helps set us up for success, the next is to ensure your ongoing support and large donations are directed through AKMG HS. Please see information below on QCDs.
Dr. Joseph Kurian Chemplavil
Kottayam Medical College (1966 Batch)AKMG Humanitarian Services Announces the Dr. Joseph Kurian Chemplavil Family Scholarship
A Lasting Commitment to Medical Education in KeralaAKMG Humanitarian Services (AKMG HS) is pleased to announce the development of the Dr. Joseph Kurian Chemplavil Family Scholarship, an initiative to support deserving MBBS students facing financial barriers at Kerala's 14 government medical colleges.
We are grateful to Dr. Joseph Chemplavil for an endowment equivalent to $200,000 to support a medical student scholarship project in Kerala. This endowment will provide funds to AKMG HS in perpetuity, sustaining the scholarship project and helping future generations pursue a medical education.
Despite significant advances in medical education and improvements in living standards, financial hardship continues to limit opportunities for academically talented students. Securing admission to medical school is a major achievement, but tuition fees, accommodation, textbooks, and daily living expenses can place a substantial burden on students and their families. For deserving students with limited financial resources, sustained scholarship support can ease this pressure, helping them focus on their training and complete their medical education.
AKMG HS worked with Dr. Joseph Kurian Chemplavil, an alumnus of Kottayam Medical College's 1966 batch, to develop this project and establish a framework for sustained support throughout students' medical education. The scholarship reflects Dr. Chemplavil and his family's commitment to expanding educational opportunity and helping future physicians pursue their calling.
The proposed programme will select one incoming first-year MBBS student from each of the 14 government medical colleges annually. Each recipient will receive an award to support the tuition every year, renewable subject to continued eligibility and annual certification of satisfactory academic standing and ethical conduct.
Beginning with 14 students in the first year, the programme is expected to support 70 students annually from the fifth year onward, based on five years of support for each recipient and a new cohort selected each year.
Selection will consider financial need and merit, using documented family income and medical admission rank. Applicants must not be receiving other financial assistance. Scholarship committees at the participating colleges will review applications and supporting documents.
Under the proposed framework, applications will be due within 30 days of the start of first-year MBBS classes, with selection completed during the following 30 days.
The Chemplavil Family Charitable Fund will provide annual support through AKMG HS. The Trivandrum Medical College Alumni Association will administer and distribute the scholarships across the participating colleges, with assistance from their scholarship committees.
AKMG HS thanks Dr. Joseph Kurian Chemplavil and his family for their commitment to this initiative. Together, we aim to help deserving students continue their medical education and prepare for lives of service.
Dr. Chemplavil's generosity embodies the vision behind our efforts: a gift today that continues to create opportunities for years to come. On behalf of all office bearers, I thank him, our inaugural patrons, and every donor helping us build this legacy of service.
AKMG Humanitarian Services Town Hall Inspires Vision for the Future
Inspiring Legacy, Bold New Path
Chair, AKMG Humanitarian Services
The AKMG Humanitarian Services (HS) Town Hall held on September 13, 2025, was a well-attended and inspiring event that highlighted both the proud legacy and future direction of the organization. The featured speaker and founding chair, Dr. Prem Menon, delivered a thoughtful address on the history of AKMG's humanitarian activities, reminding attendees of the many impactful initiatives that have been carried out over the years and the lasting difference they have made. He underscored the importance of sustaining these efforts through strong organizational vision and forward-thinking strategies.
A central theme of Dr. Menon's presentation was the need to build a robust financial foundation / endowment for AKMG Humanitarian Services. To achieve this, he introduced the proposal of creating an endowment fund through Patron Membership. This initiative envisions each patron contributing $10,000, either as a one-time payment or in installments spread across ten years. In recognition of their generosity and commitment, patrons would become lifetime non-voting members of the HS Board. This innovative funding model is designed to secure the long-term financial stability of the organization while ensuring that future humanitarian projects can be planned with confidence. Other ideas discussed was CME lecture naming opportunities, scholarships, donation of honorarium, transfer of stocks and including HS in the will, ensuring that the spirit of giving continues to strengthen HS for generations to come.
How to Become a Patron
- $10,000 Patron Commitment: One-time contribution or divided smoothly over 10 years ($1,000/yr).
- Governance Role: Recognition as a Lifetime Non-Voting Member of the HS Board.
- Historical Honor: Early supporters are formally cataloged as Founding Patrons.
- Estate Giving: Option to preserve your legacy by including AKMG HS in your will.
Your commitment today builds the foundation for tomorrow.
Following Dr. Menon's address, several AKMG members and long-standing supporters immediately came forward to commit as Patrons, demonstrating their confidence in this vision and their dedication to sustaining AKMG Humanitarian Services. This first wave of patrons will hold a special place in the history of our organization, as they will be recognized as the Founding Patrons of AKMG HS. Their names will be formally published soon, serving both as an acknowledgment of their generosity and as an inspiration to others who wish to join them in shaping the future of HS.
We warmly invite you to consider becoming part of this inaugural circle of supporters. By stepping forward now, you will help lay the cornerstone for the endowment fund and ensure that AKMG HS remains strong and impactful for generations to come. Whether through patron membership, planned giving such as including HS in your will, or by simply spreading the word, every act of support contributes to building a sustainable legacy of service. AKMG Humanitarian Services exists because of you and for you. Your commitment fuels our mission, strengthens our community, and enables us to extend compassion and care where it is needed most. Together, we can honor the achievements of the past while creating a foundation for even greater impact in the future.
The AKMG HS report was released during this meeting.
COVID Crisis in India: Humans are Capable of Great Things
"Whatever you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it."
The AKMG COVID-Support Project grew into the largest philanthropic undertaking in the association's history. Led by Dr. Nigil Haroon, Dr. Subramanya Bhatt, and Dr. Sunil Kumar, AKMG collaborated with over 17 diaspora organizations and global disaster partners to act where intervention was most urgently required.
Four Core Strategic Pillars
1. Protect Healthcare Staff
Distributed ASTM Level 3 and KN95 protective equipment to front-line doctors and nurses.
2. Curb Transmission
Delivered community hygiene programs and educational sessions with IMA I-Safe clinics.
3. Domiciliary Care
Partnered with IMA to equip mild cases at home with reusable, tracked pulse oximeters.
4. DronaCare Telemedicine
Partnered with Innovation Incubator to launch DronaCare App for free tele-consultations.
Materials Mobilized & Supplied
| Supplied Medical Item | Total Quantity | Logistics & Execution Status |
|---|---|---|
| ASTM F2100 Standard Level-3 Masks | 20,000,000 units | Airlifted via Qatar Airways / DHL partnerships in recurring shipments. |
| KN95 Protective Masks | 146,000 units | Transferred directly to KMSCL & Indian Medical Association (IMA). |
| Pulse Oximeters for Home Care | 2,000 units | Received by IMA; student helpline active for patient pickup & sanitization. |
Kerala Flood Relief: Project 'JeevaJalam'
During the devastating Kerala floods of August 2018—the most severe in a century, with dams opened across the state and over a million people displaced—potable drinking water was identified as the single highest priority to prevent epidemic waterborne outbreaks.
AKMG launched a two-pronged fundraising campaign across the US and Canada. Headed by AKMG-Canada in alliance with international disaster response agency GlobalMedic and the Mississauga Kerala Association, the initiative mobilized $120,000 to launch Project JeevaJalam ("Water for Life").
Wayanad & Idukki
Installed 15 community point-of-source water pumps, delivering clean potable water to over 15,000 people per day.
Kuttanadu Region
Dispatched 850 RainFresh purification units from Toronto and 1,700 ImerPure filters, supplying 2,550+ isolated households.
15,000+
Citizens Served Daily with Pure Water
2,550+
Household Gravity Filtration Units
AKMG Helping Hands Project
Preserving cultural heritage by safeguarding the artists behind it.
Launched on the auspicious occasion of Kerala Piravi during an international Zoom assembly, the Helping Hands Project was initiated to support traditional performing artists and cultural exponents throughout Kerala whose livelihoods were decimated during the pandemic.
Special gratitude is extended to playback singer Sri. G. Venugopal and renowned dancer Kalaimamani Smt. Dasyam Gopika Varma for lending their voices and gracious presence to launch this initiative.
The Helping Hands model provides targeted financial grants, medical checkups, and continuing support to empower folk and classical artists to sustain their craft.
Artisan & Cultural Relief
Recognizing that community wellness includes the preservation of the arts and vulnerable creative traditions.
AKMG Food Drive Initiatives
Under the proactive leadership of Dr. Shanker Unnikrishnan, the AKMG Georgia Chapter joined hands with the Atlanta Community Food Bank during the holiday season. The team mobilized generous contributions providing thousands of nutritious hot meals to homeless and food-insecure families.
Following this inspiring precedent, chapters across North America—including the AKMG Canada Team headed by Drs. Nisha and Nigil Haroon—replicated localized meal campaigns.
Honoring Our Generous Contributors
Guiding Philosophies of Giving
"It's not how much we give but how much love we put into giving."
— Mother Teresa
"You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you."
— John Bunyan
"You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give."