Date:27/01/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/01/27/stories/2005012711790600.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Celebrities add glamour to charity nite

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI, JAN. 26. Film and fashion celebrities added glamour to the TANKER Foundation Republic Day eve charity nite on Tuesday.

Students led by Srekala Bharath, Thejas School of Dance, set the tone with a depiction of women icons, from Meera to Kannagi.

Six persons who had successfully battled kidney diseases were honoured on the occasion. They included Mercy Ravi, MLA from Kerala; Vempati Ravishankar, Kuchipudi dancer; Alexander, chief manager, Indian Bank; S. B. Babu, tool engineer; and Rama Ravi, a medical student.

Celebrities included Madhavan, Abbas, Erum Ali, Rohini, Kamala Krishnaswamy, Priya V. and Revathy Menon. A concert by rock band Molotov Cocktail provided the icing.

Reza Khatami, a nephrologist from Iran, and Mrs. Y.G. Parthasarathy, Dean, Padma Seshadri Schools, were present.

Suresh, an advisory member of the Foundation, highlighted its activities, especially the subsidised and free dialysis provided for poor patients with renal problems. TANKER has conducted over 18,000 dialyses since 1994. Over 300 patients had benefited from subsidised medication and investigations to the tune of Rs. 23 lakhs.

TANKER has also initiated a programme with Rotary Clubs for identifying and giving preventive treatment for rural patients with kidney diseases.