News and Features
Lookin’ Good
A new look at Walter Scudder School
Students at SAF-supported Walter Scudder Secondary School in Tindivanam, India, have never been smarter or looked better.
Thanks to a generous donor, the students are outfitted with red, blue, green, and yellow sport shirts worn over black pants. The effect is striking and beautiful as this photo montage will attest.
The school recently organized its students into four houses named in honor of Scudder missionaries. The names: Walter Scudder House, John Scudder House, Ida Scudder House, and Henry Scudder House.
The school was founded in 1872 when Walter Scudder transformed a village school into an accredited high school. It has since educated thousands of primarily low income students, preparing them for good jobs or higher education.
Congratulations, Dr. Chris Suresh!
There is now one more doctor in the distinguished Suresh family of Ranipet, India, Chris Suresh, M.D.
Here’s the announcement made by his father, Dr. Anbu Suresh, the administrator of Scudder Memorial Hospital.
The Scudder Association Foundation provided some financial support as did SAF First Vice President Jack Gilmar.
Thanks, Chris, for making us all proud. We wish you the best of luck and a great career.
SMH Celebrates New Head of Nursing
Scudders Remembered at Historic Arni Church
The Arni CSI Town Church celebrated its long and distinguished history on May 20 with ceremonies that included recognition of the Scudders who have attended and supported the church since its founding in 1853.
The convenor of the 173rd anniversary observance was Dr. V. Thiyagarajan, the hostel manager of nearby Scudder-supported Arni School. Ezekiel Scudder founded Arni School which 19 Scudders have served.
Services were led by the local pastor and area chairman, Rev. S. Abraham Aasai Thambi.
Bishop Sharma of the Diocese of Vellore was an honored guest and speaker.
Announcements of the event were circulated in both English and Tamil with latter including a depiction of the Rev. Dr. John Scudder and his wife, Harriet, the first of many Scudder missionaries in India.
Arni School Students Win Sports Honors
Leaders at SAF-supported Arni Secondary School believe that a good education focuses on both mind and body. That’s why its students enjoy success both in the classroom and on the athletic field.
This poster proclaimed recent Arni successes in three sports: Volleyball, Beach Volleyball, and Kabaddi.
A Wikipedia entry describes Kabaddi as a contact team sport played between two teams of seven players.
It’s one of the traditional games of South Asia and is the third most popular sport in south Asia, trailing only cricket and football (soccer). In the game, a raider enters the opposing half of the field to tag the defenders and must return to his side within 30 seconds, without inhaling or being tackled. While raiding, the raider must loudly chant kabaddi, confirming to referees that the raid is completed on a single breath.
Teams take turns on offense and defense. Points are awarded for successful tags, while defenders earn a point for tackling the raider.
Kabaddi is popular throughout South Asia and nearby countries and is, in fact, the national sport of Bangladesh. There is even a professional Kabaddi league. The game’s origins go back at least 2,000 years.
Congratulations to the wonderful Kabaddi and volleyball athletes at Arni.
Arni Officials Join Jubilee Celebration
Arni school and religious leaders turned out in numbers to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Diocese of CSI Vellore.
Bishop H. Sharma Nithiyganndam delivered the inaugural speech, and the Lord’s message was given by The. Rt. Rev. Bishop Christopher Vijayan of the Kanniyakumari Diocese.
Numerous dignitaries were in attendance.
The celebration took place on August 7 and 8 at Voorhees College in Vellore.
Scudder Memorial Hospital Adds Space Age Diagnostic Tool
It’s called a tympanometer, and it’s the latest thing in diagnosing hearing problems. The hospital’s Department of Ear, Nose, and Throat formally put it into service on June 3.
The SMH announcement proclaimed: “This valuable equipment will greatly strengthen our ability to diagnose and manage patients with ear-related conditions, helping us serve with greater accuracy, care, and compassion.”
Tympanometry is an acoustic evaluation of the condition of the middle ear and eardrum and the conduction bones by creating variations of air pressure in the ear canal. In evaluating hearing loss, tympanometry permits a distinction between types of hearing loss when the cause is not apparent through standard testing, thus leading to effective treatment. It can also be helpful in spotting fluid buildup in the middle ear cavity.
In spite of budgetary constraints, Scudder Memorial Hospital strives to acquire and maintain the latest diagnostic and treatment equipment to provide highest quality medical care. It was founded in 1866 by Silas Scudder, pioneer John Scudder’s son and Ida’s uncle. One of India’s oldest hospitals, SMH provides the healthcare needs for Ranipet and over 65 surrounding villages.
These pictures properly reflect the joy and pride of the dedication ceremonies.
A message of hope and inspiration from a great doctor
From severe burn victim at age eight to a medical legend.
That’s the story of Dr. Prema Dhanraj who gave online followers the details in a Zoom call on March 6 and left them with a message of hope and inspiration.
When little Prema Dhanraj poured fuel on a fire in a kitchen stove, the flames that erupted severely burned her face and neck and even reached her larynx. That ended her dream of being a singer. She spent 15 hours in surgery that saved her life at CMC Vellore.
Yes, the singing dream was gone, but the catastrophe didn’t stop her from dreaming, thanks to her mother’s support and inspiration. Her mother told her she had a choice: she could give up any ambitions, feel sorry for herself, and have a miserable life of dependency, or she could have a happy and satisfying life by applying herself through work, optimism, and faith in God.
The mother’s message: “Have faith in God and confidence in yourself. Work hard, trust God, and be humble. Take life as it comes and seek the best. And, remember, happiness is contagious.”
Her mother said she made a deal with God, “Heal my little girl and I’ll see that she becomes a doctor.”
And, what a doctor she became! As a plastic and reconstructive surgeon, she conducted more than 25,000 free surgeries for poor patients in a 30-year career at CMC Vellore, while also becoming head of the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. She won numerous awards in India (including the country’s fourth highest) and in the UK and US.
At age 74, she still performs some surgeries although retired from her hospital post. And she stays in touch with many of the physicians she taught and monitored.
CMC Vellore presented the online lecture in celebration of Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day 2026. It was, after all, a woman, Dr. Ida Scudder, who founded CMC in 1900 and set it on a path to becoming one of India’s largest and most prestigious medical institutions.
Walter Scudder Students Win Badminton Honors
Walter Scudder Higher Secondary School not only excels in academics but also collects honors in sports. Here’s the announcement of the boys’ latest triumph.
Our talented badminton students have won the Zone Level Badminton Competition and officially qualified for the District Level Competition! Huge congratulations to our brilliant champion students and dedicated Physical Education trainers for their outstanding hard work. Wishing our team the absolute best as they aim for gold at the District Level! Keep soaring high! 
They Came, They Celebrated, They Gave
By any measure, the April 9 event was a roaring success. Nearly 200 people packed the hall and pledged contributions of more than $130,000 which will help CMC purchase a state-of-the-art C-Arm Fluoroscopy Machine for its new Pediatric Specialty Center at the Ranipet campus. The facility is scheduled to open in October.
Since the event was a double-match, the funds thus made available for the new unit will exceed a quarter of a million dollars.
Representing the Scudder Association Foundation at the event were Drs. James and Susan Taylor and Virgil and Susan Scudder.
Dr. Ida Sophia Scudder founded a clinic for women in 1900 that has grown to be CMC Vellore, one of the largest and most renowned hospitals in Asia. It now serves an incredible three million patients a year—men, women, and children alike—regardless of their ability to pay.
A defining moment of the evening came from Nancy Block, a relative of Dr. Ida, who shared her reflections on her relationship with the legendary missionary doctor. She was at Aunt Ida’s bedside when she died in 1960 at the age of 90.
Though long deceased, Dr. Ida’s presence permeated the gathering. There was even a free book about her given to attendees by the author.
How has CMC Vellore been so successful for so long? In addition to an ongoing commitment to excellence and community service by a dedicated faculty and staff, generous donors have played a key role.
One such donor, Ajit Isaac, Founder and Chairman of Quess Corporation and the Ajit Issac Foundation, was honored at the Gala with the Ida S. Scudder Global Philanthropy Leadership Award.
In accepting the award, Isaac said “Our partnership with CMC Vellore is something we are very proud of.”
His added: “Over time I have come to believe that the most meaningful impact comes from strengthening institutions, institutions that outlast individuals and continue serving long after we are gone. In the end it is these institutions that shape the kind of society we leave behind.”
He left the stage to rousing applause.
The audience left the hall with satisfaction at a job well done.
SMH doctors stress early attention to child hearing
“Good hearing is essential for a child’s learning, communication, and overall development. Early detection and timely treatment can make a life-changing difference.”
So declared Dr. Anbu Suresh Rao, Medical Superintendent and Senior Surgeon at Scudder Memorial Hospital in Ranipet, Tamil Nadu, South India. The occasion was the observance of World Hearing Day on March 3 by SMH’s Department of ENT. This year’s theme was “From Communities to Classroom: Hearing Care for Every Child.”
Scudder Memorial Hospital has a rich history. In 1820, Dr. John Scudder founded a dispensary in Ranipet which evolved into Scudder Memorial Hospital in 1866, eleven years after his passing. He was India’s first American medical missionary, dedicated to saving lives and spreading Christianity. Such service became a family tradition. His pioneering work led to more than 1,100 combined years of missionary service in India by 42 members of his family, spanning five generations.
The Scudder family became a South India legend.
It was Dr. Silas Downer Scudder, following in his father John’s footsteps, who actually founded the hospital in 1866.
Today it is an essential South India institution, with children’s hearing health being an important part of the hospital’s focus.
Posters played a key role in the success of the Hearing Day program.
“Healthy hearing today builds a brighter future for our children,” says Dr. Raj.
His comments align with the SMH pledge: “Through continued awareness and community engagement, Scudder Memorial Hospital remains committed to ensuring that every child has the opportunity to hear, learn, and thrive.”
No doubt thousands of people will be the beneficiaries of this commitment. Their lives will be better.
Walter Scudder School conducts drug abuse program
Walter Scudder Higher Secondary School has distinguished itself for 154 years as an institution that prepares students from low-income families for successful lives and careers. This was exemplified by its recent program about the dangers of drug abuse.
School official Armstrong Swamickan filed this report on the event, the Awareness Camp on Drug Abuse and Mental Health.
“The programme was conducted with the active participation of the Junior Red Cross, psychiatric doctors, and a police officer.
The psychiatric doctors explained in detail how drug abuse affects mental health, leading to depression, anxiety, poor academic performance, and long-term psychological problems. They emphasized that addiction does not develop suddenly but slowly destroys a person’s health, character, and future.
The police officer highlighted the legal consequences of drug abuse, explaining that the use, possession, and sale of drugs are serious criminal offences. Students were made aware of how drug-related activities can lead to legal trouble, imprisonment, and permanent damage to one’s life and reputation.
Speakers clearly conveyed that drug abuse does not harm only the individual, but also destroys families and affects society as a whole. Emotional pain, financial loss, broken relationships, and social stigma are common outcomes of addiction.
The programme encouraged students to say NO to drugs, to choose a healthy lifestyle, and to support friends who may be at risk. The session was highly informative and created strong awareness among students about the importance of mental health and drug-free living.”