Mambalikalathil Sarada Menon (5 April 1923 – 5 December 2021) was an Indian psychiatrist, social worker and the founder of
Schizophrenia Research Foundation
Schizophrenia Research Foundation (SCARF) was founded in 1984 with the primary objective of providing quality care and rehabilitation to those suffering from severe mental disorders. SCARF has a Mental Health Center located in Anna Nagar, Ch ...
(SCARF), a
Chennai
Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...
-based
non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization (NGO) or non-governmental organisation (see spelling differences) is an organization that generally is formed independent from government. They are typically nonprofit entities, and many of them are active in h ...
working for the rehabilitation of people afflicted with
schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by continuous or relapsing episodes of psychosis. Major symptoms include hallucinations (typically hearing voices), delusions, and disorganized thinking. Other symptoms include social withdra ...
and other mental disorders.
An Avvaiyyar Award recipient, she was a former Madras Medical Service officer and the first woman psychiatrist in
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
.
The
Government of India
The Government of India (ISO: ; often abbreviated as GoI), known as the Union Government or Central Government but often simply as the Centre, is the national government of the Republic of India, a federal democracy located in South Asia, c ...
awarded her the third highest civilian honour of the
Padma Bhushan, in 1992, for her contributions to society.
Early life and education
Menon was born in a
Malayali family on 5 April 1923 as the youngest of eight children of her parents in
Mangalore
Mangalore (), officially known as Mangaluru, is a major port city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is located between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghats about west of Bangalore, the state capital, 20 km north of Karnataka–Ker ...
, a coastal town in the south Indian state of
Karnataka
Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...
.
Her father was a judge and when he was transferred to
Chennai
Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...
,
young Sarada moved with him for her early schooling at Good Shepherd School and later at
Christ Church Anglo-Indian Higher Secondary School
Christ Church Anglo-Indian higher Secondary School is located in Anna Salai, Chennai
Anna Salai (), formerly known as St. Thomas Mount Road or simply Mount Road, is an arterial road in Chennai, India. It starts at the Cooum Creek, south of ...
after which she graduated from
Women's Christian College.
Graduating in medicine from
Madras Medical College in 1951, she did her residency at Irwin Hospital, New Delhi (present-day Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital) before joining Madras Medical Service in 1951 to start her career at
Pittapuram Mission Hospital,
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh (, abbr. AP) is a state in the south-eastern coastal region of India. It is the seventh-largest state by area covering an area of and tenth-most populous state with 49,386,799 inhabitants. It is bordered by Telangana to the ...
.
She simultaneously studied for the post-graduate degree of MD which she obtained in 1957.
Subsequently, she successfully completed the Diploma in
Psychiatric Medicine, a two-year course in psychiatry, at the
National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences
The National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences is a medical institution in Bangalore, India. NIMHANS is the apex centre for mental health and neuroscience education in the country. It is an Institute of National Importance operates ...
(NIMHANS), thus becoming the first woman psychiatrist in
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
.
Career
Menon joined the Institute of
Mental Health
Mental health encompasses emotional, psychological, and social well-being, influencing cognition, perception, and behavior. It likewise determines how an individual handles stress, interpersonal relationships, and decision-making. Mental health ...
(then known as Government Mental Hospital) in
Kilpauk in 1959 and superannuated from the institution in 1978. She became its first woman Superintendent in 1961.
It was during her tenure, the institution started the department of psychiatry, opened an out-patient facility and established regional psychiatric centres at all the district hospitals in the state. Her efforts have also been reported behind initiating participation of social organizations in the rehabilitation of mentally ill patients. ''AASHA'', a community-based organization assisting the families of mentally-ill people based in Chennai,
is one such organization which was started on her initiative.
On the personal front, she converted one of the rooms in her residence into a shelter and later influenced the local chapter of YMCA to open palliative care centers; the organization eventually opened three such centers, at
Thiruverkadu
Thiruverkadu (; literally 'a forest of holy herbs and roots') is a Western suburb of Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It comes under Thiruvallur district administration. It is famous for its Devi Karumariamman Temple. There is also Vedapureeswarar Templ ...
,
Mahabalipuram
Mamallapuram, also known as Mahabalipuram, is a town in Chengalpattu district in the southeastern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, best known for the UNESCO World Heritage Site of 7th- and 8th-century Hindu Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram. It is o ...
and
Anna Nagar.
In 1984, she gathered a few like-minded people and founded
Schizophrenia Research Foundation
Schizophrenia Research Foundation (SCARF) was founded in 1984 with the primary objective of providing quality care and rehabilitation to those suffering from severe mental disorders. SCARF has a Mental Health Center located in Anna Nagar, Ch ...
(SCARF), a non-profit
non governmental organization, for the rehabilitation of people afflicted with
schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by continuous or relapsing episodes of psychosis. Major symptoms include hallucinations (typically hearing voices), delusions, and disorganized thinking. Other symptoms include social withdra ...
and other mental diseases.
Over the years, SCARF has developed into a full-fledged research base and is one of the few Indian institutions recognized by the
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. The WHO Constitution states its main objective as "the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of h ...
(WHO) as a ''Collaborating Center for Mental Health Research and Training''.
The organization provides temporary shelters and
telepsychiatric therapy, runs vocational training centers aimed at the rehabilitation of patients and manages a mobile clinic.
They also facilitate employment and conduct awareness campaigns and research projects regularly.
Menon served as the vice-president of the Chennai chapter of the
Red Cross Society and was a member of the state government panel set up for proposing prison reforms.
She was also associated with the ''World Fellowship for Schizophrenia and Allied Disorders'' (WFSAD).
The
Government of India
The Government of India (ISO: ; often abbreviated as GoI), known as the Union Government or Central Government but often simply as the Centre, is the national government of the Republic of India, a federal democracy located in South Asia, c ...
awarded her the civilian honor of the
Padma Bhushan in 1992.
She was also a recipient of the Best Doctor Award from the Government of Tamil Nadu, Best Employer Award from the Government of India, Special Award of the International Association of Psycho-Social Rehabilitation,
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
and the ''For the Sake of Honour Award'' from the
Rotary Club
Rotary International is one of the largest service organizations in the world. Its stated mission is to "provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through hefellowship of business, profe ...
, Chennai.
She was also a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award of Madras Neuro Trust in 2013. In 2016, the Government of Tamil Nadu honored her again with ''Avvaiyyar Award''.
Personal life
Menon died in Chennai on 5 December 2021, at the age of 98.
See also
*
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Menon, M. Sarada
1923 births
2021 deaths
20th-century Indian medical doctors
20th-century Indian women physicians
20th-century Indian women scientists
Educators from Karnataka
Indian psychiatrists
Indian women medical doctors
Madras Medical College alumni
Malayali people
Medical doctors from Karnataka
Recipients of the Padma Bhushan in social work
Scientists from Mangalore
Social workers from Karnataka
Social workers
University of Madras alumni
Women educators from Karnataka
Women scientists from Karnataka
Women's Christian College, Chennai alumni