The AMM Foundation, the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arm of the Murugappa Group, marked a historic milestone on Monday with the inauguration of the Centenary Block of the AMM Hospital at Pallathur in Sivaganga District of Tamil Nadu. Azim Premji, Founder Chairman of Wipro Limited, presided over the function and unveiled the inauguration plaque.

Established a century ago, the AMM Hospital, known locally as the ‘oru ruba’ (one rupee, which is the fee charged from patients) hospital, has been a beacon of quality healthcare for the community in the region. With the addition of the new block, it will now have state-of-the-art diagnostics, including CT Scan facilities.

To commemorate the legacy of the AMM Foundation, which runs several hospitals and educational institutions as well as a range of other initiatives, a coffee table book titled A Century of Service, authored by historian and heritage activist Sriram V, was released by Mr. Premji. The first copy of the book was received by P Chidambaram, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, and former Union Minister.

Welcoming the gathering, M V Subbiah, former Managing Trustee, AMM Foundation, and former Chairman, Murugappa Group said, “In 1922, my grandfather laid the foundation stone of the AMM Hospital and the hospital opened in 1924. That tiny seed has grown into the AMM Foundation that today serves communities that surround the places where our businesses have prospered.”

Commenting on the occasion, Mr Premji spoke about philanthropy and its diverse forms, stating, “No action is too trivial. There is no doubt that we are a vast country, and our challenges are huge. There is also no doubt that our systems need to improve on multiple aspects. However, we can’t keep waiting for grand things to happen. We need to do whatever we can do for our community and society in our own sphere.”

Mr Chidambaram, reflecting on the AMM Foundation’s legacy and impact, remarked, “To engage in philanthropy, one must first find the willingness to do so. And the AMM Foundation has shown over and over how willing they are to give back to the community.”

MA Alagappan, Managing Trustee of the AMM Foundation and former Chairman of the Murugappa Group spoke about the Foundation’s various activities, as well as the plans for the future. “Going into the next century, we have four verticals — education, healthcare, sports and environment. When the opportunity arises we will expand into other initiatives to benefit the community,” he said.