PROMOTINGAWARENESSOFSPECIALISTDENTALCARE Perth'sAssoc ProfRamesh Balasubramaniam, OAM

Forserviceto dentistry.

t44, the University ofWestern Australia'sAssociate Professor Ra1nesh Balasubramaniam is one ofthe youngestrecipients ofthe Queen's Birthday honour from our con11nunity.

"I an1 surprised and honoured atthis felicitation," an elated Dr Balasubra1nania111told IndianLink.

Currently engaged in a complexfieldof medicine called dentalsleep medicine, Dr Balasubra1nania111 hasa special interest in research pertainingto orofacialpain.

Describinghis niche field,heexplained, "Chronicorofacialpain canbe very distressing and hard totreat. Isuppose that challengeexcited me and drew111e away fromgeneraldentistry.Ireallywantedto relievepatients' pain and suffering."

SittingPrincipalofthe PerthOral Medicine and Dental Sleep Centre forover adecade,hewasalso the founding men1ber ofthe DentalSpecialists SocietyofWestern Australia. Launched in2016, thesociety ai1nedatpromotingawarenessofspecialist dental carewithin thecommunity.

Dr Subramania111 is also Presidentofthe Oral MedicineAcademy ofAustralasia.

The associateprofessorhasdelivered over 100 lectures in the field oforal medicine all overtheglobeand has numerouspublicationstohis name.

Graduating from UWAin 2000, he travelled overseasand received diverse trainingin orofacial pain and orofacial medicine atthe UniversityofKentuckyand the UniversityofPennsylvania respectively, returningtoAustralia in 2008.

Whenhereturned, oralmedicinewasnot a recognised specialtyin WesternAustralia.

"In 2009, alongwitha coupleof othercolleagues, Iwasinstrumentalin gettingthespecialtyrecognised," Dr Subramaniam revealed. "Atthattime, there wasno national board; eachstate had its own.We1netwith the Health Ministeratthetime, Nicola Roxon,to effecta change in the Dental Boardof WesternAustralia toseethisdiscipline recognised."

Todayhe seesthis as asignificant highlight ofhiscareer,besidesofcourse, hisOAM honour.

"I hope this recognitionwill motivate others in the field ofdentistry as wellasotherareasofun1netneed in Australia toexcelinthose fields," Dr Balasubra1naniamexpressed.

The Malaysian-born oral medicine specialist'sIndianlinksrun deep thanks aprojectirutiated anddevelopedbyhis wifeMani. to hjspassion for the field.

The Selvendras'contributiontoHindu lifeinVictoriacannotbe underestimated.

DrSelvendra cametoMelbournein 1974 afterhismerucaleducationinEngland, Scotlandand Ireland. Hepractisedas GeneralMedicalPractitionerand Surgeon, servingatSunsruneand attheRoyal MelbourneHospital, inacareerthat spanned 59years.

The SriLanka-borndoctorwasalso felicitatedforhlscontributiontothe multiculturalcommunityinthearts.

"Besidessome aidworkin the past, I havetiesto India within theoralmedicine and radiologycommunity. lfitwasn't for theglobalpandemic, 1 wasgoing to go to India again thisyear to do somelectures in dental sleep medicine. Obviously, now they're allonline."

He added, "I havemanydearcolleagues in India. WhenIwrotemytextbook, my colleagues inoralmedicine in Indiawere verygenerous inprovidingclirucal images ofsomeofthe rarediseasesofthe mouth, whichwas helpfulforthe textbook."

The Oral Medicineexpert

"Inthe 1970s,therereallywasnotmuch in thewayofartsforus in the SouthAsian community," DrSelvendrarecalled. "Those ofuswhowere artsinclined hadtoirutiate programsourselves."

Andsohebecametheorganiserof dramas,filmscreenings,concerts,radio shows.The musicfestivalplatformshe organised haveledthewayto the highprofile SruthlLaya Kendraandthe AcademyofInruan Music,Victoria.Asa Carnaticmusicfan andartiste,hefounded theSouthIndianMusic Festivalto markthe ardentlyfollowedThyagarajaAradhana, a acknowledged that beingAustralia-trained has probably made hisjourneytosuccess easier than those who trained overseas.

"Ifyouwereto comehereas adentist qualifiedfromoverseas,andthen sit theAustralian DentalCouncilexam,it ischallenging.It'snotan easyexam; in fact,pass rates are verylowbecausethe standardsare extremely high. Butwhen one doeshearofanoverseastrained dentist practisinginAustralia,thefirstthingthat comestomindis, thispersonmustbean excellentdentist,to be ableto becon1e a studentalloveragain andrequalify."

Bageshri Savyasachi

tributetothefatherofCarnaticmusicthat fansallover theworldcelebratetothisday.

Melbourne'sfirst-everThyagaraja Aradhanawasheld attheSelvendra residence. Itwasthestartofthe Indian classicalmusicsceneinthecommunity, leadingtoastringofconcertsand fundraising events.

Asaperformerhimself-Dr Selvendra playedthe Jewishharp (morsing) -hecan reeloffalonglistofhigh-profiletouring artistesfromsouthernIndia whohe accomparuedonstage.

Rajni Anand Luthra