posted August 23, 2001 05:51 PM            

Canadian Tamil Youth Development Centre - CanTYD
705 Progress Avenue, Toronto, ON
Telephone: 416-396-4663

For Immediate Release

August 23, 2001

First Tamil- Canadian Appointed as a Member of the Order of Canada

- A Testament to the contribution of our community in Canada
Her Excellence, the Governor General of Canada, The Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson, announced yesterday the appointment of Dr.Sudharshan Devanesen, a Physician, as a Member of the Order of Canada.

The Order of Canada is the highest honour bestowed by the Government of Canada to its citizenry. The appointment of Dr. Devanesen is a significant recognition of the vast contribution that Tamil-Canadians have started to make in Canada. Although a relatively young community, Tamil-Canadians are excelling in every segment of their adopted country and making enormous contribution to its development.

The citation of Dr. Devanesans' entry into the elite Order of Canada reads as follows:

Sudarshan Devanesen, C.M.
Mississauga, Ontario
Member of the Order of Canada

Former Chief of Family and Community Medicine at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto, he has been a positive role model and mentor to hundreds of medical residents, family physicians and nurse practitioners. Believing in the holistic approach to medicine, he combines the medical and psycho-social aspects of patient care to produce a viable alternative to traditional models. In addition, he is an expert in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases affecting Canadians of South Asian descent and has worked tirelessly with the Heart and Stroke Foundation to launch education programs aimed at risk reduction.

Dr. Devanesan graduated from the University of Madras in Indian in 1968 and joined the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons (Ontario) in 1974. He is currently in private practice.

he Canadian Tamil Youth Development Centre welcomes the appointment of Dr. Devanesan as is it a milestone in the development of our community in Canada. He is a great role model for young Tamil Canadians in affirming that anything can be achieved in Canada.

For further information, please contact:
Gary Anandasangaree or Anusha Srijeyanathan @ 416-396-4663