Chandrababu Naidu Praises Nandamuri Balakrishna at Basavatarakam Cancer Hospital Silver Jubilee
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu was the chief guest at the silver jubilee celebrations of Basavatarakam Indo-American Cancer Hospital in Hyderabad. He showered praise on hospital Chairman Nandamuri Balakrishna, describing him as a champion of social service.
“Until recently, Balakrishna was earning applause only through films. In the coming days, if anyone is asked who excels in social service, his name will stand as the address,” Chandrababu Naidu said.
The Chief Minister emotionally recalled the hospital’s origins, linked to the suffering of his mother-in-law, Basavatarakam, who battled cancer. He noted that cancer was then referred to as “Raachapundu” (a royal sore) and that the lack of proper treatment facilities caused her immense pain. After her death, N.T. Rama Rao (NTR) was deeply affected and conceived the idea of building a world-class cancer hospital for the poor, which became the foundation of this institution.
Naidu highlighted the challenges faced by the project. Although NTR had allotted government land, the hospital’s construction was delayed after a change in government in 1989. Efforts resumed in 1996-97 with the support of late Kodali Shiva Prasad Rao and Non-Resident Indians (NRIs).
“Treating the sapling planted by his father, Balakrishna has taken responsibility and turned it into a great Kalpavriksha (divine tree),” Chandrababu Naidu remarked. He added that 15 years ago, when the institution’s future was uncertain, responsibilities were handed over to Balakrishna, who has since led it in an “unstoppable” manner.
Despite his busy schedule as an evergreen hero in films and as MLA from Hindupur, Balakrishna’s compassion and dedication towards cancer patients have elevated the hospital to its current stature, the Chief Minister said.
Starting with just 100 beds, the hospital has grown to 650 beds and is served by over 250 specialist doctors. It treats more than 3 lakh outpatients and 90,000 inpatients annually, performing around 8,000 surgeries every year.
Chandrababu Naidu welcomed the management’s decision to establish a 1,000-bed hospital in Amaravati and lauded the NTR family’s commitment to service through institutions named after their parents — Basavatarakam and Bhuvaneswari (NTR Memorial Trust).
He stressed the need for more non-profit organizations like Basavatarakam in the healthcare sector, as governments alone cannot meet all public health needs. The Chief Minister expressed confidence that under Balakrishna’s leadership, the hospital would become the number one non-profit cancer institution in the country in the next 25 years.