Dr. Roy Francis
Dr. Roy Francis
Dentists With An Interest in Community Services
-By AshokSadu & NCM
It’s rare to find a couple with the same profession, same thinking and keenness towards community service. Dr. Roy Francis and Mrs Aji Roy are such a couple who has been very successful and a role model as well.
Dr. Roy is from Ollur a place near Thrissur, Kerala. His father late PR. Francis was a Congress party MLA representing Ollur constituency for over 2 decades with a great reputation. He was District Congress Committee President and State Vice President of Indian National Trade Union Congress. His mother was a School teacher. His schooling was from St. Joseph Model School Kuriachira and St. Thomas. Thrissur.
Though his father was in active politics for 5 decades, he wanted him to pursue Medicine. His father always advised him to stay away from politics. According to his father, politics has lost its value, as it has become a profession rather than a service. After the death of his father, he had lot of pressure from his father’s party members and friends to enter into politics. But he stayed away from all the pressures.
Dr. Roy has developed interest in Dentistry motivated by his close friends. In 1986, he joined in Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) for BDS course and then completed his MDS in 1993 from the same college. Later he continued in the same university as an Assistant professor in Conservative Dentistry.
He left Manipal to Kuwait in November 1995 to work in National school oral health program in the capacity of the clinical supervisor of the program, which was then run by Forsyth Dental Center Boston, USA. Responsibilities include supervising the quality and quantity of Dental procedures done in the clinics, training of dentists working in the School Oral Health Program and supervise and organize various clinical research programs for Ministry of Health, Dental Department. Dr. Roy has presented various scientific papers internationally and locally, representing MOH.
His wife Dr. Aji hails from Chalakudi, Thrissur. Her father was a bank manager and mother was a school teacher. She completed her BDS from Raja’s dental college, Nagercoil, Tamilnadu. She got married to Dr. Roy in 1997. In 2001 she joined School Oral Health Program, Salmiya area. Both have keen interest in community service and have two children Francis and Jos studying in 10th and 6th grades respectively.
The idea of starting an association exclusively for Indian dental graduates working in Kuwait was presented by Dr Pattenshetty in1996, during one of the social gathering organized by the Indian Dentists residing in Kuwait. In1997, Indian Dental Association was formed with Dr.Sudhir Walvekar as president and Dr.Pattenshetty as Secretary.
As it was compulsory to have 100 members to get recognized with the Indian Embassy, non-working professionals as well as graduates from India, who were not of Indian origin were also counted to get the magic figure. Dr. Roy was the treasurer in that committee.
The association worked with Indian embassy to raise fund for natural calamities including Gujarat Earth quake and responded to Kargil war fund. The initial enthusiasm was lost in course of time and activities were ceased due to lack of interest and funds. In 2006 IDAK was re-activated under the new leadership of Dr.David Ganasekar and Dr. Roy as its secretary. Currently Dr. Roy is the president (2014-16) of the association, having 224 active registered members.
The core objectives of IDAK are to foster development, professional awareness and fellowship amongst its members and to strive for a higher profile for the Indian dental professionals in Kuwait. Oral health is a significant part of General Health. Now with more than 224 dentists as its members, IDAK serve the wider community through oral health education, publication of oral health guides, conducting free dental screening camps for children (through schools) and the general public with special emphasis on underprivileged classes.
IDAK also aim to build a good rapport with our professional colleagues and the general public of our host nation through friendly dialogue, professional interaction and cultural exchanges, thereby promoting Indo-Kuwait cooperation.
IDAK promotes, sports & cultural activities among its members. Mrs. Aji Roy is well trained in semi-classical dance and regularly performs during IDAK functions.
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