Free Cleft Surgery Camp Announced for Children and Young Adults in West Bengal
PARIJAT MOLLA.
Kolkata, 26 May 2025: In a heartening move for underprivileged children and young adults suffering from cleft lip and palate disorders, the Muthoot Pappachan Foundation, in collaboration with Mission Smile and Techno India DAMA Hospital, has announced a free cleft surgery camp to be held from May 26 to 30, 2025, at Techno India DAMA Hospital, Kolkata.
This initiative falls under the “Smile Please” campaign—Muthoot Pappachan Foundation’s pan-India CSR programme launched in 2014 in partnership with Mission Smile. To date, the campaign has successfully conducted 3,244 cleft surgeries across 13 states, with 482 beneficiaries from West Bengal alone in its past eight missions in Kolkata. The upcoming event marks the ninth such mission in Kolkata and the third hosted at Techno India DAMA Hospital.
Since inception, Mission Smile has facilitated 49,500+ surgeries and 71,000+ medical evaluations across India. Last year alone, 395 patients benefited from this programme, with over 8,000 children treated in West Bengal.
The announcement event was graced by distinguished personalities including Mr Jayanto Narayan Choudhury, IPS (Retd.), Dr Prasanthkumar Nellikcal, Dr Sourabh Ghosh, and Mr Conrad Dennis, among others.
Dr Sourav Ghosh, Medical Director at Techno India DAMA, stated: “In the last two camps, we operated on 119 patients. This time, we aim to screen 75–80 patients and provide 50+ successful surgeries. Our focus remains on safe and transformative medical care.”
Mr Conrad Dennis, CEO of Mission Smile, emphasized the milestone ahead: “As we near our 50,000th surgery, we remain committed to transforming lives and spreading smiles worldwide.”
The outreach effort is being extensively supported by Muthoot FinCorp and Muthoot Microfin branches across districts in West Bengal, whose staff are working diligently to identify and mobilize patients from areas like North and South 24 Parganas, Murshidabad, Howrah, Hooghly, and Bardhaman.
About Techno India DAMA
A 320-bed super speciality hospital and flagship project of the Techno India Group, Techno India DAMA offers advanced, integrated healthcare across disciplines including oncology, neurosurgery, paediatrics, internal medicine, and cardiology.
This free cleft surgery initiative is a testament to the life-changing impact that coordinated CSR efforts and compassionate medical care can have on vulnerable communities.