Dr Shamsheer Vayalil donates Rs 50 cr to Kerala flood victims
UAE Businessman of Kerala origin
UAE, August 20: The hospital business owner, who founded the UAE's VPS Healthcare, has said vital infrastructure will need to be rebuilt.
A donation of Dh26 million(Rs 50 Cr) from one of the richest Indians in the Middle East has been pledged to help rebuild communities in Kerala, following the most destructive monsoon in a century.
Kerala-born Dr Shamsheer Vayalil, founder and managing director of UAE-based VPS Healthcare, has vowed to help rebuild vital infrastructure in the worst hit areas of the southern Indian state.
Torrential rains have hit the south east of the country causing widespread devastation, with the current death toll of 350 expected to rise.
Hundreds of thousands have been made homeless with the spectre of widespread disease now hanging over the recovery process once floodwaters begin to recede.
Roads will need to be rebuilt, along with water management facilities, health centres and schools – with the Dh26 million donation from Dr Vayalil available to begin restoration efforts as soon as it is safe to do so.
“This money will be spent throughout the state of Kerala,” said Dr Vayalil, 41, in an interview with The National.
“We will work with the local authorities to determine where this financial support is needed the most.
“Certain areas have already been identified for immediate help.
"We will use this money through an oversight committee with the support of people in Kerala who are in the public domain.”
VPS Healthcare will be employing specialist contractors to complete the work, and is already working with consultants to ensure the money is spent in the areas where it is needed most.
In May, Dr Vayalil joined The Giving Pledge, an initiative created by Microsoft founder Bill Gates, his wife Melinda and business magnate Warren Buffett in 2010 to support good causes around the world.
Although shocked by the extent of damage on a recent visitto his home state, Dr Vayalil was taken aback by the response from Keralites and the wider global community to help rescue efforts.
“It is encouraging to see how communities are pulling together to help one another, and to see how strong the human spirit is,” he said.
In a separate mission, VPS Healthcare is funding a relief flight of medical supplies, 2,000 water filter systems, clothes and food due to leave from Abu Dhabi later this week.
Flights in and out of Kochi, one of the most populated cities impacted, have been severely disrupted, hampering relief efforts.
Commercial flights to the city’s international airport resumed on Monday.
The Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation has collected more than Dh10 million for the aid effort, thanks to donations from Indian business leaders.
“Good healthcare is associated with clean water and efficient power supplies, so that is why Dr Shamsheer has decided to help out immediately,” said a spokesman for VPS Healthcare.
Courtesy: www.thenational.ae
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
