Rev. Philip Ramban, founder-director of St. Gregorios Balagram, Yacharam in Ibrahimptnam, passed away on Sunday night at his Ashram at Puduppady in Keala. He was 86. Orthodox churches in the city and institutions have condoled the death of Ramban and special prayers were held in the churches.
Since the establishment of the Balagram at Yacharam in 1985, Philip Ramban has been at its helm taking care of children of leprosy patients. A monk belonging to the Malankara Orthodox Church, Ramban came to this part of then united Andhra Pradesh after the worst cyclone in 1977 . In fact he did relief work among the cyclone-hit people on behalf of the Orthodox Church which had constructed houses for the victims and rehabilitated the homeless people.
His work among the victims of the cyclone made him establish the Balagram in Hyderabad for children of leprosy patients. During the last more than 35 years, hundreds of children have come out of the Balagram, some of them having passed engineering degree, computer training, lab technician course, graduation course etc. One or two students are now studying for medicine too. He has also set up an eye hospital on the Balagram premises. This hospital is serving the villagers, particularly in free cataract operations. A CBSE school is also being run by it.
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