Couple pledge gold to donate 100 fans to hosp

Coimbatore: A city-based couple, who run a surgical equipment distribution company, mortgaged some of their gold jewellery and donated 100 pedestal fans to the ESI Hospital, where Covid-19 patients have been struggling without air conditioning or fans during the hot summer month.
While air conditioners couldn’t be switched on as part of the Covid-19 treatment protocol, the hospital did not have enough fans to serve its 680 infected patients.
Thirty-year-old Revathi and her husband Rajesh, 40, who run Rainbow Care Systems, learned from a news article, which quoted ESI dean Dr M Raveendran as saying that the hospital needed around 300 fans, which he requested the well-wishers to donate to the facility.
“We were planning to do some social service during the pandemic. So, we met the hospital dean in person on Tuesday to confirm the requirement and type of fans that were needed,” Rajesh said.
When the dean confirmed that the hospital was in need of around 250 pedestal fans, the couple decided to contribute 100 fans.
The couple didn’t want to delay their contribution as the covid-19 beds in the hospital were full. “Without wasting anytime, we approached a supplier, who quoted Rs 2.2 lakh for 100 fans. As we were slightly short of funds, I mortgaged a portion of my jewellery the same day and bought the fans for the hospital,” Revathi said.
The couple said they have taken back their jewellery on Wednesday after repaying the loan amount.
Hospital authorities were, meanwhile, surprised when the couple returned a few hours later with a truck load of fans. “We felt bad when we learned they had to mortgage their jewellery for this. We thought they would contribute only three or four fans,” the hospital dean said
In a press statement, the hospital said they had contacted district collector S Nagarajan since the couple wanted to donate such a sizable number of fans. “He was also pleasantly surprised by the couple’s kind gesture and allowed us to accept the donation after speaking to them.”