PUTRAJAYA: After nearly five decades of dedicated service, a leading don earned a prestigious recognition for his work.
Associate Prof Datuk Dr Vellayan Subramaniam, who will turn 70 on June 1, perhaps the country's foremost zoo veterinarian, was awarded the 'Sandosham Gold Medal 2021' by the Malaysian Society of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine (MSPTM).
MSPTM president Dr Sam Mohan announced the award for Dr Vellayan via a virtual ceremony, that was witnessed by society members nationwide and practicing veterinarians in Asia.
"It is our honour to award Dr Vellayan, for his tireless and dedicated services to the industry and society at large. He is a very senior and revered veterinarian, not only in Malaysia but in Asia," said Dr Sam, adding that Dr Vellayan, who has been a member of MSPTM since 1982, was the 15th recipient of the award named after the late University of Malaya in Singapore's Parasitology Department head Prof Dr A.A. Sandosham.
Dr Sandosham, who had also served as principal and vice-chancellor of the university, was a MSPTM founder and first president.
Dr Sam said that Dr Vellayan, who had served as a Veterinary Association of Malaysia acting president, had made valuable contributions to the study and research on parasitology and tropical medicine in South-East Asia.
"The Sandosham medal, awarded triennially, is the highest mark of distinction given to someone in recognition of his original and outstanding contributions, in the field of parasitology and tropical medicine in South-East Asia," said Dr Sam.
He hoped the award would spur others and urged more MSPTM members to excel in their research studies for the benefit of the animal kingdom and mankind.
On Dr Vellayan, Dr Sam said his contributions during his 28-year tenure at Zoo Negara earned him a spot in the Malaysia Book of Records as the 'Longest Serving Zoo Veterinarian'.
"At Zoo Negara, Dr Vellayan made many significant contributions to the overall development of the facility and in the field of wildlife medicine in the country. Among others, he was involved in establishing a reputable Zoo Veterinary Hospital of high standard.
"He was directly involved in the training of zoo keepers and industrial training for undergraduate students from Malaysia and foreign universities.
"These contributions were well acknowledged by the Malaysian Zoological Societies' first chairman, the late Tan Sri V.M. Hutson," said Dr Sam.
He added at Zoo Negara, Dr Vellayan had developed a cordial working relationship with local universities and the various institutions and the Regional Diagnostic Laboratory in Petaling Jaya.
"He developed sound networking and linkages with the laboratory staff and members of MSPTM serving with the institutions.
"Over the years, he has received valuable support in disease investigation from this association, a fact which Dr Vellayan remembers with fond memories. In all, Dr Vellayan has clocked 40 years of experience in zoo, wildlife and exotic animal medicine and surgery.
"He has also given over 100 talks on animal health and related matters over local radio and television stations, including Radio UFM, University Teknoloji Malaysia (UiTM) and foreign television networks.
"He has also to date contributed his expertise towards over 80 news features in local newspapers," said Dr Sam.
He paid tribute to Dr Vellayan who is known as a pioneer researcher on parasites of zoo animals and wildlife for nearly five decades.
"He has magnanimously donated all the parasite samples isolated by him to MSPTM's future museum and to the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at UPM.
"In addition, Dr Vellayan has held offices in over 100 government entities and non-governmental organisations, research institutions and universities.
"He has continuously rendered professional assistance to more than 40 relevant organisations, both in Malaysia and abroad," said Dr Sam.
In recognition of his work, Dr. Vellayan has received several awards and honours, including the fellowship from the Nutrition Society of Malaysia, Veterinary Association Malaysia and the Malaysian Scientific Association.
"Dr Vellayan has been giving free treatment to rejected and sick wildlife brought to his attention by Klang Valley residents all this while," said Dr Sam.
Meanwhile, Dr Vellayan told the New Straits Times that he was indeed proud to receive the highest academic achievement from MSPTM.
"I feel such an award is overdue to many others like me, who continuously have contributed to the veterinary industry and society. It is my earnest hope that more will strive to earn such a recognition," said Dr Vellayan, who runs his Exotic Animal Veterinary clinic in Taman Melawati.
Dr Vellayan was born in Carey Island, Selangor and pursued pre-university studies at the South Indian Vanniar Educational Trust (SIVET) College, Madras University before completing his Bachelor of Veterinary Science from the Madras Veterinary College.
In 1978, he became a tutor at Universiti Putra Malaysia.
While there, he completed his Masters in Science on Primate Nutrition (Lar Gibbon) in 1981 via funding from the National Health Institute, the United States, through collaboration with the University of Cambridge under its Primate Conservation Research Programme.
He then joined Zoo Negara, progressing as its hospital, zoology and veterinary services head before retiring as its acting director on June 1, 2008.
Dr Vellayan then joined the Faculty of Medicine at UiTM that year.
"It was at UiTM that I began teaching medical parasitology and helped set up its Laboratory Care Unit in 2009 and served as its first drector.
"While there, I conducted numerous workshops on rodents, rabbits and snakes," said Dr Vellayan, now and adjunct professor at Sunway University.
In 2013, he joined the Faculty of Medicine at MAHSA University and taught medical parasitology for six months, before joining the Faculty of Pharmacy at UiTM at its Puncak Alam campus in Selangor, to date.
"I was tasked with initiating major improvements at the Laboratory of Animal Facility and Management.
"I also taught at the department of Pharmacology and Veterinary Pharmacology conducing numerous rodent and rabbit workshops for researchers.
"Additionally, I served with the Health Ministry's Animal Ethics and Research Committee at the Institute of Medical Research, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and the Standards and Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia," he said.
Dr Vellayan prides himself for having taught students in diverse fields, from veterinary, dental, medical, pharmacy to biology at various other universities. He was also instrumental in grooming numerous veterinarians locally and abroad.
"Through the years, I have been actively serving as an MSPTM council member in many sub-committees and was involved in organising annual conferences, seminars and fund-raising activities.
"I also served as its president, auditor and editor for its newsletters and membership directory," said Dr Vellayan, who has published 15 papers in the society's journal on tropical biomedicine and delivered 35 oral presentations.
Dr Vellayan is married to retired schoolteacher Poornam Sagathevan and they have a schoolteacher daughter Hema and son Shanker, who is a fourth year medical student.