Senate Resolution No. 80

BY: Senator BRESLIN

HONORING Dr. Virinchi R. Bala upon the occasion of
his designation as recipient of the Living the
Legacy Award by the Whitney M. Young, Jr. Health
Center

WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to recognize that
the quality and character of life in the communities across New York
State are reflective of the concerned and dedicated efforts of those
outstanding individuals who would devote themselves to the welfare of
the community and its citizenry; and

WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to honor
Dr. Virinchi R. Bala upon the occasion of his designation as recipient
of the Living the Legacy Award by the Whitney M. Young, Jr. Health
Center, to be celebrated at its 2018 Annual Legacy Event on Thursday,
September 20, 2018, at Brown's Revolution Hall, Troy, New York; and

WHEREAS, The Living the Legacy Award is given annually to a
community leader who has made a difference in the Capital District; and

WHEREAS, Since July 19, 1971, the Whitney M. Young, Jr. Health
Center's mission has been to provide residents of the Capital Region
access to consistent quality healthcare without regard to income; for
almost five decades, this vital organization's vision has been to serve
as a community leader committed to delivering dependable, compassionate,
high quality health care which enhances the well-being of its diverse
and changing communities; and

WHEREAS, In 1963, Virinchi R. Bala earned both his bachelor's degree
and his master's degree from Madurai Medical College of the then Madras
University in India; after completing his internship training at
Government Erskine Hospital in Madurai, he joined the Tamil Nadu State
Government Medical Services and served as a physician in Primary Care
Centers in remote villages and also in District Head Quarters hospitals;
and

WHEREAS, He later completed his post graduate residency training in
pediatrics at the Institute of Child Health and Hospital for Children in
Madras; he received his diploma in Child Health after the first year of
training and in 1972, he earned his Master's degree in Pediatrics; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Virinchi R. Bala joined the faculty of Pediatrics as
the Assistant Professor of Pediatrics in the University of Madras and
served in this capacity until 1982; later that same year, he moved to
the United Kingdom after acquiring his license from the General Medical
Council; and

WHEREAS, He received his diploma in Child Health at the University
of Glasgow and joined the National Health Services where he worked as a
clinical medical officer in Child Health; his stint as a family
practitioner at Lancashire District was not for long; he and his wife
wanted greater opportunities for their children and decided to move to

America; he took the Federal Licensing Exam to practice medicine in the
United States and, in 1988, he and his family moved to Florida; and

WHEREAS, While residing in Florida, Dr. Virinchi R. Bala worked as a
staff physician at the Primary Care Center in Marion County; after
approximately 18 years in pediatrics, he joined Residency Training in
Internal Medicine at St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester, and got Board
Certified in Internal Medicine; and

WHEREAS, In 1993, Dr. Virinchi R. Bala joined the LifeTime Health
organization of Excellus Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Rochester as a
staff physician with hospital privileges at Rochester General Hospital;
and

WHEREAS, Dr. Virinchi R. Bala retired in 2007 after more than 44
years of practicing medicine; to satisfy his desire to travel the world
and to help underserved areas where he was born, he went back to India
and worked in different charity organizations as a physician in the
State of Tamil Nadu, India; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Virinchi R. Bala and his wife, Dr. Mangalam Bala, whom
he married in 1969, moved to Albany, New York, to be near their two
sons, Karthik and Guha, and their five granddaughters; in 2009, he had
the privilege of joining Whitney M. Young Health Services as a staff
physician; and

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that when
individuals of such noble aims and accomplishments are brought to our
attention, they should be celebrated and recognized by all the citizens
of this great Empire State; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor Dr. Virinchi R. Bala upon the occasion of his designation as
recipient of the Living the Legacy Award by the Whitney M. Young, Jr.
Health Center; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to Dr. Virinchi R. Bala.