Hyderabad, Feb 15
Basavatarakam Indo-American Cancer Hospital's Andhra Pradesh unit will be ready later this year, said popular Tollywood actor Nandamuri Balakrishna, who is chairman and managing director of Board of Trustees of the hospital.
The hospital is coming up at Thulluru in Amaravati, for which the Andhra Pradesh government allotted 15 acres in 2018.
Balakrishna inaugurated the pediatric oncology unit at the Basavatarakam Indo-American Cancer Hospital, Hyderabad on Saturday to mark International Childhood Cancer Day.
Speaking on the occasion, the Tollywood star said the hospital was expanding its operations. The new hospital at Thulluru will be inaugurated in eight months, he said.
Balakrishna stated that with courage, cancer patients can recover from the disease.
The hospital was established by former Andhra Pradesh chief minister and popular actor Nandamuri Taraka Ramarao (NTR) in memory of his wife Basavatarakam, who herself was a victim of cancer.
NTR's son Balakrishna, who is also a member of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly, is currently heading the Board of Trustees of the hospital.
Founded by the Nandamuri Basavataraka Ramarao Memorial Cancer Foundation (NBTRCF) in collaboration with the Indo-American Cancer Organisation (IACO), USA, the Basavatarakam Indo-American Cancer Hospital in Hyderabad has been providing top-tier cancer care for more than two decades.
The institute, guided by a board of philanthropists and specialists, is renowned for its advanced cancer diagnosis and treatment and is consistently rated among India's top cancer hospitals.
Music director and playback singer S. Thaman also attended the inauguration of the pediatric oncology unit at the hospital.
At the same venue, Balakrishna presented a Porsche car as a gift to Thaman. The veteran actor called Thaman his brother. "Thaman is like my younger brother. I have gifted him a car for delivering four successive hits. Our journey will continue in future," said Balayya, as the actor is popularly known.
Thaman gave music and his voice to Balayya's movies like 'Dictator' 'Akhanda', 'Veera Simha Reddy', 'Bhagavanth Kesari' and the recently released 'Daku Maharaj'.
Thaman will also be the music director for Balayya's upcoming movie 'Akhanda 2'.
- IANS