BENGALURU: The world knew him as the man who turned the coffee from Karnataka into a global and a highly coveted brand. But a few knew that the late founder of Café Coffee Day (CCD) VG Siddhartha was a philanthropist and was deeply concerned about the poor healthcare services in Chikkamagaluru.
According to people close to him, Siddhartha, along with some of his doctor friends and family members, was building a 200-bed super specialty hospital in Chikamagaluru, which would provide the underprivileged, especially the plantation workers and their family members, with specialised medical treatment for life threatening ailments like cancer free of cost.
“The construction of the building is over. Work on interiors and equipment is pending. Siddhartha wanted to give back to society, especially people in Chikkamagaluru whatever he could from his pocket. The entire healthcare project was funded out of his personal earnings. He wanted to name the hospital after his father,” said a friend, who broke down, while recalling his association with Siddhartha.
According to some of his friends, who were inconsolable at his death, Siddhartha had planned the health care project long back. The building of the hospital is located around two kilometres from ‘The Serai’ - his niche hospitality brand of luxury resorts - in Chikkamagaluru.
“Siddhartha’s vision was to have a super specialty hospital in Chikkamagaluru on the lines of the ‘Sri Satya Sai Super Specialty Hospital’ in Puttaparthi in Andhra Pradesh, which provides free treatment to cardiac patients from socially and economically weaker sections,” he added.
After the completion of the hospital, Siddhartha also wanted to build a premium sports and medical education academy for the weaker sections in the society in the Malnad region, said a close associate of the late CCD founder.“We have lost a gem of a man forever,” he said.