(known as Venkat)

In India I am called by my first name Venkatesham also in UK
as it became my surname.

I was born in small village (Shakajipoor, Nalgonda District, Telangana India)
of 100 houses under 1000 population during Razakar movement.

I was told my parents were terrified of the Razakar movement,
if they were going to be hurt by them.

I am one of the 9 children, 4th in line.

Unfortunately we lost one brother with Smallpox and another
sister with Typhoid when I was quite young.

I am not sure what motivated me to become Doctor. Our background is
agriculture, during my childhood I enjoyed involving in agriculture.
I use to walk 4miles up and down to Makkapalli to attend School during
my earlier years.

Suddenly a life line was thrown at our family. My sister
got married to a Teacher. My elder brother spent some time studying
in Kalwakurthi with my brother in law. He became lawyer.

I spent one year in Kalwakurthi with my brother in law and moved back to
Devekonda to finish my High School. While I was in Kalwakurthi one of my
best friend was Pola Laksmaiah. He is still my good friend

From Kalwakurthy I moved to Deverkonda, stayed there until
10^th class. Made few good friends, Venkatadri,
Raghumareddy, Jagannath Rao. From Deverkonda I moved to Hyderabad,
done PUC in New Science College. Got a place in Private Medical collage
at Warangal, but decided not to join. Repeated PUC at City college with
Radhakishan studied very hard got in to Osmania medical Collage and
Radha Krishna got in to Gandhi Medical college

Finished Medicine in 1974 got married not passed ECFMG. Got placement
in Gloucester (UK) with the help of Dr Ramulu uncle.

On very cold evening landed in UK on 28^th September 1974,
successfully finished one moth attachment got first job in North shields.
My wife Devi joined me in December 1974. Worked in various hospitals
finally settled as General Practitioner in Chiswick London from first
October 1981. I am blessed with one daughter Preethi and a son Vinaichandra.

Special interest in Family Planning (Family planning instructing doctor and trainer)

Teaching Medical students at Imperial College

Preventive medicine

Involved in Overseas Doctors Association,Osmania medical graduate
association UK, Local Medical committee.

I was part of the Sri Venkateshwara Temple at Birmingham £6.6 million
project, worked as Fundraising secretary and also one of the permanent
trustees. Now resigned from Trustee post because of internal politics

About 10 years ago we went to our native village Shakajipoor Gurrapude
mandal, we want to do something to our village. Every one wanted me to
build a temple, that was the beginning of GCM Foundation (our Family
Foundation) On their request we built Rama Temple with large mandapam.
We wanted to do community services from mandapam. Few years ago we did
eye camp. For last five years I spend some time every year, doing basic
thigs like checking blood sugars/BP /Seeing pregnant ladies and Musculo
skeletal problems and supplying medications

Dr Preethi involved in the charity below, Please see the website below,
we tried to use our village in their project and did lot of work on it.
I dropped temporarily because lots of youngsters would come to help I am worried
about their safety which I can’t guarantee.

http://www.twoweeks.org.uk/cms/
(Charity started by my daughter Dr Preethi along with one of her friend Karen)

Where and why did it all start?

Our story began after the tsunami hit in 2004 when two friends,
Dr Preethi Venkatesham and Dr Karen Patten tried to volunteer
on a short term basis. They were refused due to a variety of reasons,
in particular relating to the length of time they were available to
volunteer-which at that time was two months. So despite obvious need.
remaining, they were unable to assist.

The desire to volunteer remained and they became increasingly aware of
a need amongst friends and colleagues who had the same desire to volunteer,
but had also experienced difficulties. They persevered and went to work with
Lily of the Valley in 2005 and returned with a bigger team of volunteers in
2006 and 2007. This team included Dr Patricia Rijsenburg and Dr Samina Shah
who became trustees and TWOWEEKS was formed.

Preethi Venkatesham – Trustee & Honorable Member TWOWEEKS
Preethi first visited Lily of the Valley in 2005 after trying to assist
with the relief efforts undertaken to assist the victims of the Tsunami.
She also returned to Lily in subsequent years and continued to support
operations in the UK as well as head efforts to assist with the
Shakajipoor project developing in India. Preethi works as a GP in
London and became a trustee when TWOWEEKS was officially founded in 2006)

My Daughter Preethi Guduguntla Venkatesham works as General
Practitioner in London, she married to Kevin Kennedy
who works as Director of Online Technology & Operations at
ITV London. They are blessed with
2 daughters (Sophia and Ariana)

My Son Vinaichandra Guduguntla Venkatesham works as

• ‎Chief Commercial Officer at Arsenal Football Club.
• Director
  Arsenal Broadband Limited
• Also currently a Non-Executive Director at the London 2017
  World Athletics Championships.

He is married to Elizabeth. Now she has taken break from work to look after

children, They are blessed with one son Frederick, two daughters Aurelia and Alice.

Link to my son   Vinai profile below

http://fcbusiness.co.uk/news/article/newsitem=3375/title=arsenal+appoint+vinai+ venkatesham+as+chief+commercial+officer

We are very happy with what we got aim is to help others who really need.