Dental tourism anyone?

Many people from the Gulf travel to India to get their teeth seen to - the way Brits go to Poland. Treatment can take several weeks involving a number of visits to the dentist. An NGO in Hyderabad has plans to persuade people coming to the city for treatment to spend the time between surgery visits holidaying in rural Andra Pradesh. This they say will benefit local villages.

These are no ordinary villages though, and this is no ordinary NGO. Byrraju Foundation was set up in 2001 by Ramalinga Raju, chairman of Satyam, one of India's biggest software houses. The foundation works with close to 200 villages in a holistic development programme aiming to create permanent, economically sustainable improvements in living standards.

Technology is one of the keys. Amongst other initiatives Byrraju has created mini call centres in four villages, training local graduates from the villages in the necessary skills to provide back office services to India companies.

Dental tourism is their latest innovation. The programme kicks of in August.

The impressive business like, results focused approach of this foundation has attracted international recognition and support from the Government of India. For more details see: www.byrrajufoundation.org