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Dr Nagaruban Arumugam (, 2 March 1977 - 22 June 2009), known to his friends as 'Ruban', was a Tamil Australian physician specialising in paediatrics. He was known for his exceptional abilities as a doctor caring for children and his service to the rural communities in Australia. Early life and education Born in Chulipuram, Jaffna, Sri Lanka, Dr Arumugam left his family in the early 1990s to attend Homebush Boys High School. Nagaruban Arumugam went onto to study MBBS at the University of New South Wales. After graduating in 2002, he began his Paediatric residence and training at Westmead Children’s Hospital. Community Leader Ruban Arumugam was a community leader and an educator of youth. A champion for the rights of Tamils in Sri Lanka's North East, Ruban was described as an “inspirational figure” by the members of the youth Diaspora, who have labelled him a "role model of dedication and humanity". He often spoke of options and strategies to address the plight of his brethren and of uniting the Tamil community and building broken bridges. It was his passion for his motherland and the plight of his people that drove his enthusiasm. Medical career Dr Ruban worked in various hospitals in New South Wales, Australia. He commenced his medical career at Westmead hospital, Sydney and went onto work in the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Wagga Wagga, Bathurst, Westmead Children's and Dubbo Base Hospital. He was a genuine life saver and was always a kind and humane person to his colleagues and his patients. He died tragically in a car crash after finishing "a series of busy shifts at the Dubbo Base Hospital" in country New South Wales, saving the lives of two children, one a prematurely born infant and the other a leukemia patient. Tributes and Memorials The Australian parliament payed tribute to his service to rural communities on the June 25, 2009. Speaking in the House of Representatives, the federal member for Parkes in Western NSW, Mark Coulton, highlighted Dr. Ruban's life, achievements and contributions and acknowledged "the contribution that Dr Arumugam made to the people of western NSW". Mr BUTLER, the Parliamentary Secretary for Health, "expressing the government’s condolences to the family" of Dr. Ruban. On the 8th of July, 2009, Dubbo clinicians and hospital staff and the wider community gathered to remember Dr. Nagaruban Arumugam. Dr Arumugam’s family and friends travelled to join the esteemed doctor’s Dubbo friends for the tribute. The memorial service was fittingly held in the garden of the Dubbo Base Hospital children’s ward.
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