Niro Sivachandran has a vision for health care
Nirojini Sivachandran, MD, PhD, FRCSC
Applied Chemistry and Biology ’05
Opthamalogist and Retina Specialist
Dr. Niro Sivachandran came from hardship and knows what it is like to struggle.
Born in war-torn Sri Lanka, after years of chaos and uncertainty, Niro and her family found a second chance and new home in Canada. Niro, demonstrating a strong gift for science and a passion to make change for the better of the community, knew she wanted to be a doctor. She chose to pursue her undergraduate degree at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU).
But as a child of immigrants and one of the first of the Sivachandrans to attend post-secondary, Niro didn’t know what to expect at university or what resources would be available. “I didn’t have family nearby or people to talk to or help me along and show me my options,” she recalled.
“I went through a lot of financial strain throughout my education. There were times when I didn’t have money to buy coffee.”
Fortunately, Niro was able to get tuition support based on her strong academic achievements. “Essentially, my education was entirely paid for because of scholarships,” she said. “So I know the importance of not having that financial burden and to think, ‘My gosh, how am I going to survive?’” Her professors in TMU’s Department of Chemistry and Biology also propelled Niro towards student research awards and internships, which opened Niro’s eyes to the sphere of applied science.
Grateful for the help and guidance she received at TMU, Niro has established the Sothiluchume TMU School of Medicine Entrance Scholarship, in honour of her late mother who passed away in 2022. Niro’s generous gift of $125,000 will go to support TMU medical students from equity deserving communities.
Niro credits mother Sothiluchume for giving Niro the footing to become the person she is today. For Niro, paying it forward by building a foundation for the next generation to succeed is paramount. “I’ve faced challenges to become where I am, and if I can help the next person get there without the same challenges, it would be awesome.”
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