India Post News Service
NEW YORK: “Every child deserves to see the world with clarity and purpose. Let’s join hands to eradicate childhood blindness and unlock a brighter future for generations to come,” said Dr. Vadrevu K. Raju, a world-renowned ophthalmologist, philanthropist, and the founder of the Eye Foundation of America (EFA) m during a Spring Fundraiser Gala in New Rochelle, New York on April 12, 2025.
The gala, organized under the leadership of Dr. Surendra Sharma and Dr. Rachana Shukla, Eye Foundation of America raised funds to help support a new state-of-the-art green hospital in India, as well as outreach programs in Ghana and the Dominican Republic.
“Close your eyes for a moment. Now imagine never being able to open them to the vibrant colors of life, a loved one’s smile, or the pages of a favorite story,” said Dr. Rachana Shukla, who coordinated the efforts leading up to the fundraiser in India. “For millions of premature babies, this is their reality. Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) is a silent thief of sight, making it one of the leading causes of childhood blindness. Your kindness today can save a child’s sight, their future, and their dreams.”
“Childhood blindness is a solvable problem, but it requires our collective action,” said Dr. Surendra Sharma, a key organizer of the gala. “Together, we can ensure that every child has access to quality eye care and a chance to reach their full potential.” He along with Dr. Shukla offered ongoing collaboration and support to the Eye Foundation and its efforts to eradicate childhood blindness.
Dr. Leela Raju, in her address, stressed the importance of ensuring that more people know about the causes and the means to reduce childhood blindness and work towards eradicating it. Dr.
Soumya Kadiyala, a 12 year old girl who attended the gala, shared her own experiences with the Eye Foundation of America. She said, “Each time I come, I learned something new about the incredible work The Foundation is doing and the new accomplishments since the last time, I am excited to continue being part of it as I grow older,” she said.
The young child, Soumya inspired by the works being done by the Foundation spoke about a paper that she wrote for the school. She went on to do some research on the Eye Foundation. Soumya said, “What I discovered was humbling, inspiring and incredibly motivating. The work that Dr Raju and the Foundation continue do is truly admirable. For the last two years, I have gotten to know Dr Raju better and definitely enjoy receiving his postcards from his travels.
“I was born in a rural village in India, poor and legally blind, with no opportunity to exist,” Sam Maddula, Pharm.D., a distinguished leader, visionary entrepreneur, and dedicated philanthropist, said. Sam went on to add, how his life turned from darkness to light as his parents stumbled upon an Eye Camp that the Eye Foundation of America had set up in 1987 in rural Andhra Pradesh. “It is this organization that rescued me from a life of darkness. The Eye Foundation of America helped me get a visa to the United States. Dr VK Raju himself, performed dual corneal transplant surgery on me two weeks after my second birthday in the United States. He did it, working with the Eye Foundation for free. He cured me just like that, with the magic of his hands. I could see my life went from literal darkness to pure sunlight.”
Sam shared his life story virtually with the audience during the Gala. This life-changing miracle is one of the millions of Eye Surgeries that The Eye Foundation of America, led by the legendary Dr. VK Raju has done in the past half a century, transforming the lives of millions of children, who are born every year with vision impairment.
Dr. Sanku Rao, a Board member of the Eye Foundation; Dr. Indrajit Saluja, Publisher and Chief Editor of The Indian Panorama; Parveen Chopra, Publisher and Chief Editor of Lotus in the Mud were others who felicitated the Eye Foundation and the organizers of the event for their tireless efforts to eradicate childhood blindness.
The Gala and Fundraising Event, attended by several community and business leaders, who joined the mission to help eliminate childhood blindness, included, entertainment, silent auction, raffles, fundraising, and a dinner at the beautiful Surf Club on The Sound in New Rochelle, New York.
The Eye Foundation of America (EFA) was started in 1977 by Dr. VK Raju in the hopes of improving accessibility and affordability in eye care in and around his hometown in southern India. Since then, EFA has grown and collaborated with doctors and non-profit organizations in over 30 countries.
The EFA has served approximately 2.5 million patients and performed 340,000+ vision-saving surgeries, with 30,000+ surgeries performed on children alone. His over 40 years of noble work has helped restore vision to millions in India and abroad.
With all of Dr. Raju’s momentous achievements, he has also ensured that his life’s work and vision are self-sustaining. The Goutami Institute, which has been honored as the Best Eye Hospital in the state of Andhra Pradesh by the state Government continues to add new buildings, more staff and equipment, and mobile clinics to meet the growing demand for treatment for children and adults.
Dr. Raju says, childhood blindness has far-reaching consequences. 75% of blind children never attend school. Blindness reduces employability by 50%. Blindness increases poverty and social isolation.
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