Eye Foundation of America Organizes Fundraising Gala in 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 raiseed 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 colours of life, a loved one’s smile, or the pages of a favourite 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. Leela Raju stated that the discussions today focused on “not just glaucoma, but cornea and pediatric ophthalmology. And of course, regarding retinopathy and prematurity, which is our real push in both in India and around the world to reduce the burden of childhood blindness.”

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. Soumya told the audience about how she learned from her mother that the money being raised at the Gala is being spent towards eye exams, glasses and even surgeries are provided at no cost to the patients. I thought that was very pretty cool, 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. As someone who has had several eye surgeries at a very young age, I understand the importance of early detection, education and access to care. Our eyes are how we experience the world. Taking care of them is not just about vision. It’s about how we live, connect, and thrive. Thank you, Dr. Raju, for having me here today,” she said.

“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. The esteemed 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 delicious cocktail 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.

For the past four decades, Dr. Raju and the EFA have been actively and tirelessly on a crusade to eliminate avoidable blindness in areas plagued by poverty and poor access to medical care. The EFA’s mission is to eliminate avoidable blindness under the guiding principles of service, teaching, and research.

This noble mission is accomplished through eye camps and brick-and-mortar hospitals in developing countries, training of medical personnel to serve the needy, and educating the population at large on preventative eye care and healthy lifestyle choices. With adequate education, patients are empowered to take charge of their lives and their own health and prevent further deleterious consequences of their poor lifestyle choices, while sharing this knowledge with their friends and families.

Through the efforts of the Eye Foundation, the public is educated on eye care and injury prevention, and local teachers are taught how to screen for early eye problems in children. Patients, their families, and the greater community benefit from preventative medical care, free procedures, and access to education.

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 honoured 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.

“I feel so incredibly thankful for my personal and professional gifts, and I make great efforts to share those gifts with those in need of my services,” says Dr. Raju. “I am ever grateful to India for giving me stellar medical education for almost free. The work of EFA and the Goutami Eye institute wouldn’t be possible without the support of our Board Members, who go beyond to enhance and help realize our mission to make the world free of blindness.”

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. Urging everyone to be part of this noble mission, Dr. Raju says, “Together, Let Us Illuminate Young Lives and Create A World Without Childhood Blindness. Your Support Can: Change Lives, Restore Vision, And Empower Futures. Now, Let’s All Join the Movement; Be Part of Something Extraordinary.”

To donate or would like to know more about the foundation, please Visit: www.EyeFoundationofAmerica.org.