The institution which owes its inception and growth to the Mahaperiyava’s benevolence and continued guidance and blessings observed his 120th Jayanthi with great reverence and piety on 19/07/2013 at the Sri V.D. Swami Auditorium
Extending a warm welcome to the gathering Shri S Viswanathan, DGM, Optical Services highlighted the essential qualities to be imbibed by man for his good ‘Lowgika’ or worldly existence by the great spiritual master in very simple terms. He spoke on how the Guru stressed on simple things like learning to do one’s own cooking to washing one’s own vessels, rehabilitating cows through Goshalas and setting a good personal example. On a more personal note he shared his own experience of how the Seer’s advise put an end to all ambiguity on what higher studies he should pursue after his schooling and how the guidance of the Seer made him select Optometry at the ESO, an institution blessed by him and how the wheel has gone a full circle and blessed him with the opportunity of addressing the audience on the Guru’s Jayanthi celebrations. Shri Viswanthan introduced the trio of Shri S.N.Prabhu, Trustee, OM Trust and his daughters, Ms Shruthi Prabhu and Ms Sahana Prabhu, the family’s sterling role in raising significant funds for Sankara Nethralaya in the USA through their mellifluous voice and their devotion to the Mahaperiyava which made them perform at his Jayanthi. Their high devotion to the Sage was apparent in the ensuing vocal presentation by the father and daughters which took the audience to another world with the divine rendition of songs on the Mahaperiyava.
Speaking on the occasion Dr. R. Krishna Kumar another ardent devotee of the Mahaperiyava and Principal of the Elite School of Optometry spoke on the functioning of the ESO as a socially accountable institution producing not only competent but also socially accountable optometry professionals. He highlighted the yeoman community work carried out by the ESO, declaring with pride that the ESO has screened, treated and provided glasses to more than 50, 000 children in the districts of Chennai, Tiruvallur and Kanchipuram highlighting that a key feature of these camps was the providing of unbreakable glasses to the children. Shri Krishna Kumar had a high word of praise for Professor Santhanam’s role in underlying the importance of occupational optometry and how the ESO was providing specialized eye care needed for different occupations right at their place of work. He commended the role of Shri NDJ.Renganath, Member, TTD Trust and long time well wisher and friend of Sankara Nethralaya in bringing the institutions together and the great work done by the Sri Srinivasa Sankara Nethralaya. He highlighted the high utility value of the LogMar charts installed by the ESO at various temples and parks of the city and its plans to install Bengali LogMar charts at the Aditya Birla Sankara Nethralaya and other SN Centers at Kolkata to benefit Bengali patients.
The occasion witnessed the recognition and awarding of Optometrists Ms Vijayalakshmi, Ms Rizwana and Ms Anuradha for their high quality work, by Dr T.S. Surendran, Vice-Chairman and the members of the Optical services department adjudged as the best performing department by Dr Kris Vasan, Managing Director, Sankara Nethralaya. The day’s proceedings came to an end with an emphatic appeal by Dr T.S. Surendan to the Almighty “May the Light and Vision Spread far and Wide”, followed by Mangala Aarthi to the Sage and Seer and distribution of Prasadam to all assembled.