Sankara Nethralaya News
Report on the Fourth Edition of the International Vision andOptometry Conference (EIVOC 2025)
EIVOC 2025: A Grand Convergence of Knowledge and Vision
The fourth edition of the Elite School of Optometry’s International Vision and Optometry Conference (EIVOC) was held after a remarkable gap of ten years at the Chennai Trade Center from 15th to 17th August 2025. More than just an event, this much awaited congregation was a celebration of knowledge, vision, and legacy, reaffirming the institution’s mission to bring Optometry—the arithmetic, art, and science of light and vision—into the forefront of academia, fulfilling the cherished dream of its founding fathers.
The conference commenced with the auspicious lighting of the lamp, symbolizing wisdom and enlightenment by Dr. P. P. Santanam, Dr. Sumathi Narayanan, Dr Krishnakumar, Dr. Anuradha N, Dr. Rashima A and the entire organising team.
The Inauguration ceremony was graced by the Chief Guest, Mr. Krishnamachari Srikkanth, the architect of India’s historic 1983 World Cup victory and captain of the 1985 World Championship-winning team, distinguished guests, eminent academicians, industry leaders, and a spirited gathering of students and practitioners, setting the perfect tone for the three-day event. The session began with an invocation rendered by Ms. Shwetha Mohanakrishnan, musician and music teacher at Omega School International, Chennai.
Reflections on the glorious history of the institution, EIVOC’s vision, and its significance since inception was shared by Dr. T. S. Surendran (Chairman, Medical Research Foundation). Professor Vasudevan Lakshminarayan crafted the journey of ESO with memories of his letters to our Chief and the foundation of ESO in early 80’s. The driving force behind the conference, Dr. Anuradha N., Principal, ESO and Chairperson unveiled this year’s theme — “Optometrists Shaping the Future of Ophthalmic Care” — emphasizing the vital role of training quality optometrists to lead the future of eye care in India.
Mr. Krishnamachari Srikkanth, delivered an inspiring address. He highlighted the importance of vision and adaptability across professions and applauded ESO’s pioneering initiative in establishing ESO-SOL. He also launched the ESO – Sports Optometry Lab (ESO-SOL): A pioneering initiative designed to enhance visual performance and eye–hand coordination in athletes, paving the way for excellence in sports vision care.
With key members of Sankara Nethralaya / Elite School of Optometry, Dr Girish Shiva Rao (President Medical Research Foundation), Dr Ronnie George (President Vision Research Foundation), Dr Pradeep S (Director Academics), Dr PP Santanam (Former Principal of ESO), Mr Ramachandran P (Business Advisor-Eyewear & Fellow Institute of Directors), Dr Rashima A (Scientific Chair of EIVOC 2025), Dr Anuradha N listed the landmark achievements of ESO, Release of 10 undergraduate textbooks in optometry: A historic contribution that will serve as a foundation for future generations of students and the launch of three digital innovations: The Integrated Optics Module Website, The Optometric Essentials App, The Digital Psychophysics Lab.
EIVOC 2025 recorded a total of 2,027 registrations, comprising:
- 872 regular participants
- 989 undergraduate students
- 159 postgraduate students
In addition, the presence of sponsors, exhibitors, invited speakers, and the ever-enthusiastic ESO student community contributed to a vibrant blend of wisdom, experience, and youthful energy, making this edition truly memorable.
Scientific Program
The conference featured a robust and diverse academic program, enriched by the participation of 17 international speakers and 43 experts from across India. The highlights included:
- 76 scientific talks delivered across 11 symposiums
- 3 panel discussions
- 15 workshops
The research participation was equally impressive, with:
- 345 abstracts received
- 139 free paper presentations
- 183 posters, presented across 15 sessions
EIVOC 2025 was a grand success, blending academic excellence with cultural vibrancy and visionary milestones. It not only celebrated optometry’s growth in India but also paved the way for future advancements, true to its theme of “Optometrists Shaping the Future of Ophthalmic Care.” The seamless organization and high level of participation underscored the tireless efforts of the Elite School of Optometry’s team, led by Dr. Anuradha N., marking this edition as a milestone in the history of EIVOC.
Delegates of EIVOC 2025 during Closing Ceremony
Lighting of Lamp at EIVOC 2025
Launch of Textbooks and ESO Sports Optometry Lab during Inaugural Event
Speakers of EIVOC 2025
Launch of GLOW India Chapter
Dr Girish Rao honoured with BOA Appreciation Award & Gold Medal
Our President and Executive Medical Director, Dr Girish Rao, attended the Bombay Ophthalmologists’ Association (BOA) Focus – 2025 Annual Conference held from 1–3 August 2025 in Mumbai.
During the event, Dr Girish Rao was conferred the Appreciation Award and Gold Medal by the BOA in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the field of ophthalmology.
TSNA Holds 12th Graduation Ceremony
The Sankara Nethralaya Academy (TSNA), a unit of the Medical Research Foundation, held its 12th Graduation Ceremony on Wednesday, July 30, 2025, at the Sri V D Swami Auditorium, Padma Bhushan Dr. S.S. Badrinath Campus, Chennai.
A total of 54 students graduated, including 35 from postgraduate programs and 19 from undergraduate programs.
Dr. Suresh Seshadri, Director, Medi Scan Systems, was the Chief Guest. The event was held in the presence of Chairman Dr. T.S. Surendran and President Dr. Girish Shiva Rao.
The ceremony marked a significant milestone for the graduates as they begin their professional journey in the healthcare sector.
ARVO-India 2025 Held at Sankara Nethralaya; Tribute paid to Dr. P. Namperumalsamy
The 31st Annual Meeting of the Indian Eye Research Group (IERG), ARVO-India’s flagship event, was held at the Dr. S.S. Badrinath Campus.
The three-day conference, held between July 25 and July 27 brought together basic scientists, clinicians, and industry professionals to share new developments in vision science and strengthen collaborative research.
Themed “Advancing Interdisciplinary Vision Research,” the event included a pre-conference workshop, scientific sessions, keynote lectures, and invited talks by leading researchers from India and abroad. More than 250 delegates took part in it.
Dr. Gullapalli N. Rao, Founder and Chair, L.V. Prasad Eye Institute, delivered the Dr. S.S. Badrinath Oration during the conference. President Dr. Girish Shiva Rao welcomed Dr. Gullapalli Rao in his welcome address.
A special tribute to Dr. P. Namperumalsamy was also held, with addresses by Chairman Dr. T.S. Surendran and Dr. Gullapalli Rao, honoring Dr. Namperumalsamy’s contributions to ophthalmology and vision research.
Retina Summit 2025 and APOTS Retina Meet Held at Sankara Nethralaya
The 7th Retina Summit 2025 was held from July 10 to 12 Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai. The event was jointly organized with the Asia Pacific Ophthalmic Trauma Society (APOTS) Retina Meet.
Dr. R. Gangadhara Sundar, President of APOTS, joined the event following an invitation to co-host the conference in Chennai.
The program opened with a pre-conference session on July 10, featuring hands-on workshops and cross-disciplinary discussions at the JKCN Complex. The main scientific sessions took place on July 11 and 12, at Padma Bhushan Dr. S.S. Badrinath Campus with a focus on the management of posterior segment trauma—a common cause of emergency ophthalmic visits.
The event featured expert faculty selected for their contributions in the field and drew participation from retina specialists and ophthalmologists from across the country.
Sankara Nethralaya Nurses Join Record-Breaking National Training
Thirty-six nurses from Sankara Nethralaya participated in a synchronized national training program that has set a new world record.
Conducted by the Association of Nurse Executives (India) on April 10–12, 2025, the training focused on preventing medication administration errors. It involved 15,718 registered nurses trained simultaneously across India over three consecutive days.
Sankara Nethralaya’s Nursing Superintendent, Ms. Jospheen Nayagi, served as one of the 254 trainers.
The record has been officially recognized by Einstein World Records, United Arab Emirates.
Sankara Nethralaya Consultants Honoured at APAO-AIOS 2025; Founder Dr. S. S. Badrinath Receives Posthumous Eyecon Award
The 40th Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology (APAO) Congress, held in conjunction with the 83rd Annual Conference of the All India Ophthalmological Society (AIOS), concluded on April 6 at Yashobhoomi, New Delhi.
During the four-day event, Sankara Nethralaya founder Dr. S.S. Badrinath was posthumously honoured with the prestigious Eyecon Award.
Several members of Sankara Nethralaya were also recognised for their contributions. Dr. Lingam Gopal and Dr. Jyotirmay Biswas were named among the Asia-Pacific Eye 100, a list of the region’s top 100 ophthalmologists. Additional honours were bestowed upon Dr. Prema Padmanaban, Dr. T.S. Surendran, and Dr. Vineet Ratra during the ceremony.
Sankara Nethralaya Confers Sankara Ratna Award on S. Ramadorai; TN Minister Palanivel Thiagarajan Presents Award
Sankara Nethralaya conferred the prestigious Sankara Ratna Award on S. Ramadorai, former CEO and MD of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), in recognition of his transformative contributions to nation-building. The award was presented by Tamil Nadu’s Minister for Information Technology and Digital Services, Dr. Palanivel Thiagarajan, at a ceremony held at Taj Coromandel, Chennai, on Thursday, March 27.
Instituted in 2002, the Sankara Ratna Award honors individuals who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and societal impact. Past recipients include industry stalwarts such as Ratan N. Tata, A.M. Naik, Deepak Parekh, and Madhavan Nair.
Dr. Thiagarajan lauded Ramadorai’s leadership, noting that under his tenure, TCS grew from a $155 million company to a $6 billion enterprise. “It is not a simple achievement, and such success stories are very rare. Only a special person would be able to accomplish that,” he said.
In his acceptance speech, Ramadorai acknowledged the Tata Group’s longstanding association with Sankara Nethralaya, citing Jamshedji Tata’s belief that businesses exist to serve the community. He credited the late Nani Palkhivala’s support for the institution’s establishment and highlighted TCS’s early contributions to hospital management systems, which laid the foundation for integrating technology into healthcare.
“As CEO of TCS, I had the privilege of partnering with Sankara Nethralaya to implement the Tata Hospital Management System and develop an advanced Ophthalmic Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system to enhance patient care,” Ramadorai said. He emphasized the need to expand world-class, affordable healthcare to remote regions of India.
Dr. T. S. Surendran Recognized for Healthcare Philanthropy at Humanitarian Awards 2025
Dr. T. S. Surendran, Chairman of Sankara Nethralaya, was honored with the Excellence in Healthcare Philanthropy award at the Humanitarian Awards 2025, held at the Sheraton Grand Chennai Resort and Spa.
Dr. Surendran, a veteran in ophthalmology, has dedicated his career to expanding access to quality eye care, particularly for underserved communities. Under his leadership, Sankara Nethralaya has strengthened its efforts in combating preventable blindness and providing advanced treatments to patients across India.
The Humanitarian Awards, curated by journalist and social activist Apsara Reddy, recognize individuals making significant contributions to social causes.
RC Madras Temple City Honors Dr. Nirmala Subramaniam with Lifetime Achievement Award
Dr. Nirmala Subramanian is a visionary leader in Education and Empowerment. Since 1985, she has served as the Correspondent of Ganapathy Iyer Girls High School, which serves students from economically weaker backgrounds, dedicating her life to women’s empowerment through education. She strongly believes that education is the most powerful tool for empowering women.
She established an endowment fund to support the education ofunderprivileged girls. Under the “Know Your Chennai” Project, herinitiative helps students understand the history, culture, andsignificance of their city. She initiated computer education 25 yearsago for both teachers and students. She was instrumental in settingup the school’s first computer lab with internet access, empowering first generation learners with digital literacy.
Spearheaded the creation of an endowment by the family members of Prof. V. Lakshminarayanan, her father, to promote scientific awareness and curiosity among students.
Dr. Nirmala Subramanian, a distinguished Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon, has been a pioneer in Cosmetic Surgery .With her strong academic foundation and extensive surgical expertise, she has played a pivotal role in advancing oculoplastyand aesthetic surgery in India. She was instrumental in establishing an exclusive Orbital and Reconstructive Surgery department at Sankara Nethralaya.as envisioned by Chairman Emeritus Dr. S. S. Badrinath . Thisdepartment diagnoses and treats congenital anomalies, traumaticinjuries, and tumors affecting the eyelids and orbit.
The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes her lifelong dedication to society and her groundbreaking work as a pioneering surgeon and educationist, which has transformed the lives of generations of girls.