Sankara Nethralaya News
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.
Sankara Nethralaya Hosts UVEA Case Festival 2025
The UVEA Team of Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai, successfully conducted the UVEA Case Festival – 2025 edition on February 22 and 23 at the V.D. Swami Auditorium, Dr. S.S. Badrinath Campus. The event featured Prof. Dr. Vishali Gupta from the Advanced Eye Center, Chandigarh, as the guest faculty.
The scientific program commenced on February 22 with a welcome address by Dr. Vinita Girish Rao, followed by the first session, which showcased a series of case studies. The expert panel for this session included Dr. Vishali Gupta, Dr. Jyotirmay Biswas, Dr. Muna Bhende, and Dr. Hemanandhini, with Dr. Amitabh Kumar and Dr. Arshree Ahmed serving as moderators. The session concluded with a lecture by Dr. Rupesh Agarwal on the role of artificial intelligence in uveitis.
The second session of the day featured additional case presentations, marking the conclusion of the first day’s proceedings.
On February 23, the second day of the event, another series of case presentations took place, with an expert panel comprising Dr. Vishali Gupta, Dr. Jyotirmay Biswas, and Dr. Chetan Rao. The session was moderated by Dr. Parthopratim Dutta Majumder and Dr. Suchitra Pradeep. Dr. Vishali Gupta then delivered a keynote address on “Deconstructing White Dot Syndromes.”
The event also included a felicitation ceremony, where the President of Sankara Nethralaya, Dr. Girish Shiva Rao, and Chairman, Dr. T.S. Surendran, honored Dr. Rajini Kantha N, who was the first to start uvea department in Sankara nethralaya
The final session featured case presentations with an expert panel comprising Dr. Vishali Gupta, Dr. Amala E. George, and Dr. Padmamalini M. The session was moderated by Dr. Vinita Girish Rao and Dr. Parthopratim Dutta Majumder.
The event concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Dr. Suchitra Pradeep.
Sankara Nethralaya’s UVEA Case Festival 2025 served as a platform for experts to discuss advancements in the field, reinforcing the institution’s commitment to ophthalmic excellence.
Dr. M. S. Ravindra Delivers 2nd Dr. S. S. Badrinath Endowment Lecture at Sankara Nethralaya
Dr. M. S. Ravindra, Chairman and Managing Director of Karthik Netralaya, delivered the 2nd Dr. S. S. Badrinath Endowment Lecture at Sankara Nethralaya’s Dr. S. S. Badrinath Campus on Saturday. His lecture, titled “My Journey with Dr. S. S. Badrinath,” highlighted his experiences with the late founder of Sankara Nethralaya.
In his speech, Dr. Ravindra recalled how Dr. Badrinath always prioritized his patients and never accepted gifts from them. “The only time he accepted a gift was when a patient gave him a pair of Hawai slippers.” He reminisced about his fellowship days with Dr. Badrinath and encouraged young doctors to stay close to their mentors and learn from them. He said, “Though technology may teach you new surgical techniques, you can develop true skills only by being with your mentors for a long time.”
Dr. Ravindra concluded his speech by saying, “Let us remember that the soul of Dr. Badrinath is watching over us, and he will always be a guiding force behind Sankara Nethralaya.”
Padma Vibhushan Dr. Prathap C. Reddy, Founder and Chairman of Apollo Hospitals Group, addressed the gathering through a video message.
Sankara Nethralaya Chairman Dr. T. S. Surendran and President Dr. Girish Shiva Rao participated in the event, along with senior consultants, consultants, and staff members.
The endowment lecture series, inaugurated after Dr. Badrinath’s passing, features prominent figures in the field and serves an educational purpose. The first lecture was delivered by Dr. Gopalkrishna Gandhi.
Sankara Nethralaya received IPSC Award for 3rd Year in Row!
Out of 258 nominations (229 National & 29 International entries) from 78 Healthcare organizations across the globe, Sankara Nethralaya won the International Patient Safety Award 2025 under the category “Incidents and Safety Events leading to Improvements” at the 12th International Patient Safety Conference 2025, conducted by Apollo Hospitals.
Dr Jaichandran V V, Hospital Safety Committee (HSC) Chairperson received the award from Dr Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals and Mr Mduduzi Matsebula, Hon’ble Minister of Health, Eswatini, on 21st February, 2025, Delhi.
Sankara Nethralaya Celebrates 76th Republic Day with Awards and Scholarships
Sankara Nethralaya marked the 76th Republic Day on January 26, 2025, with a solemn and meaningful observance, highlighting its commitment to service and academic excellence.
The event featured the prestigious Dhingra Trust award distribution ceremony for children of employees who scored more than 70% in their Class XII board exams, recognizing employees who have dedicated 35, 30, 25, 20, 15, and 10 years of service to the institution. Additionally, merit scholarships were awarded to the children of employees. Circle of Excellence Awards in Patient Care, recognizing outstanding contributions were also presented by Smt. Sita Mittal, SWAN volunteer.
Dr. Nirmala Subramanian, Emeritus Professor, Department of Oculoplasty, graced the occasion as the chief guest. She was joined on stage by Dr. Girish S. Rao, President; Dr. T. S. Surendran, Chairman; and Smt. Sita Mittal. The event commenced with Mr. Chellasamy I. K., Chief Security Officer, escorting Dr. Nirmala Subramanian to unfurl the national flag, setting a patriotic tone for the celebration.
Ms. Manju, Senior Optometrist (Contact Lens), Bags IACLE’s ‘IMAGE OF THE YEAR 2024’ Award!
Congratulations to Ms. Manju, Senior Optometrist in our Contact Lens Department, for winning the “IMAGE OF THE YEAR – 2024” award by IACLE for her case on Lattice Corneal Dystrophy managed with a scleral lens.
This marks the second consecutive year our CL team has earned this prestigious honor!
Sankara Nethralaya, Optometry Confederation of India Release Guidelines on the Importance of Visual Health in the Digital Age
Medical Research Foundation’s Occupational Optometry Services, in collaboration with the Optometry Confederation of India, released a comprehensive guidelines to Improving Visual Health in the Digital Age at Sankara Nethralaya’s Padma Bhushan Dr. SS Badrinath Campus, Chennai on Saturday.
The event commenced with a warm welcome address by Dr. Rashima, Head of Occupational Optometry Services, followed by a brief introduction to the guidelines by Dr. Lakshmi Shinde. Dr. Shinde emphasized that the inspiration behind the initiative stemmed from the pressing need to address myopia among adults, particularly in an era dominated by digital screens.
The guidelines was officially released by the Chief Guest, Mr. S. Ramadorai, former CEO of Tata Consultancy Services and Chairman of Kalakshetra Foundation. The first copy was presented to Mr. P. P. Santhanam, widely regarded as the father of Occupational Optometry. Dr. T. S. Surendran, Chairman of Sankara Nethralaya, shared a few words of admiration for Mr. Ramadorai during his welcome address. The Chief Guest was honored by Dr. Girish Shiva Rao, President of the Medical Research Foundation.
In his address, Mr. Ramadorai reflected on the legacy of Sankara Nethralaya’s founder, Dr. S. S. Badrinath, whose vision and commitment to excellence continue to guide the institution. He spoke passionately about the challenges of visual health in today’s world, citing alarming statistics: 17 million children globally suffer from uncorrected vision, and 13 million adults are affected annually. He highlighted the adverse impact of technological advancements such as e-commerce, digital content, and gaming on eye health, along with the lesser-discussed effects of climate change on visual well-being. The event concluded with a video presentation offering insights into the guideline-handbook.
The release of Improving Visual Health in the Digital Age marks a significant step in raising awareness about the critical need for eye care amidst the challenges posed by the digital era.
Download Link: https://www.sankaranethralaya.org/occupational-optometry.html
35th Institutional Award Ceremony
The 35th Institutional Award Ceremony of the Medical and Vision Research Foundation was held on December 7, 2024, at the Dr V D Swami Auditorium, Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai.
Dr C Sylendra Babu, IPS (Retd), Former Director General of Police and Head of Police Force, Tamil Nadu, was the chief guest for the ceremony. Other distinguished luminaries in attendance were Dr T S Surendran, Chairman, Medical Research Foundation & Director, Pediatric Ophthalmology, Dr Smita Praveen, Director- Academics, Dr N Angayarkanni, Director- Laboratory Services, Dr A R Anand, Professor & Head, Microbiology Department, Coordinator – Vidyasagar Institute of Biomedical Technology and Sciences along with Dr Rashima Asokan, Professor – Elite School of Optometry and Dr N Anuradha, Principal – Elite School of Optometry.
During his address to the graduates, Dr C Sylendra Babu insisted on the importance of optometrists and their roles in the community. Dr N Anuradha and Dr A R Anand presented the academic reports of Elite School of Optometry and Vidyasagar Institute of Biomedical Technology and Sciences (VIBS) respectively. The event brought together proud parents and professionals of the institution for the much awaited ceremony.
On the day of the ceremony, 5 PhD scholars, 5 post graduates and 28 undergraduates of Optometry received their honors in addition to the best students of the first, second and third year of optometry. Institutional awards for various ophthalmology specialties and research were also presented. Furthermore, awards for Best Optometrist, Best Research Publication and Best Research in Optometry instituted by the Elite School of Optometry Alumni Association, as well as awards for Best Junior & Senior faculty were also conferred to the recipients. ESO congratulates all the graduates and award recipients on this grand occasion!
Sankara Nethralaya Celebrates Children’s Day and National Myopia Awareness week
Myopia or shortsight is a childhood eye condition that has become increasingly prevalent especially past 20 years due to mostly lifestyle factors like less outdoor activities and more near activities in children. We, at the Department of Peadiatric ophthalmology in Sankara nethralaya celebrated Children’s Day and the National Myopia Awareness week from the 14th to 20th of November. The celebration was inaugurated with a small cake cutting ceremony attended by Chairman Sankara Nethralaya Dr. T. S. Surendran and the Director and Deputy Directors of the Peadiatric department Dr. Sumita Agarkar and Dr. Kavitha Kalaivani. The team comprising of Peadiatric ophthalmologists and Peadiatric optometrist who cater to Peadiatric eye care conducted weeklong awareness sessions, activities like slogan writing, painting, meme creating competition etc, designed and installed awareness posters and videos highlighting the importance of sunlight exposure and the adverse effects of gadget usage and conducted Q&A sessions for parents about eye health.
Some of the memes and slogans written by the children are “Myopia myopia go away, don’t come again another day!
Myopia myopia go away, little children want to play!” “Every closed eye is not sleeping, every open eye is not seeing! Check your eyes now”
The Q&A sessions addressed issues of general eye health, dietary implications of eye conditions, stigma associated with spectacle usage, peer pressure for children, myths and beliefs related to spectacle usage, creating awareness about misleading and sometimes dangerous non scientific treatment options etc. Over 40 parents participated and benefitted. We hope that this is not limited to this one week and continues to increase awareness to all those involved in child care.