Sankara Nethralaya is proud to announce that Atlanta-based engineer and philanthropist Mr. Bala Reddy Indurti was awarded the prestigious Sankara Ratna Award for 2023 on May 25, at Shri. V. D. Swami Auditorium, Sankara Nethralaya Padma Bhushan Dr. S. S. Badrinath Campus, College Road, Chennai.

Mr. Bala Reddy Indurti, an alumnus of Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad (JNTU), and the University of Texas, has channelled his professional success into passionate social work. His efforts primarily focus on providing educational assistance to underprivileged children and organizing free health camps.

As the President of Sankara Nethralaya USA, Mr. Indurti has significantly increased the organization’s footprint by establishing numerous chapters across the United States. His notable “Adopt a Village” initiative enables Indian expatriates to sponsor Mobile Eye Surgical Units (MESU) in their ancestral villages in India, delivering essential eye care to underserved communities.

The award ceremony was attended by Gagandeep Singh Bedi, Additional Chief Secretary to the Government, Health and Family Welfare Department, Government of Tamil Nadu, who presented the award. Former India cricketer Ambati Rayudu served as the guest of honour. The event also saw the presence of several dignitaries including former Sankara Ratna recipient and acclaimed Tamil movie director S. P. Muthuraman, Justice Prabha Sridevan (Retd.), and Dr. V. Thirupugazh I.A.S. (Retd.). Honorary Secretory, Medical Research Foundation, Mr. G Ramacharndran, Sankara Nethralaya’s President Dr. Girish Shiva Rao, Chairman Dr. T. S. Surendran, and Honorary Treasurer Mr. Kannan Narayanan graced the occasion.

Mr. Indurti expressed his gratitude and commitment to the cause, stating, “When I started working for the Sankara Nethralaya, I could see the vision of Dr. S. S. Badrinath. In the USA, we had 25 trustees and seven chapters. In the last six years after I became the president, we expanded from seven places to 21 places. We are trying to expand to more and more cities.”

In his address, Mr. Gagandeep Singh Bedi highlighted the importance of eye donation and the critical role of collaborations between government health sectors and NGOs like Sankara Nethralaya for societal betterment. Quoting Swami Vivekananda, he remarked, “Service of mankind is service to God. Standing here at this ceremony, I am reminded of two categories of people. One category includes people like Bala Reddy. All the way from the USA, he thought about his brothers here in India and was involved in activities for their welfare. The next category includes doctors and paramedical staff.”

Guest of honour, Ambati Rayudu, echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the need for greater appreciation of doctors. He shared a personal anecdote about how his child’s vision was restored by Sankara Nethralaya, expressing profound gratitude to the doctors and the institution.

The Sankara Ratna Award, established in 2002 to commemorate the Silver Jubilee of Sankara Nethralaya, honors distinguished individuals who have significantly supported and contributed to the institution’s mission and philosophy. Past recipients include luminaries such as Sri Ratan Tata, Sri A. M. Naik, Dr. Madhavan Nair, Tamil movie director S. P. Muthuraman, and former HDFC Chairman Deepak Parekh.

This year’s award to Mr. Bala Reddy Indurti continues the tradition of recognizing exceptional contributions to society, highlighting the impactful work done by individuals in collaboration with Sankara Nethralaya.