• By Bidisha Roy

This could have been another success story of an Indian who has made a mark here in America and living an enviable life. But for this man the word ‘success’ had a different meaning – being loyal to his profession by serving the underprivileged, giving back to the community and his motherland, and working relentlessly for a mission. This is how one can define Dr. V.K. Raju, one of the leading ophthalmologists in the US, who is committed to combat avoidable childhood blindness at home and abroad and has helped restore sight to hundreds of thousands of patients worldwide. Dr. V.K. Raju was born in Rajahmundry, AP, India. He completed both his ophthalmology residency and fellowship at the University of London. Dr. Raju is a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons and the American College of Surgeons.

He is a founding patron member of AAPI. He is a Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at West Virginia University, Adjunct Professor of Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University and director of the International Ocular Surface Society. He is also founder and president of The Eye Foundation of America, a non-profit organization dedicated to realizing a world without childhood blindness.

Dr Raju’s humanitarian work began in 1977, shortly after he got a faculty position at West Virginia University. He went on a vacation to India, and a farmer came to get his eyes examined by him. and he did not have any instruments to treat him. The lack of medical care available around his hometown of Rajahmundry prompted Dr Raju to return to India the next year with personnel and equipment, and offered his first eye camp near his hometown; this was the inception of the Eye Foundation of America (EFA).

The Eye Foundation of America he founded has been rendering services since 1977 in India and 21 other developing countries. The mammoth works the EFA team has done could be the envy of any humanitarian organization. When education and preventative measures are insufficient, medical and surgical interventions are performed. With the aim of permanently providing world-class state-of-the art services to populations with poor access to health care, the EFA helped to build 2 hospitals in rural India: Srikiran Eye Institute and the Goutami Eye Institute. The Goutami Institute has a wing dedicated exclusively to children, and the EFA has future plans to build a service and research eye hospital in India where no child will be denied treatment and children from around the world can come to receive services.

Dr. Raju and the EFA are also committed to finding new cures for age-old eye disease among children.  These institutes are committed to providing innovative and compassionate care to the patients, by incorporating new technology and through patient education. His mission was to protect, preserve and restore the treasured gift of sight for improving quality of life by providing caring service, irrespective of the socio-economic status, with due emphasis on education and research.

Madhu Rachakulla, Past President, Telugu Fine Arts Society, shared his experience at Goutami while accompanying his. mother for her cataract surgeries. “Encouraged by my friend, Mr. Sekhar Vemparala—a staunch supporter and fundraiser for the institute—I took my mother to Gautami Eye Institute. Her initial fear of undergoing surgery for both eyes was quickly replaced by a sense of comfort and confidence, thanks to the compassionate care and professionalism of the Gautami Eye Institute team.

“Mr. Vemparala’s recommendation was well-founded, as the experience surpassed our expectations in every way. Upon arrival, we were warmly welcomed by the staff, and Dr. V.K. Raju himself took the time to introduce us to the Managing Director of the hospital. Their personal touch and commitment to patient care immediately put my mother at ease. A skilled surgeon was promptly assigned to her case, and her treatment was carried out with exceptional precision and care”, recalled Madhu Rachakulla.

“Beyond my personal experience, what truly left me in awe was the institution’s unwavering dedication to service. Gautami Eye Institute performs an astonishing 100 free cataract surgeries every day, bringing the gift of vision to those who might otherwise remain in darkness. For underprivileged individuals, the institute goes a step further by helping them secure financial assistance through government programs like Arogyasree cards. Additionally, the team conducts vision camps in rural areas, offering free eye screenings and cataract surgeries to those in need.

“Dr. V.K. Raju’s vision for the institute is nothing short of inspiring. A renowned ophthalmologist with a heart for service, Dr. Raju has built a team that embodies his motto of selfless care. By combining top-notch medical expertise with a genuine commitment to uplifting the underprivileged, he and his team have created a model of healthcare that is both impactful and sustainable. Their work not only restores sight but also restores hope and dignity to countless individuals.

As the Past President of the Telugu Fine Arts Society (TFAS) in New Jersey, I have had the privilege of witnessing many acts of service within our global Telugu community. However, the work being done by Dr. V.K. Raju and the Goutami Eye Institute stands out as a shining example of how expertise, compassion, and a service-driven mission can transform lives.”

The EFA not only trains medical practitioners to join the global fight against blindness through exchange programs, but also provides workshops and training opportunities for medical students and physicians. Dr. Raju’s charisma and vision inspire the EFA’s trainees return to their native countries to prevent and/or alleviate blindness in the field.

For the past 5 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. Because Dr. Raju feels so incredibly thankful for his personal and professional gifts, he makes great effort to share those gifts with those in need of his services.

He believes that medical professionals in the United States are afforded many material comforts, and as such, only voluntary service can alleviate the feeling of intellectual poverty. He gives freely of his own time, money, and
medical expertise to help the less fortunate.

Dr. Raju contributes to society in his home country of India and his adopted home state of WV. In WV, Dr. Raju accepts patients who do not have medical insurance and performs surgical procedures that are not covered. If a patient is unable to pay for the costly services rendered, he asks for a small donation to the EFA. Dr. Raju performs free procedures that amount to an estimated $25,000–45,000 per year. This allows many of these patients to remain functional members of society.

The execution of his vision, affordable and accessible healthcare, has provided innumerable individuals with the invaluable gift of sight. In children, this gift results in 75 years of a full and productive life. These children, who would be considered a burden to society, are then able to contribute to their families and to society.

Dr Raju has received numerous awards, including the Academy’s Outstanding Humanitarian Award, the Melvin Jones Fellowship from the International Lions Foundation, the Paul Harris Fellow Award from Rotary International, the Distinguished Community Service Award from the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin and the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Achievement Award from West Virginia University.

Dr. Raju has published two books, seventeen chapters, and over 100 publications in scientific journals.

Dr. Raju has a vast interest in medical history, establishing lectureships (Susruta and Charaka lectureships in USA) to enhance teaching and the prevention of blindness through service, research and most importantly, making people educated.  Dr Raju firmly believes that there are three solutions for every problem – first is education, the second is education, and the third is education.

As a physician, he has worked untiringly to educate patients as he feels patient education is one of the biggest challenges he faces both in the US and the developing countries. And this man is not ready to give up until he reaches the goal. With all of Dr. Raju’s momentous achievements, he has also ensured that his life’s work and vision are self- sustaining.

Dr. Raju has passed on his knowledge, plans, and vision to the future leaders of this movement: Dr. Leela Raju, Dr. Raju’s daughter and fellow ophthalmologist, is the EFA’s Secretary and Coordinator for Education and actively participates in its mission. “Our work is only just beginning,” affirms Dr. Raju.

“The work of the Eye Foundation of America started in 1977.  Rotary clubs and Rotary international have been an integral part of our goal of ‘A world without childhood blindness.”  The Rotary international president said this year “imagine Rotary”. Eye foundation of America with Rotary said, “imagine a world without childhood blindness.”

“There is (almost) no more Polio on the planet; this incredible achievement is because of the Rotary international bringing together the three wills: political will, professional will, and people’s will.  Anything is possible today when these three wills come together, especially with today’s resources and technology. Now as part of our five-year plan, we are embarking on an ambitious project to screen premature babies (who are at high risk for blindness) by telemedicine in India and beyond”, said Dr Raju, and we all know that this man is not going to stop until the goal is achieved.