Money Raised Will Go to Help Attain the Organization’s Goal to Eliminate Curable Blindness in India
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – On October 7, The Sankara Eye Foundation (SEF) held its 2nd annual Be The Light Gala at Cipriani 25 Broadway in Manhattan. The event raised $1.4 million, with the proceeds going to help the organization attain its goal to eliminate curable blindness in India.
Philanthropist and Gala Co-Chair Mohan Wanchoo set the stage for the evening with a speech underscoring the critical significance of SEF’s ongoing efforts to eliminate curable blindness in India. Murali Krishnamurthy, Gala Co-Chair, Founder, and Executive Chairman of SEF, USA, then took the stage to share an intimate anecdote about his recent experience undergoing eye surgery, expertly performed at one of SEF’s twelve hospitals in India. His decision to entrust his own vision to the skilled hands of SEF’s medical team emphasized not only his belief in the organization’s capabilities, but also his deep personal commitment to the cause.
Mr. Krishnamurthy went on to note the organization’s remarkable achievements thus far. He shared stories of lives being transformed, and showcased the tangible difference SEF has made. He then outlined SEF’s ambitious plans for the future: to provide one million free eye surgeries annually by 2030 and to eventually eliminate curable blindness in India entirely.
A keynote speech was given by Jay Chaudhry, CEO, Chairman and Founder, Zscaler Inc. He recounted his transformative journey from his humble beginnings in India to becoming a successful figure in the corporate realm in the U.S.
The generosity of the attendees was palpable, echoing the sentiments of Mr. Chaudhry, whose $1 million donation set the tone for the evening. Additional contributions poured in, including $100,000 from Mr. Wanchoo, as other philanthropists pledged their support.
Entertainment was provided by 2010 Indian Idol finalist and 2011 X Factor India finalist, Geetesh Iyer, as well as Indian-American band The Incident!. Uniquely blending Indian sounds with diverse world music styles to create a fusion of classical and modern melodies, the band has shared stages with iconic artists like Indian Ocean and Shaan.
For more information on SEF, or to donate, call 1 (866) SANKARA (726-5272) or visit www.giftofvision.org
###
About Sankara Eye Foundation
Sankara Eye Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing free eye surgeries to those experiencing blindness or other visual impairments across India. The organization relies on donations to eliminate curable blindness, performing eye surgeries for only $30 USD. Sankara performed 355,000 eye surgeries last fiscal year and has built the capacity to perform 490,000 this year. By 2030, the organization hopes to reach their “March to a Million” goal of performing one million free eye surgeries annually. For more information, visit www.giftofvision.org.
Fundraising Event Will Raise Money with the Goal of Providing 1 Million Free Eye Surgeries in India Annually
On October 7, the Sankara Eye Foundation (SEF) will host their annual Be The Light Gala, a fundraising event to help eliminate curable blindness in India. The gala will be held at Cipriani 25 Broadway, starting at 6:30 p.m.
The Be The Light Gala looks to raise money to provide free eye surgeries to the visually impaired people in India. With more than 45 million people in India suffering from eye disease and 12 million of them blind, SEF works to treat 80% of people with curable eye disease. SEF will be performing 450,000 free eye surgeries this year at its twelve Sankara Eye Hospitals and fourteen partner eye hospitals. SEF is looking to meet its Vision 2030 goal, which is to provide onemillion free eye surgeries annually in India.
“The Be The Light Gala is our most important fundraising event of the year,” says Murali Krishnamurthy, Founder and Executive Chairman, Sankara Eye Foundation, USA. “With an overwhelming demand for eye care in India, we want to raise as much money as possible to help as many people as possible. With each patient whose eyesight we restore, we know we are inching one step closer to our mission to eliminate curable blindness in India.”
The keynote speaker will be Jay Chaudhry, CEO, Chairman and Founder, Zscaler Inc. In addition to running his cybersecurity firm, Mr. Chaudhry is #79 on the 2022 Forbes 400 list and a 2018 finalist of the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Before founding Zscaler, Mr. Chaudhry founded SecureIT and CipherTrust, which were later acquired by Verisign and Secure Computing Corporation. He also founded AirDefense and CoreHarbor, later acquired by Motorola and AT&T.
In addition, entertainment will be provided by Geetesh Iyer and The Incident. Mr. Iyer is a renowned singer, songwriter and performer. He is a 2010 Indian Idol finalist and a 2011 X Factor India finalist. Additionally, he has performed with several reputable Indian artists including Shankar Mahadevan, Kavitha Krishnamurthy, Neha Kakkar and Atif Aslam among others.
The Incident is a leading Indian-American band based in the tri-state area, who have teamed up with prominent singers such as Shaan and Kavitha Krishnamurthy for musical performances.
Individual tickets are $500 and $1,000 for VIP.Tables are available for $5,000.Sponsorships are also available. To purchase tickets, RSVP or for sponsorship opportunities, visit https://bit.ly/450SCZE.
Cipriani is located on 25 Broadway, New York, New York. For more information, or to donate, call 1 (866) SANKARA (726-5272) or visit https://bit.ly/450SCZE.
###
About Sankara Eye Foundation
Sankara Eye Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing free eye surgeries to those experiencing blindness or other visual impairments across India. The organization relies on donations to eliminate curable blindness, performing eye surgeries for only $30 USD. Sankara performed 355,000 eye surgeries last fiscal year and has built the capacity to perform 490,000 this year. By 2030, the organization hopes to reach their “March to a Million” goal of performing one million free eye surgeries annually. For more information, visit www.giftofvision.org.
Murali Krishnamurthy and Mohan Wanchoo Leave a Remarkable Impact on Charitable Causes Related To Their Indian Roots
Murali Krishnamurthy and Mohan Wanchoo both led successful careers in Information Technology (IT) before stepping down and deciding to make a change in their lives that would help those who are underprivileged in their home country of India.
Mr. Krishnamurthy came to the U.S. in 1981 to pursue a master’s degree in computer science. For years upon his graduation, he worked in the IT industry. At the same time, his late uncle, P. Balasubramaniam, was a Rotarian and volunteered at the Sankara Eye Hospital in Coimbatore. In 1998, Mr. Krishnamurthy’s brother visited his uncle and returned to the U.S. extremely impressed with Sankara’s philanthropic efforts. The two were then motivated to form the Sankara Eye Foundation, U.S. chapter, using Mr. Krishnamurthy’s house as their office until 2008.
Mr. Krishnamurthy quit his job in the IT industry in 2009 to take on a full-time role as Executive Chairman of Sankara’s U.S. chapter. “I neither enjoyed computer hardware nor software and there was no fire in the belly,” he says. “But the responsibility of running Sankara U.S. brought out new energy and enthusiasm in me and I found my calling in life.”
Mr. Wanchoo grew up in New Delhi, India, where he received a Bachelor’s degree in Physics. When he moved to the U.S. in 1981, he also pursued a Master’s degree in Computer Science, motivating him to launch EC Infosystems Inc. (ECI) in 1997. After its launch, Mr. Wanchoo built the company into the leading provider of electronic data interchange and billing/customer information systems for the deregulated energy industry. Thankful for his success, Mr. Wanchoo felt a duty to become involved with charity and give back to the less fortunate.
“I feel like I have done enough for myself,” he says. “Now I want to work for the underprivileged folks who aren’t able to enjoy what we can.”
Mr. Krishnamurthy worked hard to advance Sankara’s goals with its new U.S. chapter. He even founded a light music group, Pallavi, to organize shows that would raise money for the cause. With his efforts, Mr. Krishnamurthy helped to drastically increase Sankara’s funds, resulting in a significant growth in surgery rates. “We started raising funds here and the number of free eye surgeries started increasing from 8,000 a year, to 15,000, to 22,000 a year,” he says. With his help, Sankara has been able to build eleven eye hospitals, as well as create partnerships with 10 other eye hospitals to cover all parts of India.
Currently, Sankara is the world’s largest free eye care program with a success rate over 98%. With over 45 million Indian citizens blind or visually impaired, Sankara provides treatment to 80% of people with curable eye disease. The organization performed 355,000 free surgeries last fiscal year, and has the current capacity to perform 490,000. This year, they plan to perform 450,000 surgeries. The foundation is dedicated to reaching their “March to a Million” goal by 2030, striving to provide one million free eye surgeries annually to eventually eradicate curable blindness in India entirely. This year is the organization’s Silver Jubilee year, as it has been bringing light into millions of lives for 25 years. A $30 donation can cover the cost of one eye surgery for a person in India. To donate, visit https://give.giftofvision.org/give/422256/#!/donation/checkout.
Mr. Wanchoo works closely with Sankara and serves as a spokesperson for the organization. On October 7th, he will be assisting Mr. Krishnamurthy in hosting Sankara’s annual Be The Light Charity Gala to raise funds for free eye surgeries in India. Last year, the event raised $1.3 million, equating to 66,000 surgeries. This year, Sankara hopes to raise more than $2 million. Sponsorship opportunities are available. To learn more about the event and Sankara’s mission, visit https://youtu.be/mb763_rYRiQ. For sponsorship information, visit https://www.giftofvision.org/sponsorship-information. To attend the event, visit https://www.giftofvision.org/registration-form. The event will take place at Cipriani 25 Broadway in New York City.
In addition to Sankara, Mr. Wanchoo also works with Ekal Abhiyan to bring education and empowerment to 2.2 million children in 85,000 schools in remote parts of rural India. “Education is a door opener,” he says. “With our help, these children will be able to make their dreams come true. It’s a tremendous feeling.” To further reform the educational system in India, Mr. Wanchoo also works with Vidya Bharati, which runs over 12,000 schools across India, while providing education to nearly 3.2 million students.
Mr. Wanchoo also works with the Kashmiri Overseas Association (KOA) that, among other things, provides financial assistance to children that have lost their parents to ethnic cleansing in Kashmir. Recently, Mr. Wanchoo traveled with the Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora (GKPD), a Kashmiri Pandit civil society movement, to Washington D.C., where he attended events welcoming the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi. He also supports the Saint Hardyal Educational and Orphans Welfare Society (SHEOWS) that saves the lives of abandoned, destitute and homeless senior citizens across Delhi NCR and Uttar Pradesh. By also working with The Art of Living/International Association of Human Values (IAHV), Mr. Wanchoo helps introduce people to breathwork techniques to reduce gang violence and crime among school children and inmates of correctional facilities in New York City and Long Island. Finally, Mr. Wanchoo’s efforts with Vatsalyagram help bring orphans and widows together in one home in India, thus resurrecting their shattered families.
“The feeling that we brought happiness and purpose into someone’s life is life-changing,” Mr. Wanchoo says.
As for Mr. Krishnamurthy, he continues to perform with Pallavi, putting on shows to fundraise for various non-profit organizations. “Now my hobby and profession are the same and I want to make the best of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make a difference and leave a mark,” he says. “It has been a great journey and the next seven years are going to be a thrilling ride towards Vision 2030.”
About Sankara Eye Foundation
Sankara Eye Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing free eye surgeries to those experiencing blindness or other visual impairments across India. The organization relies on donations to eradicate curable blindness, performing eye surgeries for only $30 USD. Sankara performed 355,000 eye surgeries last fiscal year and has built the capacity to perform 490,000 this year. By 2030, the organization hopes to reach their “March to a Million” goal of performing one million free eye surgeries annually. For more information, visit www.giftofvision.org.
Fundraising Event Will Raise Money with the Goal of Providing 1 Million Free Eye Surgeries in India Annually
On September 24, the Sankara Eye Foundation (SEF) will host the Be The Light Gala, a fundraising event to help eradicate curable blindness in India. The gala will be held at Cipriani 42nd Street, starting at 6:30 p.m.
The Be The Light Gala looks to help SEF meet its Vision 2030 goal, which is to provide 1 million eye surgeries each year at no cost to the patients. More than 45 million people in India are visually impaired, with 12 million of them blind. SEF USA will be performing approximately 300,000 free eye surgeries this year at its eleven Sankara Eye Hospitals and ten partner eye hospitals.
“If we are able to treat 80% of those who are visually impaired, that would be a significant accomplishment,” said Murali Krishnamurthy, Founder and Executive Chairman, Sankara Eye Foundation, USA. “Considering the vast need in India, and the low cost and efficiency of providing these surgeries, the money we raise will truly, positively impact the lives of tens of thousands of people. That is why this event is so important to us. We want to reach out to the children and adults in the underserved rural areas in India who are in desperate need of having these surgical procedures performed.”
The keynote speakers will be BV Jagadeesh, Managing Partner, KAAJ Ventures, and Warren Foust, Worldwide President, Johnson & Johnson Vision – Surgical Vision.
Mr. Jagadeesh is an active investor, having successfully invested and guided companies such as Nutanix, Yodlee, Arkin, Elastic Box, NetMagic Solutions, Ocarina Networks and Ankeena. Before founding KAAJ, he served as a Founding Investor and CEO of NetScaler, a company that was later sold to Citrix. Mr. Jagadeesh later served as Group Vice President and General Manager for Citrix’s Application Networking division.
Mr. Foust currently serves as the Worldwide President of the Surgical Vision business at Johnson & Johnson Vision, and is a member of the Johnson & Johnson Vision Leadership Team. He leads a team of passionate people who are dedicated to delivering innovation that enables eye care professionals to create better outcomes for patients throughout their lives. With more than two decades of global healthcare industry experience and surgical medical device expertise, Mr. Foust has dedicated his career to championing excellence in patient outcomes and serving unmet medical needs.
In addition, entertainment will be provided by members of the AATMA Performing Arts dancing school and singing sensation Jeffrey Iqbal. As the first American-born Bollywood singer, Mr. Iqbal has performed in over 30 countries and can be seen on Zee TV and Star Plus.
Individual tickets are $250 apiece. Tables of 10 are available for $2,000 and VIP tables of 10 cost $10,000. Sponsorships are also available. To purchase tickets, to RSVP or for sponsorship opportunities, visit www.giftofvision.org/MegaGalaSept24.
Cipriani is located at 110 East 42nd Street, New York, New York. For more information, or to donate, call 1 (866) SANKARA (726-5272) or visit www.giftofvision.org.
###
About The Sankara Eye Foundation
With locations in the United States and India, the Sankara Eye Foundation reaches out to those in the poorer, rural parts of India and provides them with eye care free of charge by building fully operational, self-sufficient specialty eye care hospitals across India. The goal is to eradicate curable blindness in India and meet its Vision 2030 initiative, which is to provide 1 million free eye surgeries each year. For more information, or to donate, call 1 (866) SANKARA (726-5272) or visit www.giftofvision.org.
For more information about our services or to find out how we can help you attain your marketing goals, click here to email us, or call: Toll Free: 855-PRMG-123 .: Phone: 631-207-1057