Driven by a visionary mission to eliminate preventable blindness, Dr. K. Bhujang Shetty established the Narayana Nethralaya Eye Foundation (NNEF) as a not-for-profit public charitable trust on January 31, 2018. His unwavering belief was that every individual, regardless of financial status, deserves access to the highest quality eye care.
Blindness and visual impairment remain among the most challenging disabilities, yet 80% of global blindness is preventable or treatable through proven, cost-effective interventions. Recognized as one of the top five tertiary eye care institutions in India, Narayana Nethralaya Hospital, along with NNEF, presents an ideal platform for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) partnerships.
NNEF is actively engaged in conducting free vision screening camps, awareness drives, eye check-ups, and eye donation campaigns across underserved communities. These initiatives aim to raise awareness, deliver quality eye care, and extend critical support to those lacking financial and medical resources.
Dr. K. Bhujang Shetty
“I appreciate Dr. Bhujang Shetty for the selfless dedication in the fight against eradicating preventable blindness. We are launching a program, a first of its kind in the country, that will offer free treatment and spectacles to all underprivileged and would like Dr. Bhujang Shetty to lead as a mentor.”
SRI. BASAVARAJ S BOMMAI
Ex-Chief Minister of Karnataka(During the inauguration ceremony of Narayana Devalaya)
Cataract is a leading cause of preventable blindness in India due to limited awareness, poor accessibility, and affordability of eye care, especially in rural areas. Despite being treatable through a simple surgery, many remain blind because of delayed diagnosis, lack of resources, and inadequate outreach. Through our community outreach programs in rural and semi-urban areas, we strive to ensure that underprivileged individuals receive timely cataract treatment free of cost or at highly subsidized rates.
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“Any work done for humanity is work done for God. Tumkuru is fortunate to have such an advanced hospital with state-of-the-art equipment with no compromise in quality of patient care for free eye treatment for the poor and needy. We should make Karnataka free of disease.”
Poojya Sri Sri Sri Siddalinga Mahaswamiji
President, Siddaganga Mutt
Narayana Devalaya is a charitable hospital established under the Narayana Nethralaya Eye Foundation, dedicated to providing free cataract surgeries, spectacles, and medicines to BPL cardholders. Operated entirely without cash counters, the hospital ensures that financial barriers never prevent access to essential eye care. Despite offering free services, Narayana Devalaya is equipped with ultra-modern operation theatres and staffed by some of the most experienced eye surgeons, delivering high-quality care to those who need it most.
Located on the Bangalore–Tumkur Highway in Karnataka, Narayana Devalaya is a five-storey, 40,000 sq. ft. super-speciality eye hospital built to serve as a dedicated centre for cataract treatment. With three state-of-the-art operation theatres, the hospital has the capacity to perform up to 50,000 cataract surgeries annually. The initiative reflects our vision to eliminate cataract-induced blindness in Karnataka by making advanced eye care both accessible and free for underserved communities.
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Regular vision screening in school-aged children plays a critical role in safeguarding their overall development and academic performance. Many eye conditions, such as refractive errors, infections, cataracts, squint, colour blindness, and genetic disorders, often go unnoticed in children, especially in the early years when they may be unable to express visual difficulties. If left undiagnosed, these issues can significantly impact learning, social interaction, and the healthy development of the visual system.
Our SMART School Screening Program is a proactive initiative designed to systematically identify visual impairments through routine, school-based eye examinations. By detecting problems early, we ensure timely medical or surgical intervention, minimizing long-term complications and supporting the child’s ability to reach their full potential. The program also focuses on raising awareness among teachers and parents about the importance of eye health, helping to create an informed and supportive environment for every child.
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Statistics show that there are 15 million blind people in India, out of which 6.8 million are estimated to suffer from corneal blindness due to injuries, infections, congenital defects, deficiency of Vitamin A, malnutrition, or other factors. Normal eyesight can be restored in these people through corneal transplantation, which is possible only through eye donations as there is no substitute for human tissue. With a goal of “Sight for all” in the near future, we need to work together as a nation towards the elimination of avoidable blindness. Donate Eyes, Gift Sight!
– Dr. K. Bhujang Shetty
Narayana Nethralaya Eye Foundation has two eye banks under it which collectively cater to over 50% of Karnataka’s corneal tissue requirements. The first state-of-the-art eye bank, Dr. Rajkumar Eye Bank, was established in 1994 at NN1, Rajajinagar, and named after the legendary Kannada actor Dr. Rajkumar, who pledged his own eyes and championed the cause of eye donation. His commitment significantly influenced public sentiment, leading to a surge in pledges and donations, particularly after his passing in 2006. This eye bank was ranked first in Karnataka for cornea collection in 2016–2017 and 2017–2018.
Building on this success, Narayana Nethralaya established its second advanced eye banking facility, the Shankar Anand Singh Eye Bank, in 2008 at Narayana Health City. This centre was made possible through the generous contribution of Mr. Anand Singh, in whose honour the bank is named. Like its predecessor, it meets international standards in tissue banking and is committed to combating corneal blindness through public awareness and the promotion of eye donation.
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At Narayana Nethralaya, we are committed to ensuring that every child affected by eye cancer receives the highest standard of care, with the goal of alleviating the burden on both the child and their family. Our patients benefit from a multidisciplinary approach through close collaboration with the paediatric oncology team at the Mazumdar–Shaw Cancer Centre. We also have a collaboration with IKSHA Foundation, a non-profit organisation which provides complete support to the affected child and the family — right from financial assistance to counselling services — covering all aspects of treatment and rehabilitation comprehensively.
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Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) is a leading cause of preventable blindness in infants, primarily affecting premature babies born before 34 weeks of gestation and weighing less than 2 kilograms. If not diagnosed and treated promptly, ROP can result in permanent visual impairment or complete blindness in both eyes. Early detection is critical, especially in rural areas where access to specialized neonatal eye care is limited.
To address this challenge, Narayana Nethralaya launched the KIDROP (Karnataka Internet Assisted Diagnosis of Retinopathy of Prematurity) program in 2008, in collaboration with the Government of India. KIDROP is India’s first and the world’s largest telemedicine initiative for ROP screening, providing timely diagnosis and intervention in underserved regions. The program has received national and international recognition, including the “PPP of the Year” award in 2012 and the National Award for Excellence in Health Care for Outreach in Rural Areas in 2016. Adopted by multiple Indian states and supported by global organizations such as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), NITI Aayog, and the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust (UK), KIDROP continues to serve as a model for effective public-private partnerships in neonatal eye care.
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Donations to support these noble causes can be made to Narayana Nethralaya Eye Foundation. The foundation is eligible for CSR funding as it is registered under sections 12A and 80G of the Income Tax Act of 1962. The entity has also been registered for undertaking CSR activities with the central govt and its registration number is CSR00052036. Healthcare as a CSR activity is included in Schedule 7 of the Companies Act, 2013
