Bhojraj Chanrai Sankara Eye Hospital

Sankara Eye Foundation is focused on providing the highest quality & value for money eye care services and has emerged as the most preferred recognized eye care facility. A movement started 35 years ago by Dr. Ramani and Dr. Radha, our network has cumulatively performed over 1 million vision restoring surgeries and today we are amongst the largest providers of eye care in the country.The origins of Sankara Eye Foundation can be traced back to the Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Medical Trust. By 1982, the activities of Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Medical Trust had grown very diverse and grown well. At this juncture, the Acharyas advised Dr.Ramani to establish Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Medical Trust exclusively to oversee health related activities. A board of Trustees were appointed who have continued to guide its activities, ever since. In 1985, a new chapter in the history of the Trust was waiting to be born: under the leadership of Dr. Ramani and the persuasion and deep commitment of many doctors, especially Dr. S.Balasubramaniam, the idea of focusing on a specialised area of medical care emerged. The incidences of preventable and curable blindness in India was very high during the 1980s and there was much that could be done. Naturally, the 10x10 sq.ft.clinic would not do for such a lofty dream; Providence would not have it that way either. A good friend of Dr. Ramani, Shri Natraj came forward and donated 5.5 acres of land in Sivanandapuram, in the Saravanampatty area of Coimbatore. Back then, this area was a remote hamlet, very unlike the buzzing IT centre that it has become today. The entire land was covered in Parthenium and far removed from the rest of the city. Again, help came in the form of friends. Soon, a fencing was erected around the land and coconut trees were planted alongside the fence. A bore well was also sunk and on another side of the fence, avenue trees were planted as well. The residential quarters in the hospital premises were lined with suitable plants as well. Construction of the hospital that was to be named Sankara Eye Hospital, later called the Sankara Eye Foundation, was yet to begin. This is when Dr. S.V. Balasubramaniam, both a visionary and philanthropist, came forward to donate a Toyota van and construct a 1000 sq.feet consultation centre - Vedanayagam centre within the premises. The van was used for the Trust's outreach programmes. From that beginning, there was no looking back. To the team at Sankara, Eye Care was going to be a long-term mission. Therefore, every facet of construction – be it the 10 feet wide corridors, the H-type architecture that segregates outpatient care from diagnostics and inpatient care, paving way for natural light to come in, or demarcating the support activities such as the canteen and purchase areas from the main hospital, were planned, keeping the future in mind. The architecture and construction remains relevant even today.