Sankara Eye Foundation TV9

Sankara Eye Foundation

Inspired by Kanchi Sankaracharya, Sankara Eye hospital first started in Coimbatore 40 years ago by Dr. Ramani. It has since expanded to nine hospitals across India. The hospitals are built solely from donations to  Sankara Eye Foundation US and Sankara Eye Foundation India. Three more hospitals are being built one each in Mumbai, Indore and Hyderabad.

SEF has so far completed over 1.75 million free eye surgeries and is ranked as the biggest global eye care provider. It is reaching out to the villages of India to provide high quality and cost effective eye care. The hospitals are equipped with the most high- tech equipment and operates on a 80:20 ratio model where eighty percent of the beneficiaries are the rural poor and donations being collected from twenty percent rich. 

Shankar Ehsan Loy and Farthan Akhtar concert: Fundraising for Sankara Eye Foundation - USA - TV9 

TV9 has been supporting Sankara Eye Foundation US and Sankara Eye Foundation India non-profit organisations working towards eradicating curable blindness. Eye care is an area where there is a huge need for medical intervention. Nearly 12 million in India are totally blind and eighty percent of blindness is preventable. 

Fundraising event for Sankara Eye foundation in San Jose - USA - TV9

As part of its social work the Sankara Eye Foundation started a hospital in Guntur in 2004 at Pedakakani, on the national highway between Vijayawada and Guntur. On an average 25,000 eye surgeries are performed every year.  The hospital was built with funds donated by Andhra NRIs and other Telugu associations in US. Plans are afoot to build a 200 bed hospital at Narsingi in Telangana presently with donations being collected by SEF US.

Sankara Eye Foundation's Dandiya fundraiser in California - USA - TV9

TV9 has been airing SEF US fund raising activities by carrying free scrolls, promos and coverage of events. Recently TV9 has been recognised and honoured with an inscription in Guntur hospital's "Paediatric Refraction" ward as a significant "Media Partner".

Bay Area NRIs raise over $ 3 lakh for Sankara Eye foundation - USA - TV9

As part of its Corporate social responsibility TV9 channel has always supported numerous causes over the years. Additionally Ravi Prakash Foundation was founded in 2017 to further his commitment and passion for making change in society by supporting the cause of education and health. Today Ravi Prakash Foundation is  undertaking philanthropic activities in these areas.

TV9 Go Green Ganesha Campaign

Eco- friendly Ganesh

The next big campaign of TV9 is an annual event of the channel to promote eco -  friendly Ganesh. In the past TV9 was a role model in the making of a huge eco- friendly Ganesh to show people that it is possible to have greener options instead of POP idols prevalent for the festival all over the country.

63 foot Eco friendly Ganesh in Vijayawada - Tv9

In 2015 September TV9 in association with Doondi Ganesh Seva Samiti set up eco- friendly Ganesh at Ghantasala Sangeeta Kalasala in Vijayawada.  The sixty three feet tallest Ganesh entered the Limca Book of Records. In the making of Ganesh twenty-five tonnes of iron, thirty tonnes of wood, seventy tonnes of clay and one a half-ton of coconut fibre was used. On an average two lakh people visited the idol everyday for a period of eleven days. Celebrities also graced the festivities. For the immersion of the idol an innovative idea was implemented. Sprinklers arranged behind the idol poured water from above and slowly the idol melted at the place where it stood. Vijayawada people came in lakhs to watch this wonder on the immersion day.

Heavy preparations for Vijayawada Eco friendly Ganesh immersion - Tv9 

The next year in 2016 and in successive years TV9 set up many eco-friendly Ganesh idols in Vijayawada and Hyderabad. This year too TV9 plans to carry out the Green Ganesha campaign.

72 foot clay Ganesh steals show in Vijayawada - TV9