Dr. V.K. Raju Receives the Mahatma Gandhi Pravasi Samman Award During a Presentation in the House of Lords in London

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• India - English

MORGANTOWN, W.Va., Nov. 18, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Dr. V.K. Raju accepted the Mahatma Gandhi Pravasi Samman Medal, an Award for Non-Resident Indians for Global Achievement, on October 9 at The Palace of Westminster as presented by Honorable Baroness Sandip Verma, Minister of Energy and Climate change UK.  

Dr. Raju has dedicated his life to fight avoidable blindness.  To battle avoidable blindness on a global scale and to generate strength by partnering with other organizations, Raju founded the Eye Foundation of America.

Dr. Raju is the Founder and Medical Director of The Eye Foundation of America which has advanced the visual health of more than 1.7 million people in 21 countries.   

Dr. Raju's life is one of vision. The US based ophthalmologist envisioned the Eye Foundation of America and launched it in 1979 to expand free and subsidized eye care to those in need.   

Raju also helped found the Goutami Eye Institute, a fully-equipped eye hospital in Rajahmundry, India, with a wing dedicated to children's eye care. The Goutami Eye Institute has become a global training center for education, and exchange programs.  The Goutami Eye Institute has trained teachers to screen 100,000 school children for symptoms.  Since its inception the Eye Foundation of America has performed more than 300,000 surgeries, 25,000 of these surgeries on children. 

Dr. Raju has been decorated with numerous honors and awards that have documented his luminary status and noble lifetime contributions, including the highly prestigious Dr. Nathan Davis International Award presented by the American Medical Association Foundation. 

Dr. Raju commented, "I am humbled by these great honors and thank all of those who have given their support to help us work to fight avoidable blindness around the globe.  Each award is a stimulus to do more". 

He continued, "To receive the Mahatma Gandhi Pravasi Samman medal is especially heartwarming. I greatly appreciate this high honor.  This award helps to refortify our passion to help others preserve their sight. One day in the dark for any one person is one too many."     

For additional information go to: www.eyefoundationofamerica.org

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141118/159392

SOURCE The Eye Foundation of America

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http://www.eyefoundationofamerica.org