Silver Jubilee Celebrations – Team LVPEI Runs Deep

L V Prasad Eye Institute celebrated its Silver Jubilee Anniversary on June 1, 2012, with a grand event. Last year, the festivities marking the launch of the 25th year were characterized by nostalgia of the early days and a special tribute to all those benefactors who held our hand along the way and provided the resources vital to our growth and success. This time, it was the turn to thank the LVPEI family — the team that powers the network. The Silver Jubilee program paid tribute to the staff, lauding their untiring efforts, passion and dedication in making the institute a globally renowned centre.

Dr Gullapalli N Rao, Chair, LVPEI, began the show by welcoming everyone. The large hall was packed with staff and families, invited guests and donors, and faculty from all the campuses. Dr Rao said he was very proud of the achievements of the institute, over the past two and a half decades. He thanked the staff for making the LVPEI dream a reality and also acknowledged the institute’s donors and supporters for their unstinted support.

One of our earliest employees, Vanita Ganesh, who has completed 25 years of service, shared the challenges, trials and triumphs of her early days. She said good work and dedication were always appreciated.

As a token of appreciation for the LVPEI team, and to commemorate the Silver Jubilee, a special silver coin was designed, to be gifted to each and every employee. The coin was released by Prof Brien Holden, CEO, Brien Holden Vision Institute, Sydney, Australia. Speaking on the occasion, Prof Holden congratulated Dr Rao for the success of the institute and presented a plaque to him, with the inscription, “Presented to Dr G N Rao in recognition of your outstanding dedication and commitment to improve quality of vision for all people above and beyond the call of duty, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary celebration of the L V Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, India. From the Brien Holden Vision Institute, Sydney, Australia”.

Two commemorative books were released by two major founding donors of the institute — Mrs Pratibha Rao and Mr Ramesh Prasad, Chair, Prasad Group. “So that all may see” tells the story of LVPEI — its vision, mission and the people who strive to eliminate visual impairment. The second book, “twenty twenty — the art and aesthetics of l v prasad eye institute” is a compilation of the fabulous paintings and sculptures, as well as the colorful gardens and flowers that are the hallmark of all our campuses. The book was put together by our artist-in-residence, Mr Surya Prakash.

The LVPEI family has been nurtured with great care over the years. The early members of the family defined and imparted the founding principles of excellence and equity and strengthened the team with the bonding of a shared vision. Dr Taraprasad Das, Director, Bhubaneswar campus, took the stage to speak about how the bonding between the employees led to the building of Brand LVPEI. He recalled a bomb threat to the institute and how the staff continued to work in the Operating Theatre, as they could not abandon the ongoing surgery on a child. The shared vision and compassion has enabled us to become a global organisation today.

The institute has grown to encompass a larger network of global alliances. What is the role of LVPEI in the context of global eye care and the prevention of blindness? To share that perspective, was an honored guest who has a large view of the world of eye care, as well as personal knowledge of the institute and its faculty. President of the International Council of Ophthalmology and Deputy Executive President of the Council of Medical Specialty Societies, Prof Bruce Spivey took the stage. Prof Spivey, considered the father of ophthalmology, commended the institute for its success in reaching out to the poor through its pyramid model of eye health care service delivery. The model is being replicated by other countries and health organizations for providing sustainable health care.

One of the highlights of the evening was the video documentary of various LVPEI teams at work, especially compiled for the occasion by M Shobha, with an evocative script by Dr Pravin V Krishna. “LVPEI Runs Deep” touched upon all the departments and the behind-the-scenes people who enable world-class eye care service delivery to patients and help build the LVPEI brand across the world.

LVPEI has touched millions of people at home and around the world. The institute is at the vanguard of the fight against blindness, yet there are many miles to go to eliminate all avoidable blindness. Having fondly remembered the past, and taken pride in the present, it was time to contemplate the future. Dr Avinash Pathengay, Associate Director, shared a glimpse of the road ahead, with snippets of the vision of some of the faculty and staff for possible directions for expansion.

LVPEI is not only about eye care! All those who have visited our campuses know of our strong affiliation with the world of art — whether it is in the form of beautiful gardens, stunning sculptures or gorgeous paintings. To add color and joy to the evening, was a performance by Smt Mangala Bhatt, world-renowned Kathak dancer. A disciple of Kathak Maestro, Pt Durga Lal ji, she is an empanelled artiste with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations. Smt Mangala began her performance with an invocation to Lord Krishna, followed by several pieces showcasing the technical complexities of Kathak: intricate footwork, lyrical movements, and swift pirouettes. Dr Usha Gopinathan, Executive Director and an accomplished Indian classical dancer herself, introduced the various components of the performance. At the end, Dr Sriram Sonty felicitated Smt Mangala Bhatt and her group. Dr Sonty, Clinical Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Illinois, Chicago, USA, was one of the founding members of LVPEI and spent about a year with us during the early days of the institute.