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Boston-Bhubaneswar partnership results in centre for visually impared in India
The Manorama Choudhury Nayan Jyoti Vision-Aid CVI Resource Centre offers early diagnosis, rehabilitation, and family support for children with Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI).
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Pranavi Sharma - Wed, 16, Apr 2025
- 03:11 EDT
- 86
Vision-Aid is a non-profit organization dedicated to Enabling, Educating, and Empowering the visually impaired. / Courtesy Photo/Vision Aid
A new resource center aimed at supporting children with brain-based visual impairments was launched on Apr.15 at the L.V. Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI) in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. The initiative is the result of a partnership between Vision-Aid, a Massachusetts-based non-profit, and LVPEI, a leading eye care institution in India.
The Vision-Aid Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI) Resource Centre, named the Manorama Choudhury Nayan Jyoti Vision-Aid CVI Resource Centre, is designed to provide early diagnosis, rehabilitation, and family support for children affected by CVI, a condition caused by brain-based injury or impairment that affects how visual information is processed.
The center was formally inaugurated by Boston-based poet and philanthropist Manorama Choudhury, whose support helped make the project possible. Speaking at the event, Choudhury reflected on the broader impact of vision loss, noting, “Visual impairment affects not just individuals but entire families. By providing early intervention, assistive devices, and specialized training, Vision-Aid is empowering children to see beyond their limitations and embrace a future filled with possibilities.”
a beacon of hope for visually impaired children and their families in Eastern India. / Courtesy Photo/ Vision AidThe ceremony brought together doctors, families, and supporters of the visually impaired community. For many, the event was more than a formal launch. A parent of a child with CVI, who shared their personal story, described the emotional and financial strain of navigating the condition and said the center would bring “immense relief” to families like theirs.
Lalit Sudan, volunteer president of Vision-Aid, called the new center “a beacon of hope for visually impaired children and their families in Eastern India.” He added, “With this launch, we continue our mission to bring critical vision care and rehabilitation services to those in need. We are excited to expand our reach even further in the near future.”
LVPEI Bhubaneswar’s director, Dr. Srikant Kumar Sahu, opened the ceremony by highlighting the institute’s long-standing commitment to comprehensive vision care. Medical professionals Dr. Debasmita Majhi and Dr. Beula Christie discussed the center’s focus on early intervention, stressing that structured, timely rehabilitation can dramatically improve outcomes for children with CVI.
The event also featured remarks from Vision-Aid founders Revathy Ramakrishna and Ramakrishna Raju, who have been closely involved with the organization’s efforts to improve accessibility for people with visual impairments. Odisha’s first visually impaired civil service officer, Sanyasi Behera, also attended and noted that the center would help pave the way for a more inclusive future.
The Bhubaneswar facility joins a growing network of Vision-Aid partnerships across India, including collaborations with leading institutions like Aravind Eye Hospital, Sankara Nethralaya, Narayana Nethralaya, and Dr. Shroff’s Charity Eye Hospital. Vision-Aid currently supports over 25,000 people with visual impairments at 50 locations, including 20 eye hospitals.
“This is just the beginning,” Sudan said. “With the support of our dedicated partners and community, we look forward to opening more centers and making an even bigger impact in the lives of children with CVI.”
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