Humanitarian spirit shines in Phagwara through free eye surgeries for needy

Acts of compassion and community service took centrestage in Phagwara as two major welfare initiatives brought light to the lives of underprivileged individuals through free eye surgeries. Both events — organised by Sarv Nojawan Sabha, Phagwara, under its “Aao Punn Kamaaiye” (Let’s Earn Virtue) project, and by NRI Sall family in collaboration with Dr Rajan Eye Care — reaffirmed the city’s growing culture of humanitarian outreach.

Under the ‘Aao Punn Kamaaiye’ series, the Sarv Nojawan Sabha and Sarv Nojawan Welfare Society arranged a free cataract operation for a needy 33-year-old youth, Munna. The initiative, led by sabha president Sukhwinder Singh and supported financially by industrialist Jatinder Singh Kundi, was successfully carried out by noted ophthalmologist Tushar Agarwal, who implanted a corrective lens to restore the patient’s eyesight.

A brief ceremony to mark the occasion was attended by block Congress Phagwara Urban president and councillor Bunty Walia as chief guest, along with social workers Amit Sudhir, Swarn Singh and Madan Lal Korotania as special guests.

Walia praised the sabha’s humanitarian initiative, describing it as an inspiring example of true social service. “Real service to society begins when we can feel the pain of the needy,” he said, urging the youth to join organisations working selflessly for public welfare. Sudhir also lauded the effort, saying that restoring someone’s eyesight was one of the greatest acts of benevolence and a reminder of humanity’s true duty to serve others within one’s means.

Agarwal, while offering guidance on eye care, observed that the development of cataract in such a young individual highlighted the need for regular eye check-ups. He explained that cataract often progressed slowly and could be treated easily if diagnosed early. Agarwal assured continued collaboration with the sabha and the welfare society for similar surgeries in the future. The organisers later honoured Agarwal and his team for their contribution.

In another initiative, Sall family, in association with Dr Rajan Eye Care, Phagwara, organised a large-scale free eye-check-up and surgery camp at Gurdwara Shaheedan, Bhullarai bypass. During the camp, 535 patients were examined, and 29 of them underwent free cataract surgeries, receiving foldable lenses to restore their vision. The organisers also distributed 260 free eyeglasses and 420 sets of medicines to the patients.

The camp was attended by blood bank president Malkiat Singh Ragbotra, writer Gurmeet Palahi and Phagwara Market Committee chairman Tavinder Ram, who appreciated the Sall family and Dr Rajan Eye Care for their noble service. They said that such medical camps played a crucial role in supporting economically weaker families and promoting preventive healthcare.

Dr S Rajan said that all post-surgery patients were also provided with protective glasses and follow-up care instructions. He emphasised the importance of timely treatment, advising people not to ignore eye problems and to seek expert medical advice immediately.