From Darkness to Light Project in India
The concept of an Eye Camp in India was the dream of Dr Alok Sharma, an Ophthalmologist and a member of the Rotary Club of Wagga Wagga.
Alok had the seed sown by a Sister in one of the Temples he worshiped at in India some 6 years ago when he returned to India to visit relatives. Having joined Rotary in 2003, Alok put his dream into reality and set about to raise funds to undertake some 200 cataract operations somewhere in India near his home town north of Delhi.
A phone call to Mr Rajiv Bhatia, Charter President and current Assistant District Governor of the Rotary Club of Yamuna Nagar – Riviera in District 3080 was music to Alok’s ears as Rajiv was most enthusiastic.
A very successful Indian Dinner was held at the Wagga Wagga Country Club in July 2005, where 173 people attended with guests including the Consul General for India based in Sydney.
The Rotary Club of Wagga Wagga was absolutely stunned when Sydney chef, Mr Ajoy Joshi and his wife Meera who own Nilgiri’s Restaurant in St Leonards, donated all the food, travelled to Wagga to cook the meal then donated 10 meals at his Sydney Restaurant and a further $1,000 from the sale of his Indian Cook Books. All together we believe their donation to the project exceeded $7,000.
This dinner was the catalyst for the support that followed. We have been amazed at the generosity of people, not only from Wagga Wagga but as far as Melbourne and Townsville. With cash donations, medical supplies and equipment the estimated donations were over $71,500 (INR2.36M).
Alok’s Dad personally distributed pamphlets to about 20 of the 150 villages visited in the Yamuna Nagar District in an Auto Rickshaw fitted with a loud speaker to advise these very poor people that an Eye Camp was being planned and fully funded. The Rotary Club of Wagga Wagga paid for the cost of the operation, medicine, glasses and food for each patient and their carer.
The Rotary Club of Yamuna Nagar – Riviera under their President, Dr Nikhil Srivastava co-ordinated their members to put all the planning for such a project into action. The team support was exceptional with a number of members taking a week off work and worked around the clock as operations continued on till after 3.00am each day.
Alok received fantastic family support from his wife, parents, sister, and father in law. The three day Eye Camp was held from 18 to 20 November 2005 at the Civil Hospital in Yamuna Nagar some 4 hours drive north of Delhi with the assistance of staff from the Eye Hospital at Rohtak.
I would ask Alok to present to you our project “from Darkness to Light” with a CD presentation of the three (3) day Eye Camp
THANK YOU ALOK:
The Rotary Club of Wagga Wagga is proud to be part of such a wonderful project that will restore vision to many blind people. The Camp was very successful with over 2,000 people turning up. In total some 1,100 people were checked out with 245 cataract operations undertaken, over 700 medicines dispensed and 230 sets of glasses issued.
The follow up Camp on 10 December 2005 was also very successful with no cases of infection found in any of the patients treated.
Alok has lead by example and it is his enthusiasm that has generated the support of so many. I congratulate Alok on a magnificent achievement and thank him and his family for making my trip to India so gratifying.
Please congratulate Alok for his outstanding work.