Ranchi to host Blindfold Run for Vision on August 30 to promote eye donation
THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK Ranchi, July 16: Ranchi will host a unique Blindfold Run for Vision 2026 on August 30 to spread…
Dr. Bharti Kashyap, Medical Director of Kashyap Memorial Eye Bank, presents the poster of Blindfold Run for Vision 2026 to Jharkhand Health Minister Dr Irfan Ansari.
THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Ranchi, July 16: Ranchi will host a unique Blindfold Run for Vision 2026 on August 30 to spread awareness about eye donation and encourage people to pledge their eyes. The event is being jointly organised by the Eye Donation Awareness Club, Kashyap Memorial Eye Bank and the National Health Mission (NHM).
The campaign was officially launched at a press conference held at the residence of the State Health Minister, Dr Irfan Ansari, who announced NHM’s full support for the initiative.
The minister said Chief Minister Hemant Soren would be invited as the Chief Guest, while former India cricket captain and former Member of Parliament Mohammad Azharuddin is expected to attend as the Guest of Honour.
Participants to experience life without sight
The marathon will begin at 7 a.m. and is among the country’s most distinctive public awareness events. Participants will run wearing blindfolds to experience, even briefly, the challenges faced by visually impaired people.
Organisers said the event aims to create empathy while motivating people to pledge their eyes and support the cause of eye donation.
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Campaign marks two decades of public awareness
The Health Minister said the Run for Vision campaign and the Blindfold Marathon have been organised continuously for the past 20 years, evolving into a powerful public awareness movement.
He said the initiative demonstrates how sustained community engagement can transform a social cause into a people’s movement.
Over 1,000 people regain vision through corneal transplants
Highlighting the contribution of noted ophthalmologists Dr. Bharti Kashyap and Dr. B.P. Kashyap, the minister said their decades-long efforts have helped restore the eyesight of 1,089 people through corneal transplantation.
He recalled that the couple performed Jharkhand’s first successful free corneal transplant in 1996 and later strengthened the state’s eye banking infrastructure after receiving specialised training at the L.V. Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, enabling the introduction of advanced cornea preservation facilities.
Marathon coincides with National Eye Donation Fortnight
Dr. Bharti Kashyap, Medical Director of Kashyap Memorial Eye Bank, said this year’s event is being organised during the 41st National Eye Donation Fortnight and has received valuable support from the National Health Mission, helping expand the campaign’s reach.
She said one of the most inspiring aspects of the marathon is the participation of hundreds of children, who run blindfolded while being guided by fellow students.
“This symbolises compassion, inclusion and hope, while helping children understand the importance of supporting people with visual impairment,” she said.
Public invited to join the campaign
The organisers have appealed to schools, colleges, social organisations and the general public to participate in the marathon and pledge support for eye donation.
They said the campaign aims to make Jharkhand free from avoidable corneal blindness by increasing public awareness and encouraging more people to donate their eyes after death.
