THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Ranchi, Sept 7: The Blindfolded Run for Vision—an annual event to raise awareness about eye donation—turned into a grand celebration of sight and social responsibility at St. Xavier’s College Campus, Ranchi, on Sunday. Organised jointly by the Kashyap Memorial Eye Bank and the Eye Donation Awareness Club, the event is now in its 23rd year, with the blindfolded format being held for the past seven years.
Finance Minister Leads by Example
The Chief Guest, Finance Minister Radhakrishna Kishore, inaugurated the event by releasing colourful balloons into the sky and later took the lead in pledging for eye donation. He filled out the official eye donation oath form in front of hundreds of young participants and dignitaries, sending out a powerful message.
Kishore also honoured 30 families who had donated the eyes of their loved ones after death. “Their decision has given the gift of sight to others. This is true service to humanity,” he said.
Youths Run Blindfolded for Awareness
The highlight of the day was the Blindfolded Run for Vision, where hundreds of students from St. Xavier’s College, Ursuline Inter College, and NSS volunteers ran blindfolded to symbolise the struggles of the visually impaired.
Following the run, an Eye Donation Awareness Rally was held through the city, with participation from the Finance Minister, representatives of IMA Ranchi and Jharkhand, Jharkhand State Service Association, FJCCI, and senior faculty members of St. Xavier’s and Ursuline colleges.
Kashyap’s Pioneer Eye Transplant Work
Dr. Bharti Kashyap, Medical Director of Kashyap Memorial Eye Bank, reminded the audience that the institution has been a pioneer in corneal transplant surgery in Jharkhand and Bihar.
- 1,015 cornea transplants have been performed so far.
- Of these, 490 transplants were carried out in the last five years alone.
- All operations were achieved without additional government expenditure on infrastructure or manpower.
“We are proud that Kashyap Memorial Eye Bank continues to perform the maximum number of corneal transplants in Jharkhand. Events like these are crucial to break the myths that stop people from pledging their eyes,” Dr. Kashyap said.
She also emphasised the urgent need for donations:
- Around 1 crore people die every year in India, but only 50,000 corneas are donated.
- Out of these, just 30,000 are usable.
- Meanwhile, more than 2.5 lakh patients are waiting for transplants.
“The demand far outstrips supply. Misconceptions are the biggest hurdle, and they are completely baseless,” she added.
Leaders, Doctors, and Artists Join Hands
Prominent leaders, including Shibu Soren, Arjun Munda, Babulal Marandi, and President Droupadi Murmu, have supported the campaign in the past, inspiring people by pledging their own eyes.
This year’s winners of the blindfolded run were felicitated by a distinguished panel: Anuj Sinha (President, Eye Donation Awareness Club), Dr. Father Prabhat Kennedy Soreng (Registrar, St. Xavier’s College), Dr. Anirban Gupta, Dr. Pradeep Singh (Secretary, IMA Jharkhand), Dr. Shekhar Chaudhary (President, IMA Ranchi), Dr. Bimalesh Singh (President, Jharkhand State Service Association), Mr. Paresh Gattani (President, FJCCI Ranchi), Padmashri Mukund Nayak, and Dr. B. P. Kashyap (Director, Kashyap Memorial Eye Hospital).
Group-Wise Winners of Blindfolded Run for Vision
The race was held in 10 groups, and the following participants emerged winners:
- Group 1: Anjali Kumari, Sanvi Khalkho | Tanu Kumari, Neha Kumari
- Group 2: Anjali Kumari, Akansha Xalxo | Shanvi Singh, Sakshi Hansda
- Group 3: Mera Murmu, Anokhi Hansda | Dipshikha Bora, Misal Khalkho
- Group 4: Supriya Gari, Archana Soren | Srishty Kumari, Nishi Kispotta
- Group 5: Nisha Kachhap, Alka Indwar | Chancellor Kumari, Neha Saw
- Group 6: Sundram Kumar, Prince Saw | Anurag Ekka, Rohit Kumar
- Group 7: Sanjeev Kumar, Vikram Dev | Tashin Akbar, Shashwat Pathak
- Group 8: Arun Oraon, Aman Kumar | Sourabh Raj, Shivam
- Group 9: Ayush Prabhakar, Mayank Bharti | Aryan Raj, Karan Yadav
- Group 10: Swarndeep, Dhruw Kumar Gupta | Praveen Ekka, Laxmi Kant Mahto
Tribute to Eye Donor Families
A deeply emotional part of the program was the felicitation of 30 families who had donated eyes of their loved ones. The families honoured included:
- Satyanarayan Aggarwal
- Gopal Ram Agarwal
- Pukhraj Rampuria
- Usha Parasrampuria
- Nandlal Rathaur
- Mira Budhia
- Geeta Devi
- Radhey Shyam Kejriwal
- Shanti Devi Mansinka
- Dilip Kumar Budhia
- Anand Ram Bhagat
- Rita Devi
- Prema Dhanuka
- Gitashree Mallik
- Gitashree Bajaj
- Savitri Devi Tantia
- Uma Mehra
- Gauri Devi Rathod
- Kailash Prasad Chaudhary
- Kamla Devi
- Sudip Kumar Karm
- Mukund Gupta
- Chaniya Devi
- Laxmi Devi Parsuramparia
- Jamuna Devi Khetan
- Bimal Jain
- Yogendra Narayan Sinha
- Indu Agarwal
- Santosh Kumar Aggarwal
- Mira Pratapsinh Raipat
Their names were read out with respect, as the audience applauded their noble decision to give the gift of sight.
A Vision for the Future
Dr. Bibhuti Kashyap, Deputy Director of Kashyap Memorial Eye Hospital, closed the ceremony with a vote of thanks, expressing appreciation to dignitaries, students, and the donor families for their support in making the event a success.
The Blindfolded Run for Vision has become a unique tradition in Ranchi, unmatched by any other campaign in India. With growing participation from youth and strong leadership from the Kashyaps, the movement continues to shine light on the critical need for eye donation—turning loss into a new beginning for the blind.
