Page 18 - The Indian EYE 121324

NORTH AMERICAN Newsline DECEMBER 13, 2024 | The Indian Eye 18

NRIs from New York Organize

12th Eye Camp in Amritsar

Since its inception, 12 camps have been organized in Amritsar, with nearly 1,200

individuals benefiting from the program

OUR BUREAU
New York, NY

aridas and Sharda Kotahwala
of New York sponsored the
H12th Eye Camp organized
by Varinder Bhalla in Amritsar, to
provide the gift of vision with free
eye exams and eyeglasses to visually
impaired individuals who could not
afford them, including elderly in-
dividuals struggling with their daily
chores and children unable to see the
blackboards clearly in classrooms, im-
pacting their studies.
Varinder Bhalla, the former
commissioner of Nassau County,
New York, a native of Amritsar,
launched the first eye camp in Jan-
uary 2023 to honor the legacy of
his late father, a staunch supporter
of the visually impaired children at
a local institute for the Blind. The
inaugural camp was attended by
notable figures of Punjab, includ-
ing Gurjeet Singh Aujla, a Member
of India’s Parliament; Om Parkash ty leader in Amritsar commended the
Soni, former Deputy Chief Minister Bhallas, “who are sitting thousands of
of Punjab; and Sandeep Rishi, the miles away in New York but think of
then-Commissioner of Amritsar. the less fortunate in their native Pun-
To ensure that the program ben- jab.” The noble act of the Kotahwalas
efits only the genuinely needy, a thor- is even more inspiring, says Devgan,
ough screening process is conducted “because they are from Rajasthan
to identify the financially underpriv- and settled in New York for the past
ileged. Selected individuals undergo six decades but helping the needy in
computerized and manual eye exams Amritsar.”
by optometrists, who prescribe cor- The Kotahwalas, known for their
rective lenses for conditions such as philanthropic contributions in both
myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism. New York and India, have received
Patients also have the opportunity numerous awards and accolades for
to select the frames of their choice. their charitable endeavors.
Finally, eyeglasses are distributed to The Bhallas of Long Island also
the recipients at the eye camp. run AWB Food Bank in Delhi, which
Since its inception, 12 camps have collects surplus food from hotels,
been organized in Amritsar, with near- airlines, and industry kitchens and
ly 1,200 individuals benefiting from distributes it to the disadvantaged
the program. Eye camps are orga- and the destitute. Named after Bhal-
nized monthly, except during extreme la’s late mother Agya Wanti Bhalla,
weather conditions that make it lo- AWB Food Bank has distributed over
gistically challenging and prohibitive. 15 million meals to the poor since its
Satish Devgan, a local communi- inception in 1991.

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