Indian Americans sponsor 12th Eye Camp in Amritsar

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Varinder Bhalla, Sharda Kotahwala, Ratna Bhalla, and Haridas Kotahwala. PHOTO: Courtesy Varinder Bhalla

Haridas and Sharda Kotahwala of New York sponsored the 12th Eye Camp held in Amritsar recently, organized by former Nassau County, NY Commissioner Varinder Bhalla.

Aimed at providing the gift of vision, the Eye Camp included free eye exams and eyeglasses to visually impaired individuals who could not afford them, including elderly individuals struggling with their daily chores and children unable to see the blackboards clearly in classrooms, impacting their studies, a press release from Bhalla said.

A native of Amritsar, Bhalla launched the first eye camp in January 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, including Gurjeet Singh Aujla, a Member of India’s Parliament; Om Parkash Soni, former Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab; and Sandeep Rishi, the then-Commissioner of Amritsar.

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To ensure that the program benefits only the genuinely needy, a thorough screening process is conducted to identify the financially underprivileged, the press release noted.

An eye examination machine being operated. PHOTO: Varinder Bhalla

Nearly 1,200 individuals have benefited from the program since its inception.

Satish Devgan, a local community leader in Amritsar is quoted commending the program. The Bhallas, “who are sitting thousands of miles away in New York but think of the less fortunate in their native Punjab,”  Devgan said, adding that the noble act of the Kotahwalas is even more inspiring, “because they are from Rajasthan and settled in New York for the past six decades but helping the needy in Amritsar.”

The Kotahwalas, known for their philanthropic contributions in both New York and India, have received numerous awards and accolades for their charitable endeavors.

Bhallas of Long Island also run AWB Food Bank in Delhi, which collects surplus food from hotels, airlines, and industry kitchens and distributes it to the disadvantaged and the destitute. Named after Bhalla’s late mother Agya Wanti Bhalla, AWB Food Bank has distributed over 15 million meals to the poor since its inception in 1991, Bhalla’s press release said.

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