In just a few short years, Operation Eyesight and our supporters have made a remarkable impact through the NMDC Hyderabad Marathon. This year marks our fourth consecutive year participating, with our team proudly donning Operation Eyesight jerseys to spread the message of eye health and raise funds for our Gift of Sight campaign. Last year, we raised INR 5,14,152, surpassing our goal of INR 5,00,000 for 2024 and exceeding our previous fundraising record.

A marathon that unites and inspires

Now in its 14th year, the NMDC Hyderabad Marathon 2025 is more than just a sporting event – it’s a movement that brings thousands of individuals together for a common cause, creating positive change. As one of the 20+ NGOs supported through the event, we are proud to be part of this inspiring community that champions healthcare, education, environmental sustainability, and women’s empowerment.

Donate Here

Discover more about our team members, meet the runners, and contribute to our fundraising mission by visiting the Operation Eyesight India team page.

Voices from the team: Why we run

Subhadip Bhattacharya, Head – Resource Mobilization at Operation Eyesight India, shares his experience:

“Every year, we challenge ourselves to go beyond limits – not just physically, but in our mission to eliminate avoidable vision loss. Running in this Marathon isn’t just about endurance; it’s about giving children the clear vision they need to learn and succeed. Every step we take represents a student who will now be able to see the blackboard clearly. Your support fuels this mission.”

To learn more or make a donation, visit our team page.

Reflecting on 2024’s success

In 2024, through our partner hospitals, vision centres, and outreach camps, we accomplished these remarkable milestones:

✅ Free eye screenings for 7,500 students
✅ 362 free pairs of spectacles distributed

This year, our goal is to reach even more people!

Join us: Be part of the movement

The NMDC Hyderabad Marathon 2025, powered by IDFC First Bank and organized by Hyderabad Runners Society, has grown from 1,250 runners in 2011 to over 27,000 participants, making it India’s second-largest running event. The event aims to spread awareness about running, promote an active lifestyle and unite the city for a common cause.

Support Operation Eyesight at the NMDC Hyderabad Marathon 2025. Your generous donations will provide free spectacles for students and fund eye surgeries for senior citizens in need. Join us in preventing blindness and restoring sight. Give the Gift of Sight now and help us make 2025 our most impactful year yet!

👉 Donate today

🏃‍ Register with an Operation Eyesight charity bib

The post We are back in the race at NMDC Hyderabad Marathon 2025 appeared first on Operation Eyesight.

As her vision faded more and more, Rathnamma was forced to cut back at work, putting extra financial strain on her household.

Rathnamma knew she needed help. She wanted to go to one of the nearby hospitals to seek treatment, but she kept quiet for two years, worried she wouldn’t be able to afford the cost.  

Rathnamma was on the verge of losing her sight, and her hope for the future was running out.

But one day everything changed! Operation Eyesight-trained community health workers visited the family during a community outreach program. When they reached the couple’s home, they told Rathnamma they were there to screen the family for eye health issues. They immediately recognized that Rathnamma ‘s sight was fading, and they referred her to a vision centre where she was diagnosed with cataracts. From there, she was referred to our partner hospital for cataract surgeries – free of charge!

Soon after, Rathnamma underwent sight-restoring eye surgery. Today she is able to see clearly. Now she’s back at work and earning more to support her little family!

And that’s not all. Although Vankitaraman had incurable blindness, the community health workers taught him mobility skills to get around. They trained him to walk around with a long cane to navigate his surroundings. As a result, Venkitaraman no longer needs to sit idle at home. Today he takes care of the household chores while Rathnamma works outside.

And the health workers didn’t stop there. Knowing the couple was struggling financially, they helped them apply for disability pensions from the government. Now they have an additional income each month that takes the edge off their financial stress!

The couple remembers the community health workers fondly. Thanks to all the help they received, Venkitaraman and Rathnamma were able to escape a terrible fate, and they have hope for a brighter future. 

And it’s all because to people like you! Through the support of donors like you, we are able to bring sustainable changes to the lives of so many across South Asia and Africa. Thanks to you, thousands of families have access to the quality eye care services they need! There are still so many who need your help. Please make a donation and give the gift of hope to more families today.

The post Together from Darkness to Light appeared first on Operation Eyesight.

When his vision started to blur, Stenwell didn’t think much of it at first. He figured it was just a symptom of his age and a normal part of growing older.

But he became increasingly concerned as his vision deteriorated over the next three years. He realized something was very wrong, but with his family’s difficult financial situation, he knew he couldn’t afford to seek treatment. Without any options, Stenwell feared his blindness was a punishment from God.

This is where someone just like you stepped in to help. Thanks to our donors’ support, our partner, Bansara Eye Care, held an eye screening camp in Stenwell’s community. Operation Eyesight-trained  community health workers went out into the village to inform everyone that there would be an eye screening camp. They reached every household, including  Stenwell’s.

“When the health worker explained that I could get help for my condition, I was filled with new hope,” says Stenwell.

At the eye camp, Stenwell was diagnosed with cataracts in both eyes. He was told that two simple surgeries could restore his sight, and that the surgeries would be free of charge.

“I was anxious about the surgery, but the community health worker explained that the surgeries would be minor procedures that would help me see clearly again,” recalls Stenwell. “They were patient with me, and I felt I could trust them fully.”

For Stenwell, it was like magic to SEE again after receiving surgery. People like you made that possible! Stenwell was reached through our community eye health program and received the treatment he needed for free.

“I am extremely thankful to the people who helped me see again,” says Stenwell. “Coming from a humble family I never thought that I could get hope for my vision. Had it not been for the community health workers and the doctors of Bansara Eye Care, I could’ve gone blind permanently.”

Stenwell is now back to playing with his grandchild and helping his family with the farming, while taking time to garden when he wants to relax. His life has been transformed and he’s regained his independence, all because of our donors. Thank you!

There are thousands of people like Stenwell waiting for people like you to help restore their sight. YOU can change lives like Stenwell’s with a donation today!

The post People like you are making magic happen with the gift of sight! appeared first on Operation Eyesight.