Vision-Aid Inc., the Lexington based non-profit, over the past 12 years has been working in the space of the visually impaired and has developed innovative, cost effective programs that help them to be gainfully employed and to be independent. To raise funds for their programs in India, Vision-Aid does annual events, which have been immensely popular, sold out events for the past 7 years!

This year, Vision-Aid is proud to present The Iconic Avatar on 24^th July at the Littleton High School, Littleton, MA. The world class, Broadway style, mega dance production has been choreographed by internationally acclaimed Madurai Muralidaran who has traveled from India to train over 60 local dancers under the supervision of three other seasoned Co-producers, Suja Meyappan, Jeyanthi Ghatraju and Sripriya Natarajan Murthy.  

This year, the chief guest for the event is Dr. Purnanand Sarma, the CEO and President of TARIS BIOMEDICAL, a therapeutically focused urology company based in Lexington, MA.  Dr. Sarma started his career at SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals (now GlaxoSmithKline) in King of Prussia, PA. Author of multiple scientific publications, book chapters and patents, Dr. Sarma is a frequent speaker at various technical and business meetings.

He obtained his B. Pharm degree from Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, India and a PhD in Pharmaceutics from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis. Dr. Sarma and his wife, Lakshmi, have twin boys (Sameer & Suhas) in college and he enjoys listening to, singing and playing music and fostering entrepreneurship in life sciences and global health.

Dr. Sarma has over 25 years of international industry experience ranging from large-cap to venture backed start-ups has raised close to $85 million of venture capital to date. Under Dr. Sarma’s leadership, the company sold its first clinical-stage product for the treatment of interstitial cystitis, a debilitating bladder condition, to Allergan (NYSE:AGN) in a deal valued at $600M. Prior to TARIS, Dr. Sarma was the VP and General Manager of World-wide Drug Delivery Technologies for Cephalon Corporation (NYSE:CEPH, later acquired by TEVA Pharmaceuticals). Before joining Cephalon, he spent over 10 years in various capacities at Nektar Therapeutics (NASDAQ:NKTR), a San Francisco based leader in Drug Delivery technologies. Dr. Sarma is passionate about social engagement and feels strongly that each one of us can add value to a cause that is close to our hearts. Dr. Sarma is particularly passionate about Vision-Aid’s efforts and knows the terrain as he grew up in Vizag, where Vision-Aid has its Indian headquarters.

Founder/Executive Director Ramakrishna Raju this week also announced the “Vision-Aid Alliance” â€“ an exciting new program that will help it scale and reach more visually impaired students across India through its new partnership with area organizations who see a need for implementing such a program in geographic regions that are known to them and they would like to work with Vision-aid or implement or develop a new program for that area. This will be a commitment for 2-3 years in which the program will be named after the sponsoring organization. Vision-Aid will provide quarterly progress reports to the sponsoring partner. Announcing the details of the event in a Press Release on July 12, 2016, Ramakrishna Raju invited New England Based alumni, social or regional non-profits and other supporters of Indian origin, to help Vision-Aid open up several new Vision-Aid centers in their home towns or villages in India.

Describing the program, President Syed Ali Rizvi said “Of those who are visually impaired, the developing countries account for nearly 90% of those effected, of which more than 50% are in India. Therefore, there is strong need to reach all those who are effected and get them the necessary evaluation, training and put them into an appropriate program. The Greater Boston Area is a hub to very many non-profit organizations that are working in areas that are dear to them. Often times, these non-profits may want to take up a project with another friendly organization. This is where Vision-Aid comes in. We can target blind schools or other social organization working with the vision impaired, or an eye hospital that wants to start low vision screening and vision rehabilitation in a region of your choice please connect with us and let us mutually develop a program for them. Vision-Aid will bear some of the additional costs and work directly with your recommended organization to provide the necessary staff, skills, online technology and know-how and launch the program.  Join us by becoming an ambassador in our mission to reach more and more visually impaired persons in under served regions. This is a unique opportunity to join in a worthy cause.”

Mr. Puran Dang, Chair of the Advisory Board of Vision-Aid will introduce and welcome Mr. Sarma and his wife Lakshmi at the event.

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