In a transformative step towards enriching the lives of individuals with visual impairments, Vision-Aid, in collaboration with Sadguru Netra Chikitsalaya (SNC), proudly announces the launch of a new Vision-Aid Resource Center. Established in loving memory of Asha and Shyam Lal Saigal by their son and daughter-in-law, Anil and Ranjani Saigal, this center will enable, educate, and empower the visually impaired In Chitrakoot and surrounding regions of MP and UP, to live with greater independence and dignity.
About Sadguru Netra Chikitsalaya (SNC)
Since its founding in 1968 in Chitrakoot, MP, under the Shri Sadguru Seva Sangh Trust, SNC has grown into a beacon of quality eye care, annually treating over a million patients and performing nearly 150,000 surgeries. With a 2,000-bed facility and a full spectrum of ophthalmic services, SNC’s commitment to affordability, outreach, and professional training has made it a model for rural eye care in India. SNC is partnering with Vision-Aid to build up its capacity in the area of rehabilitation of the visually impaired and plans to leverage Vision-Aid’s model to enhance its own capabilities to serve patients with incurable vision conditions.
Honoring the Saigals - A Legacy of Strength and Service
Shyam Lal Saigal played a pivotal role in India’s industrial history as a key member of the founding team of the Bhilai Steel Plant. A distinguished metallurgist, he earned the prestigious Metallurgist of the Year award in 1963 from the Indian Institute of Metals. His commitment to excellence and progress was rooted in his early life in Dera Ghazi Khan (in undivided India) and academic achievements at Lahore Engineering College, where he earned his degrees in Mechanical and Electrical Engineering. Beginning his career at Tata Steel in Jamshedpur, his remarkable expertise soon led him to Bhilai, where he helped shape the future of India’s steel industry. Alongside his wife, Asha, the couple nurtured a family defined by their values of perseverance and service: their children, the late Kanwal Kumar Saigal, the late Vinita Gosain, and Dr. Anil Saigal, continue to draw inspiration from their parents’ legacy.
A New Beacon of Empowerment
Housed within Sadguru Netra Chikitsalaya (SNC) – a state-of-the-art tertiary eye care hospital known for its compassionate community outreach and high-quality services to the under-privileged – the Vision-Aid Resource Center will help to build the capacity within SNC in the area of rehabilitation and holistic support for those who are visually impaired with terminal vision conditions which cannot be cured or corrected.
Unlike organizations that focus primarily on vision screening and surgical interventions, Vision-Aid specializes in providing the tools, training, and resources that help individuals thrive despite incurable vision loss. By partnering with SNC, which offers a wide spectrum of eye care services and has gained national and international recognition, the new center will seamlessly integrate SNC's current programs in eye care, with Vision-Aid’s cutting-edge rehabilitation techniques.
Key Focus Areas of the Vision-Aid Resource Center:
- Assistive Technologies & Adaptive Devices:
Patients will have access to state-of-the-art assistive devices, including optical aids like magnifiers, non-optical aids like mobility devices, specialized software, and technology based (including AI-powered) solutions for the visually impaired. These tools help maximize remaining vision and enable individuals to navigate daily tasks with greater confidence and independence. - Community Outreach & Awareness:
Joint awareness programs and outreach initiatives, conducted in surrounding rural areas, will identify individuals with vision impairments who might otherwise remain isolated and underserved. By offering low-vision assessments, adaptive devices, and training to this population, the center will bridge gaps in access and information. - Care for children with Cortical visual impairment
The center aims to develop initiatives for children with Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI), focusing on implementing early detection, conducting advanced functional vision assessments, and providing personalized interventions fostering a holistic and inclusive model of care. CVI is the leading cause of childhood blindness in India.
Education & Skill Development:
Vision-Aid’s online training modules will open new doors for learners, allowing individuals to acquire digital literacy, and other specialized skills. This approach transcends geographic barriers, creating flexible learning opportunities and fostering a supportive community of visually impaired learners allowing SNC patients to connect easily with expert Vision-Aid trainers from all over India to learn new skills.
Skills Training & Capacity Building:
The center will offer on-site, in-person, specialized training programs for visually impaired individuals, equipping them with digital literacy and life skills. Professionals at SNC will also benefit from workshops, seminars, and capacity-building initiatives tailored to address the unique challenges and opportunities in low-vision rehabilitation giving SNC doctors and experts, a new avenue to connect with learning opportunities and experts from across India.
A Vision for the Future
With the launch of the Vision-Aid Resource Center, SNC and Vision-Aid envision a future where individuals with visual impairments in Chitrakoot and surrounding areas of MP and UP, can fully participate in society—leading productive, meaningful lives. Plans include developing robust pediatric and adult low-vision and rehabilitation facilities, as well as exploring new avenues for skill development, assistive technologies, and research-driven innovation.
“By dedicating this center in honor of Asha and Shyam Lal Saigal, we pay tribute to their legacy of perseverance, innovation, and service,” said Dr. Anil Saigal. “This initiative brings together SNC’s compassionate care and Vision-Aid’s dedication to rehabilitation, supporting those with visual impairments to find the treatment, tools and confidence to flourish.”
About Vision-Aid
Vision-Aid’s mission is to enable, educate, and empower the visually impaired through comprehensive rehabilitation and adaptive solutions. By providing skills training, assistive technologies, and community-based programs, Vision-Aid ensures that individuals with vision loss can lead independent, dignified, and fulfilling lives. Vision-Aid’s programs have touched the lives of over 100,000 visually impaired individuals in 50 locations across India, since its founding in 2004 and is the recipient of numerous national and international awards. This year Vision-Aid celebrated its 20th year and aspires to scale up its programs to reach another 100,000+ visually impaired, across India, in the next 3 years by building upon its extensive network of partnerships with eye hospitals, blind schools and community organizations who work with he visually impaired across India.
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