THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

BHUBANESWAR, FEBRUARY 9, 2026

In a landmark moment for eye care in eastern India, the Drushti Daan Eye Bank (DDEB) at the LVPEI Mithu Tulsi Chanrai (MTC) campus in Bhubaneswar has achieved the remarkable milestone of collecting 20,000 corneas, restoring hope and vision to thousands of patients across the country. The achievement was celebrated on Monday in the presence of Odisha Governor Dr. Hari Babu Kambhampati, who lauded the institution’s journey and felicitated the partners who contributed to this historic accomplishment.

What began humbly in 2003, with just 30 corneas collected in its first five years, has today grown into one of India’s top five eye banks. Over the years, DDEB has emerged as a vital national resource, supporting optical, therapeutic and tectonic corneal transplants, including advanced lamellar keratoplasties, and enabling sight-restoring surgeries far beyond Odisha’s borders.

At the heart of this success lies a robust hub-and-spoke model that connects the central Drushti Daan Eye Bank at LVPEI Bhubaneswar with 10 Hospital Cornea Retrieval Program (HCRP) centres located in District Headquarters Hospitals. This network has significantly expanded the reach of eye banking services, bringing organised cornea retrieval and awareness to rural and semi-urban populations, where access to such care was once limited.

The central hub is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, including specular microscopes and pre-cutting machines for lamellar corneal tissue preparation. It undertakes rigorous medical evaluation, quality testing and grading of all collected corneas for transplantation and research. Since 2016, the eye bank has also been preparing pre-cut tissues for Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) surgeries, reflecting its alignment with global best practices in corneal transplantation.

The Hospital Cornea Retrieval Program has been the backbone of this journey, accounting for more than 85 per cent of all donations. Alongside its clinical contributions, the DDEB-LVPEI team has made significant academic strides, publishing over 18 peer-reviewed papers on eye banking, donor profiles, preservation techniques and safety standards, further strengthening India’s eye care ecosystem.

Congratulating the team, Governor Dr. Hari Babu Kambhampati said the milestone symbolised the compassion of the people of Odisha. “The 20,000 corneas collected embody the resilience and humanity of the Odia people, who have turned moments of grief into light and vision for countless individuals. This achievement should inspire all of us to pledge our eyes and work towards a future free from corneal blindness,” he said.

Dr. Sujata Das, Medical Director of the Drushti Daan Eye Bank, described the moment as a tribute to sustained commitment. She said the milestone reflected “two decades of quiet dedication by the team and the extraordinary compassion of the community that made this journey possible.”

Dr. Umesh Chandra, Campus Head of the Mithu Tulsi Chanrai Campus, noted that the achievement underscored the strength of LVPEI’s integrated approach. “Reaching the 20,000-cornea mark is a testament to the unwavering efforts of our hub-and-spoke teams and the generosity of donor families. This model has made high-quality eye banking accessible across Odisha, unlocking hope and endless possibilities for many,” he said.

Echoing these sentiments, Dr. Prashant Garg, Executive Chairman of LVPEI, said the milestone exemplified the institute’s mission. “This achievement reflects LVPEI’s commitment to eliminating preventable blindness through strong community partnerships. We are proud of our teams across the hub-and-spoke network who have worked tirelessly to turn this vision into reality,” he said.