At the Indian Medical Association (IMA) Ophthalmology Quiz Programme
Salem, 19th April 2026
Aravind DNB residents won prizes at the Ophthalmology Quiz Programme conducted by the Indian Medical Association (IMA), held at the IMA Hall, Salem.
The team comprising Dr. Swethaasri, Dr. Labeeba, and Dr. Selda Jacob won first place. The second prize was awarded to the team of Dr. Kamalisindhuja, Dr. Akshaya Jose, and Dr. Astiya Irene Francis. The third place was secured by Dr. Jais G. Jose and Dr. Sarulatha.
At ASCRS 2026
Washington, D.C., 10-13 April 2026
Doctors from Aravind won several awards at the ASCRS 2026, organised by the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery and held in Washington, D.C.
Dr. Haripriya Aravind, Chief, Cataract & IOL Services, Aravind-Chennai, and Dr. R. Venkatesh, Chief Medical Officer, Aravind-Pondicherry, were recipients of the 2026 Chang-Crandall Humanitarian Award, in recognition of their outstanding humanitarian work in the field of cataract blindness and disability.
(“Their nomination for the Chang-Crandall Humanitarian Award is to recognise their leadership in an organisation, the Aravind Eye Care System, a network of hospitals in southern India whose practice model allows for more than 50% of cataract surgeries to be performed at no cost or significantly subsidised cost to patients,” Dr. Lisa Park, MD, chair of the Nominating Committee, said. “They have each performed nearly 100,000 surgeries, many of these being charitable cases.” A third of these procedures are performed on patients who are brought in as part of outreach programmes conducted in remote rural areas, she added.
Dr. Haripriya is also recognised for her surgical expertise and publications for the last 10 years, summarising the outcomes of millions of phaco and manual cataract extractions at Aravind, confirming the impact of intracameral moxifloxacin on endophthalmitis reduction. Dr. Venkatesh has shown it is possible to minimise surgical waste in the operating room and revolutionised thinking about carbon emissions and sustainable healthcare delivery, resulting in ASCRS’ EyeSustain initiative. – From the ASCRS official webpage)
Dr. R. Venkatesh
Winner – In-House Productions category
Title: “Resourceful eyes: In-house solutions for glaucoma surgery training”
Dr. K. Veena, Chief, Paediatric Ophthalmology & Adult Strabismus Services, Aravind-Pondicherry,
Winner – Complex Anterior Segment Procedures
Title: “Festival of flanges”
Dr. Sharmila, Medical Consultant, Glaucoma Services, Aravind-Madurai,
Winner – Best Paper Award in the glaucoma session
Title: “Outcomes of MIGS KDB phaco versus NPDS phaco in eyes with advanced glaucoma.” (Paper)
Sustainability in Ophthalmology Video Contest – Fostering Ophthalmology Curriculum for Understanding Sustainability (FOCUS)
Dr. Dyanesh Reddy and Dr. Zenia Sapra
First Place
Title: “The weight of a surgery: rethinking phaco waste, aravind eye hospital vs the west.”
Dr. Rakesh O. S. and Dr. Gokulvasanth
Third Place
Title: “Beyond the OR: The green walk.”
Annual Oration Award by the Ophthalmological Society, Nagpur
Nagpur, 12th April 2026
Dr. Parag K. Shah, Chief, Paediatric Retina & Ocular Oncology Services, Aravind-Coimbatore
Oration title: My Journey in the Management of Retinoblastoma: Evolution, Evidence, and Experience
Keynote address title: Beyond ROP: Spectrum of Paediatric Vascular Disorders
Dr. G. Venkataswamy Gold Medal in Ophthalmology for the DNB Examination
Dr. Poorani R, DNB Resident, Aravind-Pondicherry
Winner – October 2023 session
Dr. Gorang Kumawat, DNB Resident, Aravind-Coimbatore
Winner – June 2025 session
They will be formally presented with the medal at the 23rd Convocation of the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences, scheduled to be held on 23rd May 2026.
Indian Medical Association Women Doctors Wing Awards
Aravind-Coimbatore, 29th March 2026
Two doctors from Aravind-Coimbatore have been honoured with awards from the Indian Medical Association – Women Doctors Wing at an event held at the IMA Hall, Coimbatore, in recognition of their dedicated service and outstanding contributions to community healthcare.
Dr. Kalpana Narendran, Chief of Cataract & Paediatric Ophthalmology Services, Aravind-Coimbatore
Lifetime Luminary Award
Dr. Manju Vinythera, Medical Consultant, City Centre, Aravind-Coimbatore
Distinguished Service to Community Award
These awards were presented by Tmt. Vanathi Srinivasan, Member of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly.
At the 84th Annual Conference of the All India Ophthalmological Society (AIOS)
Jaipur, 12-15 March 2026
Dr. Neeti Agrawal, Retina Fellow, Aravind-Madurai
Video award – Video category
Title: All is not shattered (Showcasing challenging cases of glass intraocular foreign bodies)
Dr. Shreedhar Shivkumar, Medical Consultant, Aravind-Tirunelveli,
Young Researcher Award at the ARC PG Thesis Competition
Title: Gonioscopy-assisted transluminal trabeculotomy versus trabeculectomy with phacoemulsification in open-angle glaucoma (Thesis)
Dr. Rinkal Goyal, DNB Resident, Aravind-Tirunelveli,
Young Researcher Award at the ARC PG Thesis Competition
Title: Microhook Ab interno trabeculotomy versus bent ab interno goniectomy with phacoemulsification in open-angle glaucoma (Thesis)
Guinness World Record
Aravind-Coimbatore, 25th February 2026
Dr. Parag K. Shah was part of the Guinness World Record attempt by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS), New Delhi, for the “Most viewers of an Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare lesson live stream on YouTube,” which recorded 17,999 doctors as simultaneous viewers during the live session.
