Dr. G. Venkataswamy Memorial Oration Award – 2026
Aravind-Madurai, 1st October 2026
This year, the Dr. G. Venkataswamy Memorial Oration Award was conferred on Dr. Paul Courtright, an epidemiologist, and Dr. Susan Lewallen, an ophthalmologist, in recognition of their significant contributions to global eye health. For nearly four decades, they have worked together to strengthen eye care services in low- and middle-income countries, with a particular focus on translating research evidence into effective policies and sustainable eye care programmes. In 2001, they jointly established the Kilimanjaro Centre for Community Ophthalmology (KCCO) in Moshi, Tanzania, to develop sustainable, community-centred eye care services that address local needs.
During the Oration Ceremony at Aravind-Madurai, Dr. R. Kim, President, GOVEL Trust, welcomed the gathering and introduced the Oration Award. Thulasiraj Ravilla, introduced Dr. Paul Courtright and Dr. Susan Lewallen. Dhivya Ramasamy, Executive Director, LAICO, read the citation.
Dr. Paul Courtright delivered the oration on the topic, “Reducing vision loss in Sub-Saharan Africa: Research to generate evidence and inform programmes & policies.” The award was presented by G. Natchiyar, Director Emeritus, AECS. The citation was presented by Dr. M. Srinivasan, . The Vote of Thanks was delivered by Dr. N. Venkatesh Prajna.
