Rajeev Nannapaneni, Vice Chairman and CEO, Natco Pharma, donated 1.5 lakh shares valued at Rs 15 crores to Hyderabad Eye Research Foundation, the research arm of LV Prasad Eye Institute, to find innovative approaches to tackle the problems of blindness and visual impairment in children that can benefit India and other developing countries.

Accepting this donation, Dr Gullapalli N Rao, Founder and Chair, LV Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI) said, "It is exciting to see such spirit of generosity in youngsters like Rajeev and his wife, Swathi. This support will allow us to transform our efforts in children’s eye health and create a global resource centre with huge impact throughout the developing world. Millions of children will be treated by this act of generosity."

In 2016-17, children constituted 18 per cent of LVPEI’s patient profile across locations.

The Child Sight Institute is a children’s eye health division of LVPEI, encompassing all children’s eye health programmes that LVPEI are engaged in. This includes care at all levels from primary to advanced tertiary across four states – Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Karnataka. Every form of children’s eye problems can be treated at this Institute irrespective of the person’s ability to pay.

In addition, this institute will have partnerships with multiple centres in India and the developing countries. In education and research, it will build on existing collaborations with leading institutes in the US, Europe and Asia.