Tej Kohli Foundation

Rebuilding People And Communities

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  • Shri Mani: A story of success after sight is restored
    Shri Mani Rai lives in the remote area of the Himalayan outback and suffered with cataract-induced blindness for many years without any medical treatment. With access to the area restricted due to a lack of roads and tracks, the chance of travelling for a healthcare appointment is next to nothing. 
  • Curing cataracts in Nepal’s most isolated areas
    On the 16th of April, the Tej Kohli and Ruit Foundation conducted their second high-volume outreach microsurgical eye camp (OMEC). This took place in Nepal’s Solukhumbu District which is located in the foothills of Mount Everest. 
  • Productivity after sight-loss
    Worldwide, over 1.1 billion people are living with unaddressed sight loss. This can vary in severity, but in many cases, it is intuitive that this will lead to a lack of productivity. Sight loss can cause or exacerbate poverty through reduced employment prospects and work productivity, as well as adversely affect educational opportunities and outcomes….
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  • Making the invisible, visible
    Kiyasi can’t remember when she first noticed the problems with her eyes.  “When I rubbed them, tears would come out, then I’d wipe the tears and then be able to see.  My eyes seemed to have something in them but that thing would not come out, that’s how it started.”
  • Driven to suicide by blindness: How a woman finds a second chance at sight and life
    osing one’s sight is terrifying and daunting. It leaves the visually impaired person reliant on those around them to assist them in navigating their way through the world. Without the help and generosity of others, it can lead to a loss of hope and tragically sometimes life.
  • Discrimination against Dalits: How status can affect eye health
    Many cultures have systems of hierarchy entwined in their makeup. In the United Kingdom we have had the hierarchy of Kings and Queens, Knights and Noblemen, followed by merchants and peasants. In Nepal the hierarchical system, known as the caste system is similar and still in place today in rural areas.
  • Rebuilding Lives and Gaining Independence: Patient Stories from Outreach Camps| #WorldSightDay
    The Tej Kohli & Ruit Foundation believes large scale investments in sight restoration programs has the ability to transform communities. Those living with needless blindness are granted a second chance to pursue their economic activities, engage in society and make steps towards lifting entire communities out of extreme poverty.
  • Curing a village of needless blindness
    In a rural fishing and farming village in Morang District of Nepal, a team from the Tej Kohli & Ruit Foundation set up a screening camp on 15th August 2022.  From the village, over 150 people were screened and 23 of those were found to be living with cataracts. This is an extremely common form of needless…
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  • 8 Facts about cataracts
    A cataract is a clouding of the lens of your eye. Cataracts a relatively common and are one of the most common causes of visual impairment. Cataracts can make your vision hazy, blurry and dull and can cause trouble reading or doing normal activities.  
  • How sustainable is eyecare?
    Climate change is regarded by many as the greatest long-term threat to global health in the 21st century. Although modest progress has been made by many sectors, overall, global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions continue to rise.
  • Curing cataracts in Nepal’s Bajhang district
    The Bajhang district is in Nepal’s remote far-western region and boasts untamed natural beauty. However, the district is also one of the country’s most isolated regions. For those seeking primary healthcare services, they would have to reach the district’s headquarters in Chainpur, and for any other specialised health service, they would have to make a…
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  • The accomplishments and future plans of the Tej Kohli and Ruit Foundation
    Founded by philanthropist and investor, Mr Tej Kohli, and ophthalmologist and world-renowned eye surgeon, Dr Sanduk Ruit, the foundation has made significant progress since its inception – both in the number of surgeries completed and the rise in awareness of cataracts in developing countries.
  • Sight and smiles restored by cataract surgery in Nepal
    The team organised seven screening camps from 15th to 22nd of March focussing especially on reaching out to extremely marginalised communities of the region, as those are the groups that are least likely to afford or access cataract surgery due to their socio-economic status.
  • Shop owner and mother receives a second chance at sight
    In August, the Tej Kohli and Ruit Foundation travelled to the Kingdom of Bhutan on a mission to eradicate cataract blindness to reduce extreme poverty. This is part of a collaboration between us, the Bhutanese Ministry of Health, and the Royal Government of Bhutan under the Royal Patronage of Her Majesty Gyalyum Kesang Choeden Wangchuck.
  • Visual impairments cause a loss of education
    Many blind children in developing countries often have restricted access to education, when paired with a visual disadvantage, it is near impossible for them to learn at all. With some progress being made, often with the assistance of international organisations, there is still a long way to go in terms of supporting visually impaired youth. 
  • Caring for the community
    As we get closer to World Sight Day, it is vital to think about how we cure those in need. Across the globe, many communities struggle due to residing in isolated areas. In Nepal, many communities live in regions that are high in the mountains and require an extremely treacherous journey to reach.
  • This London tycoon harbours a surprisingly generous streak
    Some may know Tej Kohli for his passion for luxury cars or his vast array of exceptional properties dotted across the world. However, what he should be best known for is his unwavering mission to give away swathes of his wealth to improve the lives of others.
  • “Nothing short of a miracle” – Curing blindness in Dormaba, Nepal
    In March 2022, the Tej Kohli and Ruit Foundation, in collaboration with the Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology, staged a cataract microsurgical camp in Doramba, Nepal. This turned out to be one of the biggest outreach camps held in the mountainous regions of Nepal.
  • A vision of gender equality
    Across the world, women disproportionately make up 64.5% of the visually impaired population. Whilst the reasons for this are numerous, studies have shown that in developing nations in particular, men are 46% more likely to receive sight-restoring surgery than women.
  • Dr Sanduk Ruit – Making a dream, a reality
    Born in 1954, Sanduk Ruit was raised in the small, remote village of Olangchunggola which sat on the border of Tibet in the Taplejung district of northeast Nepal. The ice-covered village was 3200 metres above sea level and was home to around 200 people. Olangchunggola, also known as Walung village, is one of the most…
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  • Gender Equality In Sight | #LoveYourEyes
    Across the world, women make up 64.5% of the visually impaired population. Over the last few years, we have seen that in some developing nations, men are 46% more likely to receive sight-restoring surgery compared to their female counterparts.
  • Getting Ready for World Sight Day
    Across the globe, many suffer from vision loss and/or blindness that could have been avoided entirely. The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) has made the 13th of October World Sight Day. This is a day for many organisations, such as the Tej Kohli and Ruit Foundation, to come together and work alongside governments and…
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  • Does altitude affect vision loss?
    Across the developing world, there is a multitude of reasons that many people suffer from blindness. One of the leading causes is that many communities live in isolated communities where they cannot access eye care or any sort of healthcare. So what are the other reasons? 
  • World Sight Day
    This month, the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) launched its Love Your Eyes global campaign. The goal of this year’s campaign is to raise awareness of the social and economic impacts of blindness across the world.
  • Child eye health: Everything you need to know
    Children across the globe continue to suffer from vision loss, which could be prevented or treated. The number of children and infants is growing exponentially. It is estimated that by 2050 many more children will remain undiagnosed and untreated. 
  • The socioeconomic effect of curing cataracts
    The World Health Organization states that around 2.2 billion people worldwide suffer from some type of visual impairment. Nearly 100 million of those people have vision loss or blindness due to cataracts. 90% of all blindness occurs in developing nations, where in some cases cataract accounts for more than half of blindness.
  • Child Blindness In Low And Middle-Income Countries | #WorldSightDay
    Tackling blindness is part of the UN initiative that aims to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. Charitable initiatives, such as the Tej Kohli and Ruit Foundation, that improve eye health amongst children grant greater opportunities for employment and health in adulthood.
  • Tej Kohli and Dr Ruit: Collaboration shows lasting effectiveness in curing cataracts
    One of the core senses that inform us of our surroundings is sight. Without it, daily tasks can be near impossible and sadly can result in the sufferer falling into poverty, in some cases extreme poverty. The Tej Kohli and Ruit Foundation understands the importance of eye health as well as the detrimental effects it can have…
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  • Equality and eye health: Is the gender gap closing?
    Historically, females have experienced their fair share of inequality. Campaigning, research and awareness have meant times are changing, but when it comes to eye health, a male in rural South Asia is 46% more likely to receive cataract surgery than a female.
  • Bhutan — The Kingdom of Sustainability
    After the success of the last year, the Tej Kohli and Ruit Foundation is beginning to move into new regions. In just one year, the Tej Kohli and Ruit Foundation operated on and cured over 17,000 people in Nepal. Continuing the journey, the next plans are to move into neighbouring country, Bhutan.
  • What drives London philanthropist Tej Kohli?
    Tej Kohli enjoys an enviable lifestyle which reflects the wealth that he has amassed since launching and later selling a series of payment technology companies. He can boast a collection of ultra-rare hyper cars, a private jet, multiple homes and a wine collection that rivals those of the most discerning collectors. But Kohli’s true life mission…
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  • Regaining Sight Is a Family Affair | #2030InSight
    For many people, when their sight is lost so is their independence. 81-year-old Singye’s story is of a cataract operation that benefitted not just him, but his family too and proves that sight opens the doors to economic success.
  • Journey to Sight — shop owner and mother has vision restored| #2030InSight
    This month, the Tej Kohli and Ruit Foundation traveled to the Kingdom of Bhutan on a mission to eradicate cataract blindness to reduce extreme poverty. This is part of a collaboration between the Foundation, the Bhutanese Ministry of Health, and the Royal Government of Bhutan under the Royal Patronage of Her Majesty Gyalyum Kesang Choeden Wangchuck.
  • The Tej Kohli and Ruit Foundation: The organisation that is eliminating extreme poverty by curing blindness
    The Tej Kohli and Ruit Foundation is an organisation that has cured over 17,000 people of cataract blindness via grassroots interventions across the developing world. Co-founder Tej Kohli has explained why he believes that this is the best way to increase economic production in marginalised communities.
  • The Correlation Between Poverty and Blindness
    Blindness and visual defects have become increasingly prevalent in many developing countries across the world. Whilst many countries are doing all they can to reduce poverty-stricken communities — the support for blindness lacks.
  • On The Brink of Poverty | #2030InSight
    On a hot and humid day in Kapilavastu, Hari Pokhrel often spends his day sitting outside his hut. After losing his sight, he and his wife are nervous that their resources will quickly run out.
  • The Importance of Screening Camps | #2030InSight
    Before any surgeries take place, be it at a regional hospital, or at an outreach microsurgical eye camp (OMEC), a rigorous screening effort is conducted by a Tej Kohli and Ruit Foundation team throughout various regions and reaches out to marginalised communities.
  • Ophthalmology students supporting screening camps | #2030InSight
    Ophthalmic Assistants are mid-level ophthalmic professionals, and are considered the backbone of the eye care service sector. They perform eye examinations, diagnose ocular disorders, and perform various investigative procedures which make a direct contribution towards reducing the impact of blindness and other forms of visual impairment.
  • 3 Months Later — Krishna Bahadur Majhi
    This camp turned out to become one of the biggest outreach camps held. 333 patients, all suffering from curable blindness returned home with restored sight thanks to the intervention of the Tej Kohli and Ruit Foundation.
  • Manang, Nepal — 18 screening camps cures whole district of blindness |#2030InSight
    The Manang District in the Annapurna region of Nepal is known to be a paradise for travellers. The district is set behind the Himalayas and is surrounded by beautiful snow-capped mountains, whilst boasting a serene natural landscape, it is also one of the least accessible areas in the county.
  • Curing isolated communities — Nar Phu Valley | #2030InSight
    Nar Phu Valley is a small community in the Manang community in Nepal. The screening team made a strenuous two day journey to reach the village. The team travelled with all the equipment needed to set up the screening camps and complete eye assessments and surgeries.
  • Cured of blindness — Giving people a new lease of life | #2030InSight
    This is the life that 68 year old Jun Maya Gurung leads. Having lived in Thanchowk village for her entire life, she hadn’t been aware of the outside world. Up until recently, Jun Maya was a farmer by trade. She farmed crops such as maize, potatoes and wheat which supported and allowed an income for…
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  • Bis Man Gurang — Blind carpenter has vision restored | #2030InSight
    Much like many other people living in remote communities, Bis Man Gurang lived a simple life working to support his family and village. 70 year old, father of two, Gurang used to be a caprterpter and enjoyed his job. However, when he began to lose his vision he quickly realised that he would have to…
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  • Moving to new countries | #2030InSight
    The past year saw over 15 thousand surgeries completed. This was a major success for everyone involved. It means that those living in remote and poor communities across Nepal have been given a second chance at life and were able to thrive and earn a living.
  • A story of freedom — from complete blindness to independence | #2030InSight
    Jungalee Majhi spent his entire adult life farming the land of his landlord. While on special occasions he would be paid in cash, most of the time he would return home with a bag full of grains. With the infrequent cash payments, there was nothing for him to save causing him and his family to…
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  • Supporting Communities: Social and Economic Impacts in Nepal | #2030InSight
    Developing countries such as Nepal often rely heavily on the labour and hard-work of their citizens to allow the country to prosper. However, when issues such as blindness occur nationwide, it becomes increasingly difficult for those citizens to seek employment and work towards building a better future.
  • “I wish my blindness was cured for her sake” — A story of sight restoration | #2030InSight
    When Jagat Bahadur Tamang’s wife passed away, he chose not to remarry as he worried about the kind of treatment his new wife would bestow upon his three children. Being only 35, and other villagers constantly pressured him into remarrying — however, he would not budge. Instead, he dedicated his energy towards providing a quality…
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  • Nepal Elections — How Curing Blindness Improves Access To Poltical Rights | #2030InSight
    On 13th May, 2022, Nepal’s population will cast their votes for the local elections. During 2022, Nepal’s voters will determine the future of their country by voting in local, provisional and national elections. This is Nepal’s second local level election since the introduction of the Nepalese Constitution in 2015. Many voters await Friday with great…
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  • Changing Lives — How One Surgery Can Change a Nation | #2030InSight
    Across the world, many developing countries such as Nepal have a population of people who struggle to access essential healthcare services. This often leads to an increase in poverty and unemployment. The Tej Kohli and Ruit Foundation are here to change that.
  • Here’s How Tej Kohli And Dr Sanduk Ruit Are Contributing To SGD1 | #2030InSight
    The number one United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SGD1) is to end extreme poverty everywhere. A little-known fact is that needless blindness is a cause and is also a consequence of extreme poverty. That’s why Tej Kohli and Dr Sanduk Ruit are making large-scale treatment interventions to cure blindness in the poorest communities of the…
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  • China approves world’s first artificial cornea of 100% non-biological materials
    MIOK Keratoprosthesis has been approved for listing by National Medical Products Administration (NMPA), the Chinese agency for regulating drugs and medical devices. MIOK Keratoprosthesis is the world’s first ever approved artificial cornea that requires no co-implantation of donor corneas, and is of great significance across the 60 million patients with corneal blindness worldwide, as MIOK Keratoprosthesis makes it no longer impossible to restore sight to patients with corneal blindness, and ease the burden on their families.
  • Biomaterial may help repair, replace damaged corneas
    Newswise — A patented biomaterial developed by South Dakota State University associate professor Gudiseva Chandrasekher has the potential to repair corneal damage and to create corneal implants. Chandrasekher been doing research on corneal tissue in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences since 2008.
  • Artificial intelligence is reshaping agricultural practices to address extreme weather and an increasing demand for food
    Welcome to From Florida, a podcast where you’ll learn how minds are connecting, great ideas are colliding and groundbreaking innovations become a reality because of the University of Florida. 

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