The world's largest eye hospital campus is set to be built at Masti Chak in Bihar's Saran district by the RLJ Akhand Jyoti Eye Hospital Community Centre. For this, the foundation stone-laying ceremony was held on Saturday, September 20, which was attended by Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary.
This project, the RLJ Akhand Jyoti Eye Hospital Community Centre said, aims to create a global benchmark for rural healthcare at scale.
Bihar Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary extended his congratulations to Akhand Jyoti Eye Hospital, appreciating its efforts and contributions in the field of healthcare. He lauded the hospital’s commitment to serving the people, especially by providing advanced eye care facilities in the state.
Mrityunjay Tiwari, Co-Founder and Trustee of Akhand Jyoti Eye Hospital, shared that it is a matter of great pride for Bihar to soon have a facility equipped with 1,000 beds and the capacity to conduct 3.5 to 4 lakh surgeries annually. The 'Bhoomi Pujan' for the project has been completed, and the construction is expected to be finished within 17 to 18 months, marking a significant step forward in healthcare infrastructure for the region.
Bihar's eye care challenge
Bihar, which has a population of 130 million, faces some of the country's worst eye health indicators. The state requires close to 1 million cataract and eye surgeries annually, yet current capacity falls drastically short. With fewer doctors per capita, inadequate facilities, and deep-rooted poverty, millions remain trapped in avoidable blindness.
Blindness here is not merely a health issue—it strips families of livelihoods, pushes them further into poverty, and perpetuates intergenerational disadvantage. Addressing this challenge requires a solution that is not only medical but also social and systemic.
Empowering Bihar's women
The RLJ Akhand Jyoti Eye Hospital Community Centre was founded in 2005. Since then, it has conducted 1.2 million eye surgeries and is providing services in 25 districts of the state. Besides, it is the largest Ayushman Bharat provider in Bihar.
Through its pioneering "Football to Eyeball" women empowerment programme, the RLJ Akhand Jyoti Eye Hospital Community Centre trains rural girls in football during their teenage years and simultaneously trains them in optometry as a profession. Through this, it aims to break the cycles of gender bias.
Target of 5 lakh surgeries
The new RLJ Akhand Jyoti Eye Hospital Community Centre will have the capacity to conduct 3 lakh free surgeries annually. As part of Akhand Jyoti's Vision 2030, this will help the organisation reach a total capacity of 5 lakh surgeries annually in Bihar alone, addressing half of the state's unmet need.
"This is more than the foundation of a hospital—it is the foundation of a movement," said Mritunjay Tiwari, Co-Founder and Trustee of Akhand Jyoti Eye Hospital. "By eliminating blindness and empowering women, we aim not only to bring Bihar to national health standards but also to set a new global benchmark in rural healthcare."
About Akhand Jyoti Eye Hospital
Akhand Jyoti Eye Hospital, a unit of Yugrishi Shriram Sharma Acharya Charitable Trust, headquartered in Mastichak, Saran, Bihar, is among the largest eye hospitals in India. Established in 2005, it has become a trusted name in blindness elimination, women empowerment, and rural healthcare innovation. Its unique model integrates:
Eye care at scale: Free, high-quality surgeries for the poorest communities.
Women empowerment: The Football to Eyeball programme, training rural girls as optometrists
Targeted Rural Intervention: Modelled around eliminating blindness in the most challenging low-income geographies.
