Venkat Garu has been committed to SEF, USA since 2000, first as a donor and volunteer, and then as a Board member. In 2003-04, he began to be actively involved in fundraising when the Bay Area Telugu Association (BATA) stepped up to support the Guntur hospital project.

Since then, working to expand SEF, USA’s network of hospitals to support Vision 2030, the goal of one million free eye surgeries annually by 2030 has been a steady constant in his life. “This means that I have two full-time jobs - my day job at Oracle, and the after-hours and weekends at Sankara. But I am not one to complain. Being at Sankara is highly satisfying.

“We encounter many senior people at the hospitals, some of whose own kids have abandoned them, but the care and kindness they receive from the Sankara team is life-changing for them. Such stories warm our hearts and keep us motivated,” he says.

“Over and above, our children understand the value of giving, and most of the families of the board members and volunteers are involved with the fundraising events in some way or the other. So, it's always a family gathering here! There is no other joy I would look forward to!”