In India, millions of individuals struggle with vision impairment and blindness, which is caused by inaccessibility to treatment or ignorance. Limited accessibility to quality eye care at the right time, especially in underprivileged communities, worsens this issue and leaves many people to live productive lives independently. For low-income families, eye-related treatment tends to be an economic barrier.  

Recognizing this issue, Tata Capital launched Project Arogyatara, which is dedicated to eliminating curable blindness. This initiative fosters delivery of primary eye care and project-organized community-enabled eye screening camps across Maharashtra, Karnataka, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. 

This initiative further strives to empower individuals to get better vision, improve their quality of life and inspire hope by providing free eye checkups, spectacles and cataract surgeries. 

Since its launch, Project Aarohyatara have achieved varied milestones by screening millions of individuals for eye-related ailments and offering life-changing treatments to thousands. 

By collaborating with leading eye hospitals and NGOs, Tata Capital ensures affordable, accessible eye services reach vulnerable populations significantly. This effort highlights Tata Capital’s commitment to fostering a healthy, inclusive society with strategic CSR efforts. 

Key Initiatives

Project Aarogyatara was initiated by Tata Capital and is dedicated to mitigating curable blindness via primary eye care services. From inception, this project conducted around 1 million screenings to date across 5 states like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. This initiative is focused on providing important eye care services to unprivileged communities by organizing community-level eye screening camps. 

By providing cataract surgeries and distributing spectacles, project Aarogyatara addressed immediate eye health needs and raised awareness regarding the significance of regular eye checkups among low-income families. Furthermore, collaboration with the leading eye hospitals and NGOs has been essential for delivering affordable, high-quality preventive eye care services to needy individuals. 

However, Project Aarogyatara's impact is profound. In October 2024, over 65,000 successful cataract surgeries were performed, and more than 37,000 individuals were provided spectacles. This initiative received a positive response from the community, showcasing its effectiveness in improving eye health and quality of life for varied individuals across India. This overwhelmingly positive response made Tata Capital connect to the communities we serve. 

Sridhar Sarathy, Chief Ethics Officer and Head of Sustainability at Tata Capital highlighted the company seeks to commit to giving back to the communities it serves with quality eye care treatment. He noted that access to quality healthcare is a fundamental right for everyone. 

With this project, Tata Capital strives to continue to expand its reach and build a healthy society by helping vulnerable individuals restore sight and empower individuals with dignity. This commitment has made all stakeholders feel appreciated and valued. 

Implementation and Services

Implementing Project Aarogyatara entails strategic partnerships with leading eye hospitals and non-profit organizations (NGOs). These collaborations allowed the project to deliver affordable, high-quality, curative eye care services. As of October 2024, this initiative facilitated over 65,000 cataract surgeries and distributed more than 37,000 spectacles to enhance the quality of life for many individuals.

This project’s holistic approach combined screening, treatment and education to ensure beneficiaries among 5 states receive extensive care customized to their specific needs or health issues to foster easy accessibility to crucial eye health care services and treatment. 

Furthermore, community engagement played a crucial role in the success of Project Aarogyatara. Organizing multiple eye screening camps and leveraging local healthcare workers and community mobilizers, the project reached to those in need or lacking access to essential eye care services. 

The positive response from the community highlighted the project’s overall impact, and many beneficiaries amid this project had reported restored vision and enhanced independence post-surgery success. Tata Capital remains committed to expanding its efforts and aims to cover more individuals in the next 3 years to reinforce its dedication to building a healthy and inclusive society. 

Impact Created

Project Aarogyatara, initiated by Tata Capital, has made essential strides in addressing curable blindness across states in India. Until October 2024, the project screened 1 million individuals for eye-related ailments by providing eye care services to underprivileged communities in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Bihar and Maharashtra. 

This initiative prioritizes the need for immediate eye health, emphasizing the significance of regular eye checkups and promoting a culture of preventive healthcare. The project’s impact further highlighted the provision of 37,000 spectacles and the successful completion of 65,000 cataract surgeries, which helped restore vision and improve the quality of life for many individuals, especially among low-income families. 

The positive community response to Project Aarogyatara has demonstrated a demand for accessible eye care services. Collaborations with leading eye hospitals and NGOs have been crucial in delivering high-quality preventive services at affordable rates. 

Sridhara Sarathy, Chief Ethics Officer at Tata Capital, articulated the project’s mission by stating that access to quality healthcare is a fundamental right. Moreover, this initiative aims to restore sight and empower individuals with independence and dignity, enabling them to engage with the community and experience life vividly. 

Way Forward

The success of Project Aarogyatara reached over 1 million eye screenings, highlighting the potential of significant advancements in community health with targeted CSR initiatives. Tata Capital aims to expand its reach by increasing eye screening camps and partnerships with local NGOs and healthcare providers. 

This strategy will facilitate access to essential eye care services for underserved populations and promote awareness about the significance of regular eye checkups. By prioritizing education and preventive care, Tata Capital ensures that communities can address eye health-related issues before they escalate into severe conditions. 

In addition to expanding screening initiatives, Tata Capital plans to use data collected from these screenings to customize services effectively. By assessing trends in eye health and identifying specific needs within communities, this project will implement a more targeted intervention that efficiently addresses prevalent issues like refractive errors and cataract surgeries. 

This data-driven approach will allow Tata Capital to maximize its impact, ensuring that resources are allocated effectively. Ultimately, this goal will help foster a healthier society wherein individuals can enjoy enhanced vision and quality of life, ultimately contributing to overall well-being and productivity.