Sankara Nethralaya is the epitome of perfection. This marquee institution set up many decades ago by Dr S.S. Badrinath and his dedicated team of ophthalmologists, continues to perform at its peak and is regarded as one of the best hospitals in the world. Sankara Nethralaya (SN) is a charitable hospital. Its pioneering work in the field of Eye Care – a speciality tertiary care hospital with deep community reach has done remarkable and impactful work in the fight against avoidable blindness. Its contribution to the world of science and technology through serious research is recognised throughout the world. 
 
My association with SN started with my personal interactions and deep friendship with Dr S S Badrinath and his wife Dr. Vasanthi Badrinath, almost more than fifteen years ago. I was drawn to the entrepreneurial zeal of the founder Dr. Badrinath combined with his rare and divine abilities to reach world class eye care solutions absolutely free to the poor and the downtrodden. The state-of-the-art facilities of SN at Chennai, Kolkatta and elsewhere are sought after by both the affluent and the underprivileged. My professional services to SN has and will continue to be completely pro-bono.


I had the rare opportunity to chronicle the biography of this great institution in a book named – INSIGHT – Sankara Nethralaya’s Passion for Compassion with a foreword from Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, the former President of India and reviews from Rajnikant, Dr. Tatsuo Hirose (Harvard Medical School) & N.R.Narayana Murthy (Founder of Infosys). The whole book project was executed pro-bono and the entire proceeds of the sale of the book goes to SN’s charitable activities. The entire intellectual properties of this publication has also been transferred to SN without any consideration. The book was officially released in Mumbai on 20th March 2012. The book also has been endorsed and promoted by Amitabh Bachan
 
https://www.sankaranethralaya.org/book-on-sankaranethralaya.html
 
https://youtu.be/tccj1OPRumc  
 
On the 36th Foundation Day of Sankara Nethralaya on the 6th of September 2014, the 9th edition of the Sankara Ratna Award was presented to me at the V.D. Swamy Auditorium in Sankara Nethralaya in Chennai. Distinguished gathering at this function included Dr. M.S. Swaminathan.
 
The Sankara Ratna Award instituted in the year 2002 recognises and honours distinguished individuals or institutions with an impeccable record of supporting SN and contributing significantly to its cause and philosophy. The award was earlier presented to distinguished personalities like Ratan N Tata (2005), A.M. Naik (2006), Dr. Madhavan Nair of ISRO (2008), S.P. Muthuraman – veteran film director and literary figure (2012)
 
In the citation for the award it said “A long-term friend and well-wisher of Sankara Nethralaya, V V Ranganathan has offered his sage counsel to the institution on diverse areas as a token of his regard for its philosophy. A Passion for Compassion the tag line of his highly absorbing and successful biography of Sankara Nethralaya rendered pro-bono sums up the purpose and philosophy of his relationship with the institution he adores”  
 
I continue to work with Sankara Nethralaya and contribute my little mite.