World's largest eye hospital complex to be built in Bihar, Deputy CM Samrat Chaudhary attends groundbreaking ceremony

History was created on Saturday, September 20, 2025, in Mastichak, a small village in the Saran district of Bihar. Akhand Jyoti Eye Hospital organized the groundbreaking ceremony for the RLJ Akhand Jyoti Eye Hospital Community Center. Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar Samrat Chaudhary attended the special occasion as the chief guest. This project will make Mastichak home to the world's largest single eye hospital complex. This is a major step towards addressing the severe lack of eye health services in Bihar and setting a new standard for world-class healthcare in rural areas.

The Challenge of Blindness in Bihar

Bihar, home to approximately 130 million people, has one of the worst eye health indicators in the country. The state requires approximately 1 million cataract and eye surgeries each year, but existing facilities are far below this threshold. Lack of doctors, inadequate facilities, and poverty are causing millions of people to suffer from unnecessary blindness. Here, blindness is not just a health problem; it robs families of their livelihoods, pushing them deeper into poverty, causing damage for generations. Addressing this challenge requires a solution that is not only medical, but also social and systemic.

Empowerment of Women

Founded in 2005 at the inspiration of Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya, Akhand Jyoti Eye Hospital has transformed many lives.

Its achievements include:

Over 1.2 million eye surgeries, over 80% of which are free.

Services through hospitals, vision centers, and outreach programs in 25 districts of Bihar.

Providing world-class eye care to the poor by becoming the largest provider of Ayushman Bharat in Bihar.

Akhand Jyoti is not limited to eye care. Its unique "Football to Eyeball" program teaches rural girls self-confidence and a spirit of cooperation through football, and also trains them in optometry. This program breaks down gender discrimination and creates a new generation of eye care experts who are becoming role models for their communities.

Goal of 5 Lakh Surgeries Every Year

The new RLJ Akhand Jyoti Eye Hospital Community Center will have the capacity to perform 3 lakh free surgeries every year. Akhand Jyoti's Vision 2030 goal is to perform a total of 5 lakh surgeries every year in Bihar, meeting half the state's needs. Additionally, the AI-based Healthy Eyes Campaign, launched this year, will screen 12 million people in Bihar for eye care. This new hospital complex is a systematic solution for prevention, early detection, and affordable treatment for all.

'The Beginning of a Movement'

Mrityunjay Tiwari, co-founder and trustee of Akhand Jyoti Eye Hospital, said, "This is not just the foundation of a hospital, but the beginning of a movement. By eliminating blindness and empowering women, we not only want to bring Bihar up to national health standards but also set a global example in rural healthcare." Akhand Jyoti Eye Hospital is a unit of the Yugrishi Shriram Sharma Acharya Charitable Trust, headquartered in Mastichak, Saran, Bihar. Established in 2005, it is one of the largest eye hospitals in India.