India News : Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani on Saturday launched a ₹150-crore rural vision care initiative in Bihar aimed at creating one of the world’s largest rural eye care ecosystems, with the capacity to perform 3.3 lakh eye surgeries annually.
The project, unveiled in Mastichak near Patna, will be developed by the Adani Foundation in partnership with Akhand Jyoti Foundation. The initiative includes the establishment of the Adani Centre for Eye (ACE) and Adani Training in Ophthalmic Medicine (ATOM).
The facilities are expected to significantly expand affordable eye treatment and rural outreach services across Bihar and neighbouring regions, while also training 1,000 eye health professionals annually.
Speaking at the ground-breaking ceremony, Adani said the initiative was inspired by the philosophy of “Seva Hi Saadhna Hai” (service is the highest form of worship).
“Restoring sight is not merely a medical intervention. It is about returning hope, confidence and dignity to a human life,” he said in a post on X.
Adani described Bihar as “a land that has historically given new consciousness and direction to the nation” and announced the formation of the Adani Akhand Jyoti Foundation to take affordable vision care and community healthcare services to underserved regions across India.
As part of the expansion, Adani committed an additional ₹500 crore personally towards scaling the initiative nationwide.
Large-Scale Rural Healthcare Ecosystem
Under the partnership, ACE will function as an advanced eye treatment and surgical centre focused on affordable care, complex procedures and mass rural outreach. ATOM, meanwhile, will focus on training optometrists, ophthalmic assistants and community healthcare workers to strengthen India’s rural healthcare workforce.
A fleet of 10 patient transport buses was also flagged off under the ACE banner to improve last-mile healthcare access in remote villages.
Adani was joined at the event by Priti Adani, Chairperson of the Adani Foundation, and Mritunjay Tiwary, Co-Founder and CEO of Akhand Jyoti Eye Hospital.
Tiwary said the collaboration represented a shared commitment to affordable and accessible eye care.
“This partnership is far beyond the creation of infrastructure. It is a shared commitment towards restoring sight, dignity, opportunity and hope for countless people living in the last-mile and underserved regions of India,” he said.
200-Bed Hospital Planned in Bhagalpur
In addition to the eye care initiative, the Adani Foundation announced plans to establish a 200-bed hospital in Pirpainti in Bihar’s Bhagalpur district.
The hospital will be located near the Adani Group’s upcoming 2,400 MW ultra-supercritical thermal power plant and is expected to strengthen healthcare access in eastern Bihar.
According to the group, the total investment outlay for the healthcare initiatives, including operational expenditure, will exceed ₹700 crore.
Adani Group’s Growing Presence in Bihar
The announcement also highlights the Adani Group’s expanding investment footprint in Bihar, where the conglomerate has committed investments worth up to ₹40,000 crore across sectors.
Key projects include the ₹27,000-crore 2,400 MW thermal power plant in Pirpainti, city gas distribution networks in Gaya and Nalanda through Indian Oil Adani Gas Private Limited, and the installation of nearly 30 lakh smart meters in northern Bihar by Adani Energy Solutions Limited.
The group is also expanding its cement manufacturing operations through two 6 MTPA grinding units in Nawada and Muzaffarpur districts with investments of nearly ₹3,000 crore.
Akhand Jyoti Eye Hospital’s Rural Legacy
Founded in 2005 as a 30-bed facility in rural Bihar, Akhand Jyoti Eye Hospital has grown into one of India’s leading eye care institutions. The hospital has conducted more than 14 lakh sight-restoring surgeries and millions of screenings and outreach consultations.
The collaboration aligns with the Government of India’s National Programme for Control of Blindness and Visual Impairment (NPCBVI) and aims to create a scalable, community-driven model for affordable eye care delivery.
The Adani Foundation said its Vision Care Programme, launched in 2024, has already conducted 1.93 lakh eye screenings and supported 59,000 beneficiaries with prescription eyeglasses across 11 states.
