BENGALURU: Bengaluru’s Narayana Nethralaya, which runs the Dr Rajkumar Eye Bank, recorded a surge in pledges after actor Puneeth Rajkumar’s death. The eye bank, which had 75,000 pledges over 30 years, received about 1.3 lakh pledges in just four years. Moreover, the eye bank collected 3,989 eyes since Puneeth’s death.
In October 2021 - the year when the actor passed away - the hospital had also introduced a dedicated number for people to register their names, which contributed to a 67% rise in eye donation pledges, officials said.
Though it has been over three years since the actor’s demise, his decision to donate his eyes continues to inspire many. His donation not only restored sight to four individuals, but also sparked a surge in eye donation awareness and pledges. “People still call us, asking how to donate their eyes. We receive calls from across Karnataka, even from remote areas,” said Veeresh, who works with the eye bank.
Minto Eye Hospital, affiliated with Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute (BMCRI), has also seen a significant increase in eye donation pledges since October 2021.
Proactive steps are necessary to maintain a steady number of eye donation pledges, with a goal of increasing them to 10 lakh annually across the state. This will create awareness to a much larger population, Veeresh added.