- ADVERTISEMENT - 
The North American Telugu Association, NAATS, announced May 31, 2026, it has made a sizable donation to the Eye Foundation of America.
NAATS “has stood by the Eye Foundation of America, which has been providing continuous service to children for the past 50 years with the aim of preventing blindness,” the organization said in a press release.
Recognizing that, the Association said it has made a huge donation of $10,000 as part of the establishment of a blindness-free society.
The donation was made at a special service and cultural program held recently in New Jersey where NAATS President Srihari Mandadi and a group of NAATS leaders officially presented the amount of this donation in the form of a check to the Eye Foundation of America Board of Trustees Shyam Maddali.
NAATS leaders Shekharam Kotha, Srinivas Guthikonda, Sridhar Appasani, Prashant Pinnamaneni, Gangadhar Desu, Bapu Nuthi, Raj Allada, Hari Bungatavula, TP Rao, Bindu Yelamanchili, Shyam Nalam, Srinivas Bheemineni, Kiran Mandadi, Vamsi Koppuravuri and others participated in this program, the press release said.
NAATS leaders said they appreciated the services being provided by the Eye Foundation of America. The organization specially praised the founders of the Eye Foundation of America, V.K. Raju, President Lily V. Raju, Board of Trustees Shyam Maddali, Shekhar Vemparala, and Srinu Maddula.
At the event, NAATS called on everyone to participate in the initiative “that fill the eyes of children with light, and to promote such free, non-profit medical services to reach all the poor with eye problems in India.”
Towards that goal, a brand new campus in Rajahmundry, Andhra Pradesh, estimated to cost $20 million, was underway. Named Gautami Eye Institute, the building of the campus is led by Dr. V.K. Raju, to establish a new world-class school.
“Through this campus, eye surgeries and treatments will be provided completely free of cost to poor patients coming from anywhere in the country. Apart from this, special training will be given to the best ophthalmologists (eye doctors) for future needs,” the press release said.
