On December 28th, 2025, Mahatma Gandhi Eye Hospital & Research Institute marked its 25th anniversary. Although every year, the ngo eye hospital in Rangamatia observes its foundation day & anniversary, but this year it was the silver jubilee event, and the celebration was grand.
The entire campus was transformed into a vibrant tapestry of colors, draped in garlands of marigolds, roses, and exotic winter blooms that perfumed the breeze. There was a profound sense of momentum in the air—a sense of pride and excitement shared by everyone.
Dressed in their finest attire, attendees gathered in the beautifully arranged outdoor pavilion. Their faces lit with smiles and the shared warmth of a community celebrating twenty-five years of collective achievement. It wasn’t just an anniversary; it felt like a homecoming for a family built on the foundation of selfless service and Gandhian vision.
The silver jubilee gala was hosted by the parent organisation – Antyodaya Chetana Mandal, and brought together state leaders, ophthalmology pioneers, social workers, and Gandhian community members to honour a quarter-century of vision restoration service in the rurals of Odisha.
Spotlight of the event – Dr. Krushna Chandra Mohapatra, Minister of Housing & Urban Development, Odisha arrived as per the schedule, and was heartily welcomed by the Hospital’s Young Project Director – Mr. Pratik Pattnaik along with Sudhir Chandra Jena (Trustee, MGEHRI).
The atmosphere charged with local pride as the Vandemataram Cultural Association performed an electrifying patriotic welcome dance, setting the stage for the formal proceedings. The festivities commenced with a solemn floral tribute to the homage statue of Mahatma Gandhi.
The ceremonial lighting of the sacred lamp was led by the Chief Guest, Dr. Krushna Chandra Mahapatra and was joined on stage by distinguished guests including Shri Aditya Patnaik, Managing Director – MGEHRI, Prof. Pramod Kumar Satapathy, Vice-Chancellor of Maharaja Sriram Chandra Bhanja Deo University, and Shri Deepak Malviya, President of Lok Sevak Mandal, Odisha.
And henceforth, the 25th foundation & anniversary meeting began. Smt. Geetanjali Pattnaik, (Trustee, MGEHRI) invited prominent dignitaries to the stage, which included Dr. Bijay Kumar Agrawal (Senior Journalist), Dr. Anil Dhir (Historical Researcher & Writer), Dr. Braja Bhai (Ex-General Manager, Samaja), and Rabi Ray (Social Activist).
The central highlight of the afternoon was the release of the hospital’s commemorative souvenir, “Ama Katha” (Our Story). The publication details the narratives of the foundational pillars and eminent personalities who had seen the evolution of Mahatma Gandhi Eye Hospital since its inception in 2000. 
The chief guest then delivered a stirring speech centered on the “sacred duty” that Mahatma Gandhi Eye Hospital has been doing for 25 years in the inaccessible areas of North Odisha. The Minister highlighted that the institution has become a beacon of hope for the rural populace. He specifically lauded the hospital’s strategic outreach camps and advanced medical facilities with a highly experienced team of ophthalmologists.
The event reached an emotional peak during the “Senior Doctor Felicitation” ceremony. The minister personally handed out honors to ophthalmology veterans like Dr. Soumitra Kumar Das, Dr. Shuvendu Das, Dr. Bijay Kumar Nayak, and Dr. Pratap Chandra Mohanta, whose decades of service have helped thousands regain their sight.
Recognising the excellence and efforts of support members, the ngo eye hospital also felicitated its veteran staff members who have been a part of the institution since the early 2000s. A few names who got special commendations from Dr. Aditya Patnaik included Soudamini Parida, Sarbeswar Das, Jagyaseni Parida, Puspalata DalBehera and Laxman Murmu.
Post that, the local journalists from Rasgobindpur block and near-by areas, who have always acknowledged the role of Mahatma Gandhi Eye Hospital in spreading eye health awareness, were also felicitated on the stage.
Towards the end of the successful meet-up that highlighted the 25 years of journey and achievements of Mahatma Gandhi Eye Hospital, it was time to recognise the noble vision and all the hard work and efforts of the founder – Dr. Aditya Patnaik, who gave up his entire lifetime for building the hospital and the trust it delivers to the community people.
Even the young project director of the NGO eye hospital – Mr. Pratik Pattnaik, who has been actively serving the vision of the organization for the last five years, was honoured and felicitated for driving innovation and fusing technological implementations into the hospital’s workflow.
As the founder of the Antyodaya Chetana Mandal (ACM) and the Mahatma Gandhi Eye Hospital & Research Institute (MGEHRI), Dr. Aditya Patnaik (often affectionately known as “Aditya Bhai”) whose vision for the hospital is rooted in the philosophy of Antyodaya—uplifting the very last person in the social strata, addressed the crowd with a vision statement.
“When we laid the foundation of this hospital in the year 2000, we weren’t just building another medical facility; we were making a promise to the rural heartlands of Northern-Odisha that no one should live in darkness simply because of where they were born or poverty.
As we look towards the next quarter-century, our vision is to move from service to sustainability. Our goal is no longer just to treat blindness, but to eliminate it at the root through the ‘Gram Swaraj’ model. We are committed to transforming this campus into a global hub for rural ophthalmic research, ensuring that the most advanced medical technology—from AI-driven diagnostics to complex retinal surgeries—is available right here in Rangamatia, accessible to the poorest tribal family.
Our future lies in the ‘reaching the unreached’ mission. We will expand our mobile outreach so that the hospital travels to the patient, rather than the patient struggling to find us. My dream is to see a ‘Blindness-Free Community,’ where quality eye care is not a luxury of the city, but a right of the village.”
Finally, the vote of thanks was delivered by Late Narayan bhai (ex-chairman, ACM) with a powerful statement: “Twenty-five years is not just a measure of time, but a measure of the lives touched and the sight restored. The eye hospital’s journey from a modest eye hospital in rural to state’s leading research-driven eye institute with all the modern eye care & treatment facilities, is a testament to all the eye hospitals in rurals that are being managed & operated by NGO trusts. With the support of the government and our dedicated staff, we aim to double our surgical capacity by 2030.”
The silver Jubilee meetup concluded with a vibrant community lunch, where guests, medical staff, and community members sat and enjoyed food together, celebrating a shared history of vision restoration and selfless service. And as the sun set, the formal atmosphere gave way to a dazzling Cultural Extravaganza – a gala night filled with dance, songs, and celebrities.