In the remote Himalayan village of Olangchungola, where snowy peaks kiss the skies and healthcare is almost non-existent, a young boy once watched his sister suffer and die from untreated tuberculosis. That moment defined his life. That boy was Dr. Sanduk Ruit, and from that day forward, he carried a promise deep in his heart: no one should lose a loved one simply because they are poor.
Decades later, that promise has become a beacon of hope for over 100,000 visually impaired people across the globe. Today, Dr. Ruit is celebrated worldwide as the “God of Sight,” a visionary eye surgeon who turned his personal tragedy into a global mission of mercy.
Unlike in the West, where cataract surgeries can cost over ₹2.5 lakh (USD 3,000), Dr. Ruit perfected a sutureless small-incision cataract surgery (SICS) that costs just ₹2,000 (USD 25). His innovation didn’t stop there—he and his team manufacture high-quality intraocular lenses themselves to keep costs low and outcomes world-class. This bold approach made advanced eye surgery accessible even to the poorest corners of the world.
In April 2025, during Nepal’s sacred Shey Festival, Dr. Ruit’s team ascended more than 4,300 meters into the Dolpo region, braving landslides, freezing winds, and treacherous mountain paths to reach villagers who had never even seen a doctor before. There, in makeshift surgical camps, he screened over 1,200 patients and restored sight to 98 people—each surgery a miracle delivered in silence and humility.
One of the most moving moments, as Dr. Ruit shared, was seeing a grandmother tear up as she looked at her grandchild for the first time in years. “That smile,” he said, “is why we climb these mountains. That smile makes every hardship worth it.”
Dr. Ruit’s story began with mentorship from Australian ophthalmologist Dr. Fred Hollows, with whom he co-founded the Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology in 1994. After Hollows’ passing, Dr. Ruit carried the torch forward, co-founding the Himalayan Cataract Project with American Dr. Geoffrey Tabin. Today, their model of low-cost, high-impact eye care operates in over 20 countries, including Ethiopia, Ghana, Cambodia, and Rwanda.
In recognition of his lifelong service to humanity, Dr. Ruit was honored with the Isa Award for Service to Humanity in January 2025—a global salute to a man whose life work has literally changed the way the world sees.
From the shadow of personal loss to becoming the light in someone else’s darkness, Dr. Sanduk Ruit proves that one person, guided by compassion and relentless determination, truly can change the world—one pair of eyes at a time.
