Sanduk Ruit is an ophthalmologist from Nepal who was involved in restoring the sight of over 180,000 people across Africa and Asia using small-incision cataract surgery.[1] He is the founder and the executive director of the Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology, which manufactures intraocular lenses for surgical implantation at a fraction of the previous manufacturing cost.[2]
The low cost has made cataract surgeries slightly cheaper in Nepal.[2]
Sanduk Ruit
| Born | September 4, 1954 |
|---|---|
| Birthplace | Taplejung, Nepal |
| Nationality | Nepali |
| Occupation | Ophthalmologist |
| Known for | Sight Restorer, Maverick Surgeon |
| Awards | Ramon Magsaysay Award (2006), ISA Award for Service to Humanity (2023), Padma Shri (2018), Prince Mahidol Award (2007), Order of Australia (2007), Asian Game Changer Award (2016) |
Awards and recognition
He is also referred as the “God of Sight”.[3] He was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Peace and International Understanding, considered to be the Asian equivalent of the Nobel Prize, for “placing Nepal at the forefront of developing safe, effective, and economical procedures for cataract surgery, enabling the needlessly blind in even the poorest countries to see again.”[2]
He was awarded with the ISA award, the highest civilian award in Bahrain by the king of Bahrain for developing highly affordable and sustainable ways to cure cataracts throughout the developing world with a cash prize of 1 million dollars.[3]