LEXINGTON, MA–Vision-Aid is preparing for another event in Lexington, MA titled “Thoda Rang Thodi Masti” – a Bollywood musical extravaganza by local Din Check Band.
This event is dedicated to raising funds for children afflicted with Cortical/Cerebral Visual Impairment (CVI), which is the foremost cause of childhood blindness worldwide. This year, Vision-Aid is celebrating twenty years of enabling, educating and empowering over 100,000 visually impaired in India since its inception in 2004.
Spotlight on CVI
Anuradha and Prashanth Palakurthi are scheduled to address the audience at the opening ceremony. They have recently assisted Vision-Aid in inaugurating the first CVI Resource Center in Andhra Pradesh, established in homage to the humanitarian efforts of Prashanth’s late father, ophthalmologist Dr. Krupasagar Palakurthi, who dedicated his life to serving the underprivileged. This center offers both research and care facilities and is located on the campus of the L.V. Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI) in Vizag.
AI-powered Smart Vision Glasses
Another groundbreaking Vision-Aid initiative to be highlighted at this event is the AI-powered Smart Vision Glasses, a pioneering achievement that won the top award among 2,400 submissions at the Infosys Social Innovations Awards 2023. The device also gained attention when it was featured on the renowned Indian Idol Show. In collaboration with SHG Technologies of Bengaluru, Vision-Aid is distributing this cost-effective AI device. It enables visually impaired individuals to harness the capabilities of Computer Vision at merely a fraction of the price of similar international devices. The Palakurthi Foundation played a crucial role by providing the initial funding necessary to develop the first version of Smart Vision Glasses and launch them in the Indian market in 2021.
Anuradha Palakurthi
Anuradha Palakurthi, the founder of Juju Productions, is celebrated as the “Indian Nightingale of New England.” Her song “Jaan Meri” clinched the Best Song of the Year award at the Radio Mirchi Awards (often referred to as the Indian Grammy) in February 2020, marking her as the first US citizen to achieve this honor. Ms. Palakurthi also co-hosts the weekly show “Jukebox with Juju” on TV Asia and serves as the Chairperson of the Heritage Arts of South Asia (MITHAS) at MIT. MITHAS is dedicated to promoting and preserving Classical Indian music.
Prashanth Palakurthi
Prashanth Palakurthi is a retired entrepreneur. As the son of the late Dr. Krupasagar Palakurthi, a renowned ophthalmologist, he has had an up-close perspective on the challenges associated with curable blindness in India.
About the April 7th event
Vision-Aid reports that all the arrangements for the “ Thoda Rang Thodi Masti” show are falling into place. With over 400 expected to attend, the show has completely sold out for seats in the main hall, but balcony seating remains available. Vision-Aid warmly invites all its supporters to be part of the Vision-Aid family at this “fun-raiser” event, which promises an evening filled with music, dance, and a strong sense of community spirit. The Din Check band has been hard at work putting together an amazing line-up of foot-tapping Bollywood music for you while the Vision-Aid volunteer team of over 30 volunteers is also hard at work putting all the plans in place to create a memorable and fun event.
For those interested in attending, tickets and sponsorship opportunities can be accessed at www.VisionAid.org/event.
