Dr Ruit receives the top civilian award of Bahrain for his outstanding service to humanity through affordable eye care

Dr. Sanduk Ruit, a renowned Executive Director of Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology, has been awarded Bahrain's top civilian award for his exceptional contribution to developing affordable and sustainable ways to cure cataracts in the developing world. The Isa Award for Service to Humanity, carrying a cash prize of US$1m, a gold medal, and a certificate of merit, was presented to Dr. Ruit by Bahrain's monarch, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, at a ceremony held at the Isa Cultural Centre in Manama. Dr. Ruit's achievements, including saving the sight of almost 120,000 people and performing over 50,000 eye surgeries and procedures for free, were evaluated by a seven-member jury, and his work was deemed to be more deserving than the other four finalists, including the World Health Organisation Foundation and Mercy Ship. Dr. Ruit's success is attributed to his sustainable model of producing intraocular lenses, enabling cataract surgery to be completed in as little as five minutes with tiny incisions, and an inexpensive artificial lens. His lens factory in Kathmandu lowered the cost of lenses from $200 to just US$4, ensuring sufficient and sustainable eye care models in developing countries. Dr. Ruit, known as 'the barefoot surgeon' and the 'God of Sight,' has received numerous accolades, including the Ramon Magsaysay award, the Prince Mahidol Award for Public Health, and the Order of Australia. The Isa Award for Service to Humanity was established in 2009 to recognize humanitarian efforts globally and encourage more individuals to take part in such efforts.