India has over 13 million blind individuals, with millions more suffering from preventable visual impairments, particularly in under-resourced rural communities. In response, students from Universal AI University launched Project Ikshana - meaning sight or vision in Sanskrit - through their Enactus chapter to address the critical need for accessible and affordable eye care.

Following field visits to 15 underserved areas, including Mumbai’s Dharavi, students co-created a three-tier model. The first tier offers screening camps in villages and government schools, using mobile diagnostic tools such as the Peek Acuity app. To date, over 2,500 individuals have been screened in collaboration with certified optometrists.

The second tier ensures delivery of corrective care, with more than 800 spectacles distributed and 60 cataract cases referred for surgery via hospital partnerships. Students also developed a line of affordable upgraded spectacles, generating revenue to support further outreach.
The third tier focuses on community empowerment. Local women and youth are trained as “Ikshana Workers,” building local capacity for vision screening and awareness. This approach integrates last-mile health services with local economic opportunity.

Project Ikshana has mobilized over USD 4,000 through university support, CSR partnerships, and grants. Its stories of personal transformation—like a farmer returning to work post-surgery or a child able to read clearly—illustrate tangible societal impact.
National recognition followed: the project received the Emerging Innovator Award at Enactus India Nationals 2024 and was a Top 5 finalist at the Ambition Accelerator Summit by Ashoka Changemakers and the Taco Bell Foundation.

Project Ikshana exemplifies how student-led initiatives can act as public engagement models, combining innovation, community partnerships, and inclusive health care delivery. It stands as a model of tech-enabled, community driven engagemen