Bihar’s ‘Football to Eyeball’ Initiative Offers Free Education and Training to 200 Girls

Patna: Akhand Jyoti Eye Hospital, operated by the Yugrishi Shriram Sharma Acharya Charitable Trust, has opened applications for its ‘Football to Eyeball’ program, which provides free education and football training to 200 underprivileged girls this year. The five-year residential scheme includes academic courses, skill development, and full boarding facilities, aiming to foster self-reliance through education and sports.

Eligible candidates must have completed their 12th grade, with science students qualifying for the optometry course and students from any stream eligible for the BBA program. Applications can be submitted online until April 30, while offline applications can be processed through designated phone numbers.

The program begins with a one-year foundation course focusing on English, computers, and personality development, followed by a four-year graduate program in optometry. Training is provided at the Center of Excellence in Mastichak, Saran district, where students receive both theoretical and practical instruction from expert doctors. Football is an integral part of the curriculum, reinforcing confidence and leadership skills. Graduates receive 100% job placement at Akhand Jyoti Eye Hospital and its branches, with 60 alumni already holding leadership roles.

Since its inception in 2009, the initiative has supported 725 girls, with a target of reaching 1,500 by 2030. Among them, 15 have competed in national-level football tournaments, including Sonia Rai, who captained the Bihar women’s football team. A key condition of admission requires parents to commit to delaying their daughters’ marriage until at least the age of 23.

Akhand Jyoti Eye Hospital, founded in 2005 by Mrityunjay Tiwari under the guidance of Pandit Rameshchandra Shukla, is the largest eye care facility in Eastern India. With 11 modular operating theatres and 50 specialist surgeons, the 500-bed hospital conducts around one lakh eye surgeries annually, 80% of which are free. Over the past 17 years, it has performed 10 lakh surgeries, with a goal of reaching 20 lakh by 2030, including 16 lakh free procedures for those in need.

By combining education, healthcare, and sports, the ‘Football to Eyeball’ initiative continues to empower young girls, offering them a future of independence and opportunity while strengthening the hospital’s commitment to social welfare in Bihar and beyond.