About Us - JLR Eye Hospital

About The Founder

Dr. Rajendra Rohatgi completed his MBBS from Government Grant Medical College, Mumbai (then Bombay) in 1935 and pursued post graduate courses in ophthalmology from DOMS, London, United Kingdom and ZLO, Vienna, Austria during 1937-42.

He established a society along with like-minded philanthropists and registered as Association for the Prevention of Blindness, UP in 1946 at Kanpur. Dr. Rajendra Rohatgi Institute of Medical Sciences is a paramedical teaching and training institute which is associated with the eye hospital.

The society opened a general hospital J L Rohatgi Hospital in 1997, which also served as a dedicated COVID treatment hospital during the second wave of the pandmeic and became a multi-specialty hospital in 2021.

Inception of JLR Memorial Eye Hospital

After completing post graduation and returning to India, Dr. Rajendra Rohatgi was inclined to practice in Mumbai, but Dr. Jivraj Mehta, his Dean and mentor during MBBS (personal doctor to Mahatma Gandhi and later first Chief Minister of Gujarat state) asked him to serve the people in Kanpur (Dr. Rohatgi’s hometown).

Dr. Rajendra Rohatgi returned to Kanpur and started going to the rural areas to treat the patients, at that time eye surgeries used to be conducted in camps and patients used to get admitted for 8-10 days due to surgical procedures. Dr. Rajendra Rohatgi kept travelling to the rural and remote areas by his own car with a cart attached to it and conducted camps.

He later realized that operating cases in camps is not a sustainable model, there is a need for a hospital and undertook the herculean effort to build the hospital during 1956-1959 with the support of state government, central government, and various donors.

Earlier the hospital was known as Kanpur Eye Hospital, which was renamed as Dr. Jawahar Lal Rohatgi Memorial Eye Hospital, after the demise of his father Dr. Jawahar Lal Rohatgi, a clinician and a freedom fighter. Dr. Rajendra Rohatgi was the President of the society and Administrator of the eye hospital until 1995.

Our Mission

We are on a mission to make Uttar Pradesh an avoidable blindness free state. To provide unmatched, specialist eye care to all those who need it, regardless of their ability to afford such treatment and thus work towards universal freedom from preventable and curable blindness. We will do this by enhancing our capabilities in our existing eye hospital in Kanpur and the new multispecialty hospital.

Our Vision

We always work to bring out our translational research to generate new & better therapies, diagnostics and knowledge of eye care. With our objectives we will be offering excellent ophthalmological medical care, qualified clinical staff and combining a state-of-the-art structure, high-tech equipment, with a focus on providing quality eye care services to the community including the last-mile population.

Our Impact

Association for the Prevention of Blindness, UP has now been operating for more than 62 years. It has reached more than 3 crore people with an aim to provide quality eyecare services.

Being on a mission to provide specialist eye care services to underprivileged people in the nearby districts, JLRMEH has been running a Community Eye Health Program since 2014 under which 24 villages have been declared avoidable blindness free till date.

The hospital has also been organising Rural Eye Relief Camps catering to the rural population of Kanpur and nearby districts.With government’s support and generous donations from various philanthropic organizations, the project has conducted around 3 lacs+ eye surgeries through 4,000+ eye relief camps since 1946.

Managing committee

Mrs. Leenika Rohatgi Tandon

Mrs. Leenika Rohatgi Tandon is currently serving as the President of the society since 27.03.2003. Prior to joining as member of the board at the society in 1995, she was a volunteer, involved in the society’s outreach activities and hospital’s administrative work. She has done MA and a trained yoga instructor and counselor. She is a pioneer in planning and implementing healthcare center at the hospital providing comprehensive care including medicinal and spiritual.

Mr. Vijay Tandon

Mr. Vijay Tandon is currently serving as Secretary of the society since 1995 and holds the office of the Administrator of the hospital since 1995. Prior to join as the administrator, Mr. Vijay Tandon joined the society as a member of the board in 1979 and actively worked with Late Dr. Rajendra Rohatgi at the hospital. Prior to join the society and the hospital, Mr. Vijay Tandon, was involved in marketing of cotton and polyester as selling agents with offices in several states. He was involved in planning, supply-chain management, and marketing for large scale textile mills. Mr. Tandon holds MA in academics.

Dr. S N Agarwal

Dr. S N Agarwal was the Head of Department, Medicine at Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi Medical College, Kanpur. He is a medical practitioner of internal medicine and soon after his retirement he joined the society’s board as a member in 2001 and became the Vice-President in 2004. Coming from a business background, Dr. Agarwal’s family is a well-known in the region for contribution to social services as well. Dr. Agarwal brings in his medical expertise, knowledge, and experience to guide the young leaders of the hospital.

Mr. Swadesh Tandon

Mr. Swadesh Tandon is currently serving as Treasurer in the society since 1999. Prior to joining the society, Mr. Swadesh Tandon was serving in the Indian Air Force as a pilot along with MA in academics.

Mr. Deepak Vaish

Mr. Deepak Vaish is currently serving as a member in the society since 2001. Mr. Vaish is an apt financial and business process re-engineering advisor. He has worked with JK group in the finance section and lead financial management of JK group of companies. Mr. Deepak has done MA in academics. Mr. Vaish advises the society on financial matters.

Mr. Prem Chand Gupta

Mr. Prem Chand Gupta is the member of the board since 1986. He is into the business of automobile sector in Kanpur. He holds a BA degree in academics.

Mr. Sharad Tandon

Mr. Anand Tandon is the member of the board since 2017. He is working in the rubber industry for more than 25 years. He has done MA in academics.

Mrs. Suchitra Singh

Mrs. Suchitra Singh is the member of the board since 2003. She holds a MA degree and has 20+ years of experience in interior decoration. She is an entrepreneur in architect and works on business assignments for hotels, corporate offices, and heritage buildings.

Mrs. Niharika Jain

Mrs. Niharika Jain is the member of the board since 2009. Mrs. Jain is involved in social works in schools and hospitals in Birla Group of companies. She holds a degree in BA.

Dr. Ashutosh Mishra

Dr. Ashutosh Mishra is the member of the board since 2020. He is a public health expert and brings in public health and healthcare management perspectives to the society. Dr. Ashutosh has done MBBS, master’s in public health, and MS in Epidemiology. He has worked with the healthcare sector for 15 years and currently working with an international research organization in India.