Vision vows  One of the greatest gifts we can give to the society after our death is vision to another individual. Yes, eye donation is a noble gesture we all can practise irrespective of our position in society. “Anybody, irrespective of age can pledge to donate eyes after death. Even if one wears glasses, has cataract, or has undergone eye surgery successfully, they can donate their eyes. The only requirement is that the cornea (natural lens on the eye) should be healthy. The corneas have to be removed within six hours of death. The nearest eye bank should be informed immediately in such an event and a doctor is rushed in to the donor’s home. Removal of the corneas takes only ten to fifteen minutes and is free of cost. The process leaves no disfigurement of the face and performance of the last rites is also not delayed. Donation of the pair of eyes gives sight to two blind persons as one blind person is given one cornea each. “The eyes can be donated irrespective of whether the deceased had pledged to donate the eyes or not. The law provides that one is authoricized to donate the eyes of a deceased relative if the latter had not said anything to the contrary. The recipients of cornea always remain anonymous but the family of the donor is satisfied knowing that the eyes have helped restore the vision of not one but two blind persons. Moreover, donated eyes are never bought or sold.” The above is an extract of a leaflet in Assamese circulated by the Lions Club of Gauhati, which along with the Sankardev Nethralaya and Regional Institute of Ophthalmology (RIO), GMC, Guwahati observed eye donation fortnight recently. The Lions Club, along with the Lions Eye Hospital doctors organized awareness campaigns in different Guwahati schools. The sensitization and awareness drives were coordinated laudably by Guwahati Lions Club president Paras Jain. For more information aspriants can contact 94351-15685, 94350-11571, 94350-41676, 94350-16128, 99540-95037, 98640-67836. The RIO eye bank helpline number for emergency dialling is 96780-02222.

Freshers first  It was a fresher’s social with a difference. Darwin School of Business celebrated ‘Aagman’ at Pragjyoti ITA centre, Machkhowa recently with songs, dances, and a drama depicting the devastating October 30, 2008 bomb blasts in Guwahati. Welcoming the guests, Darwin Dean Dr TK Bharali lauded the efforts of the students and teachers for organizing such a colourful event to welcome the freshers helping them find a home away from home. The ‘open ragging’ to bring closer the old and new students the previous day was worth emulating amidst the menace of ragging that has been hogging the limelight for all the wrong reasons these days.

Mom mantra  What is common to Leander Paes, Sachin Tendulkar, Sanath Jayasuriya and Adam Gilchrist? They are all sportsmen becoming more prolific, in sporting terms, with advancing age. The other day’s US Open doubles triumph for Leander and the classy 138 by Sachin that helped India win the Compaq Cup at Colombo beating hosts Sri Lanka are testimonies of their sporting excellence. The icing on the cake of these golden achievers was, however, the victory of Kim Clisters, who after a 27-month lay-off due to marriage and becoming a mother of a girl, returned to the tennis court with a bang and humbled on her way the likes of Venus and Serena who are considered virtually untameable for their sheer power. This is a real bright sign for women’s tennis amidst the monopoly of the Williams sisters. Kim’s feat must have come as ahuge morale booster for the women worldwide for whom marriage and child-bearing is synonymous to an end to their grace, stamina and athleticism. Kim also proved that by having children at the right age, with the right approach and attitude, a woman can continue to be as vibrant and athletic as a teenager at the peak of her physical excellence.

Simanta / Mridumoloy