Madhu Gulati’s $130,000 generous donation to Sankara Nethralaya
 
Sankara Nethralaya (SN) is a non-profit charity organization providing ophthalmic(eye) care to millions of patients throughout India for the last four decades. Nethralaya also provides ophthalmic education and India-centric research. To support the mission of Sankara Nethralaya, Sankara Nethralaya USA was established back in 1988. The main goal of the Trust creation was to have the NRIs support and contribute to the Noble cause. Sankara Nethralaya USA is one of the trusted and well-respected charity organizations in the USA. The Trust also received Charity Navigator's "Four Stars" highest rating for maintaining financial accountability and fiscal transparency for funds donated by donors and how they are utilized towards the stated cause.
 
Sankara Nethralaya has recently received a whopping Rs. 1 crore ($130,000) donation from Madhu Gulatiji in memory of her in-laws. Her generous donation would help to care for 2000 deserving blind patients in India.

 
Jagdish Chander Gulati, Ms. Gulati’s husband who preferred to be addressed as JC, was born in 1938 to Bhisham Ji and Padma Vati Gulati in a town named Bannu which was part of Northwest Frontier during the Pre Independence-Era. Gulati's were a simple Punjabi family and could trace their roots back to four generations in the same town.
 
JC's father Bhishamji, born in 1906 to Manna Ram and Ganga Vati Gulati was named Bhisham because in Mahabharata Bhisham was Ganga's son. He was the oldest of the three siblings. He was very enthusiastic about studies because he knew that hard work and education would get him somewhere in life. He did his Master of Science from The University of Punjab, Lahore in 1929 in the First Division and was appointed as Chief Engineer of All India Radio, Lahore.
 
While studying for his Masters, in 1927 he got married to a local Punjabi girl, Padma Vati Narula, born in 1911 to Roop Chand and Binni Vati Narula, oldest of the six siblings. She was a simple girl endowed with high values and dignity. She supported her husband in all his ventures and took care of the family and was blessed with seven children (five sons and two daughters).
 
In 1942, Bhisham Ji Gulati was posted to All India Radio, Madras (present day Chennai) as Chief Engineer. He moved to Madras with his family, with a heavy heart because he was leaving behind the whole clan of Gulati's and Narula's in Bannu where the political conditions were very unstable.
 
When the Migration took place in 1947 and 1948, all the Gulati’s and Narula's moved back to India. It became a mission for Bhisham Ji and Padma Vati Gulati to make sure that each member of the extended family got settled quickly.  Bhisham ji instilled in nieces and nephews his two solid principles - hard work and education is the key to success. They both sacrificed their own comforts to pay for the school and college tuition for the children of the extended families. Their home was an open house with warm, simple and nutritious food on the table for any visitor.
 
Bhisham Ji Gulati did so well as Chief Engineer that he was admitted as a member to The Institution of Electrical Engineers in England, UK in 1957 which was considered as a very high honor in those days. In 1958, he was posted to All India Radio, Delhi as Chief Engineer and that's where he worked until his retirement in 1963. He passed away in 1970 leaving behind his wife Padma Vati Gulati as the head of the family and she carried on until her death in 1989. They are survived by five daughters-in-law, fourteen grand-children, twenty five great grand-children and one great grand, grand-child. All the children are doing very well in their chosen field in three countries, India, USA, and Singapore.
 
This donation is a humble tribute to Bhisham Ji Gulati and Padma Vati Gulati from each and every member of the Gulati and Narula Families. OM SHANTI
 
Both Sankara Nethralaya USA and the Sankara Nehralaya India teams, thank Ms. Madhu Gulatiji for her generous donation and shared the following appreciations.
 
Dr. Girish Rao, President of Sankara Nethralaya: Sincere gratitude to Madhuji for the generous donation and to Balaji for his tireless services.

Sankara Netharalaya USA Executive Committee & Board of Trustees appreciation:

S.V. Acharya, President Emeritus, Sankara Nethralaya USA: Mrs. Madhu Gulati Ji – We greatly appreciate your generous contribution of $ 130,000 for naming a floor at our Chennai hospital in memory of your late in-laws Bhishamji and Padmavati. This kind gesture of yours will go a long way in materializing our Founder Living Legend, Padmabhushan Dr. S. S. Badrinath’s vision of providing free eyesight to indigent patients and eradicating blindness in the Indian sub-continent.

Bala Reddy Indurti, President, Sankara Netharalaya USA: Dear Ms Madhuji, I am truly honored to be the receiver of your generosity $130,000 (one hundred thirty thousand US dollars) on behalf of Sankara Nethralaya to support 2000 indigent blind patients in India. "The highest of distinction is service to others" - your magnanimity & selflessness is unparalleled, and it would bring hope and ray of light into many unfortunate lives. Thank you heart fully, and I am sure your in-laws would be delighted watching from above. Glad to know you during my tenure as Sankara Nethralaya USA president. I am also very thankful to your son Vishal for supporting these noble deeds.