In an effort to honor the memory of his late parents, and the values of compassion and service ingrained in the Indian culture, New Jersey-based NRI Rajeev Bhambri undertook philanthropic endeavours to benefit the underprivileged in India.

The Indian American, who has feeding the hungry in New Delhi for the past three decades through the AWB Food Bank launched a new initiative earlier this year to provide eye exam service and distribute free eyeglasses to the needy people of Amritsar.

The inaugural eye camp was jointly inaugurated by Gurjeet Singh Aujla, Member of India’s Parliament, Om Parkash Soni, former Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab and Sandeep Rishi, Commissioner of Amritsar. The dignitaries honored the late Chaman Lal Bhalla who sponsored a local school for the blind. His inspiration led the Long Island couple, Ratna and Varinder Bhalla to launch the eye camp.

Recognising the late philanthropist, the Senate and the General Assembly of the state of New Jersey passed a joint resolution. “Shri Chaman Lal Bhalla in appreciation of the immeasurable contributions he made throughout his lifetime in furtherance of the common good,”  the proclamation read.

The eye camp was supported by a team of eye specialists from the renowned BSLN Eye Hospital in Ganga Nagar, established by Brahmrishi Shri Kumar Swami, a spiritual guru acclaimed for his charitable works.

For the fifth eye camp organized recently, Bhambri contributed sponsored eyeglasses for 100 people. The previous donors included Jagdish Singh, Rupinder Kaur and Geeta Shukla of Long Island, who also donated funds to the CLB Eye camp and honored the memory of their ancestors.