Patna: Jagadguru Pujyashri Shankara Vijayendra Saraswathi Shankaracharya on Thursday inaugurated Sri Kanchi Guruparampara Sankara Eye Hospital in the premises of Shree Narayan Medical Institute & Hospital at Saharsa. Union textiles minister Giriraj Singh was also present on the occasion.The state-of-the-art, ultra-modern eye hospital built at an estimated cost of Rs 11.55 crore, aims to provide free or low-cost eye care to underserved rural populations in North-East Bihar and Nepal.Addressing the gathering, Shankacharya recalled the old connection between Saharsa (Bihar) and Kanchi (Tamil Nadu) and expressed his profound pleasure at opening this eye-care facility for the poor people of the region.The minister, in his address, expressed his gratitude to Kanchi Shankaracharya for visiting this historical place and inaugurating this mega eye-care facility centre for the rural people of this region.Others who were present on the occasion included Janardan Singh Sigriwal, MP, Neeraj Kumar Bablu, MLA, Sanjay Kumar Sinh, MLC, and Saharsa mayor Priya Jha.The trustee and executive chairman of Shankara Eye Hospital said that the OPD service in the hospital will start on Friday but it will be fully functional from July. The hospital, having world-class instruments and specialist doctors, will provide free treatment to 75 percent of patients in this region, he added.Earlier, on the way to Saharsa, Shankaracharya visited the temple built in revered memory of Shankaracharya and Mandan Mishra at Mahisi and addressed a gathering of devotees there.
