LEXINGTON, MA – Vision-Aid, a non-profit organization serving the visually impaired, has announced notable additions to its leadership team for 2026-27.
This year’s 100% volunteer Vision-Aid Leadership team includes its Board of Directors (BOD), Board of Advisors (BOA), and Council of Ambassadors (COA). The combined team brings together an eminently qualified and diverse range of members drawn from a wide variety of fields including Ophthalmology, Optometry, Occupational Therapy, Finance, Technology, Health, Management, Academia, the Arts, and Law. Notably, women continue to make up a majority of the leadership team.
The new team begins its tenure in July 2026, as Vision-Aid proudly celebrates its 22nd birthday. The organization has a track record of holding popular, sold-out community events that draw 1000+ attendees each year, and its annual mega-event remains a cornerstone of its outreach and fundraising. Details of this year’s signature Broadway style event, “Brothers in Arms, the Lions of Sivaganga” , to be staged in Andover, MA on July 26, 2026, can be found at www.VisionAid.org/event
New Additions to the Board of Advisors
This year’s additions to the Vision-Aid Board of Advisors include Dr. Inder Kaul and Manorama Choudhury.
Dr. Inder Kaul, MD, MPH
Inder Kaul is a physician and an experienced global drug development leader with a track record of success in regulatory project achievement, portfolio governance, translational science and commercialization support. Currently, he is the Chief Medical Officer at Draig Therapeutics, where he leads the development of an AMPA PAM for the treatment of Major Depressive Disorder. He has successfully brought seven new chemical entities to the worldwide markets, including two recent ones – a GABA PAM for post-partum depression and a muscarinic agonist for the treatment of acute schizophrenia. He is also a board member at Minerva Neurosciences and serves on the Scientific Advisory Boards of several pharmaceutical companies. Inder has been involved in leadership roles at non-profit organizations including KOA (Kashmiri Overseas Association), VFS (Volunteering for Seniors) and Sri Radha Bhakti. Committed to preserving the cultural heritage of India, he donates generously to organizations whose mission he ardently supports. Inder has lived in Massachusetts for the last 43 years and currently resides in Concord. He is married to Sunita Kaul and has two daughters.
Manorama Choudhury
(Author | Poet | Social Entrepreneur | Philanthropist)
Manorama Choudhury is a multilingual author, poet, and blogger who writes in Odia, Hindi, and English. Her emotionally resonant poems and reflective essays transcend cultural boundaries, inviting readers to pause, reflect, and rediscover beauty in often-overlooked moments of life. Marked by authenticity, simplicity, and spiritual introspection, her writings transform personal experiences into universal reflections – not merely to narrate stories, but to awaken the stories within others. Beyond literature, she is deeply engaged in grassroots empowerment. She is the Chairwoman of Avanti Holdings Company. She is also the Co-Founder and Advisor of BhaMa Foundation and MSE Bazaar – initiatives focused on building resilient micro and small enterprises, and creating sustainable bridges from roots to markets, impacting over a million households. Her work reflects a strong commitment to economic inclusion, dignity of labor, and circular growth models. Together with her husband, Bhaskar Panigrahi, she has supported the establishment of the Manorama Choudhury Nayan Jyoti CVI Center in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, in partnership with LV Prasad Eye Institute. Funds raised through the sale of her co-authored book are now contributing to the establishment of a secondary CVI center in Balasore, extending critical support to more children and families affected by Cerebral Visual Impairment. Her keynote address at the 2025 annual fundraising event was deeply inspiring, while her blogs continue to be a powerful medium for educating and raising awareness about CVI. Author of Ashtanayika: Tattwa O Kabita (Odia) and co-author of Ashtanayika: The Romantic Heroines from Natyashastra to Modernity, exploring the evolution of feminine archetypes from classical aesthetics to contemporary thought. She has been recognized with the Outstanding Woman of the Year for Art and Literature 2023 by India New England and the Business Excellence Award for Outstanding Woman in Cultural Diplomacy 2025 from the Diplomatic Club in Delhi. She was also awarded the Ekal Tara 2024 for her song “Maa Tujhe Salaam” made for Ekal Vidyalaya. She supports many other social causes that stand for education, women’s empowerment, and actively promotes handloom. She is a regular participant in poetry gatherings, including the South Asian Poets of New England (SAPNE), in association with Harvard University. She has also produced musicals, including Malhar, which was officially selected for the Kalakari Film Festival, Festival Angelica and First-Time Filmmaker, reflecting her commitment to celebrating culture through performing arts. Learn more at: https://manorama.me. A resident of Southborough, Massachusetts, with her roots in Odisha, she remains, at heart, a homemaker with a mission to serve, uplift, and leave a meaningful and lasting impact.
Gratitude to Past Board of Advisors Members
Vision-Aid gratefully acknowledge the significant contributions of past Board of Advisors members. The organization expresses its deepest gratitude to the late Dr. Yogeshwar Dayal and to Ms. Cynthia Asums, whose dedication, wisdom, and service left a lasting impact on Vision-Aid and the communities it serves. Their legacy continues to inspire the team’s work.
The Vision-Aid leadership team also expressed deep appreciation for all of its continuing members. Profiles of the full leadership team can be found at: https://visionaid.org/about-vision-aid/the-vision-aid-board/
Vision-Aid Youth President
Vision-Aid is delighted to announce that Aditi Wadhwa will serve as the organization’s Youth President.
Aditi Wadhwa
Aditi Wadhwa, a student at Lexington High School, began her training in Bharatanatyam at age six at the Triveni School of Dance under the guidance of Smt. Neena Gulati, and is currently preparing for her upcoming arangetram. Deeply committed to community service, she volunteers at F.U.S.E. School, a nonprofit supporting neurodivergent children, and dedicates 45 minutes each week to assisting visually impaired students through the Vision-Aid VA English Speaking Program. She has contributed to numerous nonprofit initiatives – supporting events for Hindi Manch and the Lexington Parents Association, preparing sandwiches for homeless families at the Bhakti Center (earning a Presidential Gold Award in 2023), and teaching children at the Shishubharti School of Language (Presidential Bronze Award, 2024). Her service also includes her school’s Best Buddies program and 32 hours at Lexington’s Lexploration Camp in 2024. Aditi is CPR-certified through the American Red Cross and holds a black belt in karate, and has demonstrated leadership through tutoring middle school students, working at a Kumon center, and leading a watercolor workshop for seniors in 2025 through Volunteering for Seniors (VFS). Having performed at Vision-Aid’s annual event in July 2025, she now looks forward to serving as Vision-Aid’s Youth President. Aditi was recently awarded the “”NDIA New England News 20 Under 20 Star for 2026″
Welcoming Vision-Aid’s Team
Vision-Aid’s leadership warmly welcomed the incoming team. “We are thrilled to welcome this remarkable group of leaders,” said Lalit Sudan, the organization’s Volunteer President. “Their breadth of experience and shared commitment to service will help Vision-Aid reach even more people living with vision loss.”
For founders Ramakrishna Raju and Revathy Ramakrishna, the milestone carried special meaning. “When we founded Vision-Aid, we dreamed of a movement powered by passionate volunteers,” they reflected. “Seeing leaders of this caliber step forward, year after year, is the greatest affirmation of that vision.”
Vice Chair Veena Handa echoed the sentiment. “A warm welcome to each of our new members,” she said. “Your energy and expertise strengthen our mission, and together there is so much we will accomplish.”
Chairman Emeritus Puran Dang added, “It is a joy to welcome such dedicated individuals to the Vision-Aid family. Their service honors the spirit of giving that has defined this organization from the very beginning.”
About Vision-Aid
Founded in 2004 and headquartered in Lexington, Massachusetts, Vision-Aid is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to enabling, educating, and empowering people with visual impairment so they can live with independence and dignity. Its US chapter is run entirely by volunteers — including its board and leadership — keeping overhead near zero and directing almost every dollar raised toward direct service in India, where nearly all of its programs are delivered. The organization holds a top 4-out-of-4-star rating from Charity Navigator. Its mission rests on three pillars: Enable, by providing access to assistive devices and services; Educate, through a comprehensive range of training programs including being a leader in training the visually impaired in AI skills; and Empower, by helping graduates succeed in their chosen professions.
Working in partnership with more than 25 leading eye hospitals and over 70 blind schools, Vision-Aid today reaches more than 100,000 beneficiaries annually across 75+ locations in India. Its training spans foundational skills — AI, spoken English, computer and mobile applications, orientation and mobility, and Braille — through advanced offerings in Python programming, digital accessibility testing alongside placement programs that connect visually impaired graduates to careers at companies such as Microsoft and Infosys. A recognized leader in applying AI for the visually impaired, in 2025 Vision-Aid launched a Smart Assistive Technology program distributing AI smart-vision glasses, smartphones, tablets, and tactile Braille books to thousands of students. The organization is also a leader in serving children with Cerebral Visual Impairment (CVI) — the leading cause of childhood blindness — operating multidisciplinary CVI centers across India. Its work has earned the Harvard University Derek Bok Public Service Prize for founder Ramakrishna Raju, the India New England Woman of the Year award for co-founder Revathy Ramakrishna, and a 2024 Non-Profit Organization of the Year award.
Behind the numbers are real lives changed — blind graduates placed in careers, children with CVI returning to school, and visually impaired developers building technology for others.
To learn more about Vision-Aid, its programs, and how to support its mission, please visit
