Bentonville, Arkansas Celebrates Music and Dance in Support of Vision Care Through Sankara Nethralaya USA

Sankara Nethralaya USA’s Arkansas Chapter hosted its first fundraising event in the state, Music & Dance for Vision 2026, on Saturday, October 3, at The Neighborhood Church in Bentonville. The event brought together 150 attendees for an evening of music and dance in support of restoring sight to patients in need.

Chapter Vice President Vaidyanathan Venkatasubramanian opened the program by introducing Sankara Nethralaya’s mission and explaining how Sankara Nethralaya USA supports access to eye care through its charitable initiatives.

The stage came alive with classical Indian dance performances by students of Shivalaya Dance Academy and other local cultural groups. SSS Music entertained the audience with a light music program, followed by live performances by singers Sumangli and Ramu. Each dance performer received a medal, while their gurus were honored with bouquets and shawls.

The evening also marked an important milestone for the Sankara Nethralaya USA’s Arkansas chapter: Bapuji Vakkalagadda became Arkansas’s first Adopt-a-Village donor. Chapter leaders honored him on stage in recognition of his support.

Throughout the program, Vaidyanathan Venkatasubramanian and chapter leaders Aravindh Sivasubramanian, Keerthi Deenadayalan, Sakthivel Balachandran, and Sai Poornima spoke about Nethra Dhana, the Mobile Eye Surgical Unit (MESU) program, and other ways the community can support Sankara Nethralaya’s work.

The Arkansas Chapter extends its sincere gratitude to Bala Reddy Indurti, President of Sankara Nethralaya USA and recipient of the Sankara Ratna Award, for his leadership and support. His efforts have helped expand the organization’s presence across the United States and strengthen its Adopt-a-Village and mobile eye care initiatives.

Heartfelt thanks also go to Moorthy Rekapalli, Dr. Reddy Urimindi, Shyam Appali, Vamsi Krishna Eruvaram, Ratna Kumar Kavuturu, Govardhan Rao Nidiganti, Karthikeyan, and Deenadayalan for their logistical assistance and coordination.

The chapter thanks Bharath Bazaar and Namaste Indian Grocery for providing a delicious dinner at a reduced cost, and the staff and management of The Neighborhood Church for their support and cooperation. This event would not have been possible without the dedication of Satheesh Srinivasan, Paul Vinoth Kumar, Santhosh Seetharaman, Jagan Ramachandran, Raj Yerlagadda, Chandra Sekhar P, and Ganapathy Rajamani.

The chapter also recognizes the middle and high school volunteers who stepped forward to help: Suvarnarekha Babu, Akshara Luxman, Tanvi Mahesh Kumar, Aadithaa Naveen Kumar, Sarayu, Riya Keerthi, Saadhvi Vaidyanathan, and Nivin Paul Vinothkumar.

Their time and hard work helped make the evening possible. The chapter extends its appreciation to their families as well. Support the gift of sight – For more information or to donate, visit www.sankaranethralayausa.org or call toll-free at (855) 463-8472.

Tax-deductible donations can be mailed to:
Sankara Nethralaya USA
7238 Muncaster Mill Rd, No. 522
Derwood, MD 20855