Venkataswamy Endowment Award conferred on Dr Allen Foster

Prof Allen Foster, Co-director of the International Centre for Eye Health, and a renowned person in the realm of global eye care for more than three decades, was today conferred the G Venkataswamy Endowment Award 2015 at a function held at Aravind Eye care system here.

The award has been instituted to recognize and honour outstanding professionals in the field of Ophthalmology and vision sciences.

Foster helped develop a national eyecare plan for Tanzania.

He was instrumental in development of the World Health Organization global initiative to eliminate Avoidable Blindness (Vision 2020-the right to sight)

Speaking at the function, Foster said the award was "very special" to him.