Dr. Perumalsamy Namperumalsamy, affectionately known as Dr. Nam, was a visionary ophthalmologist whose life’s work transformed eye care in India and beyond, bringing sight to millions and hope to countless others. Born on July 9, 1940, in a small village near Theni, Tamil Nadu, he grew up in a humble farming family. His parents, Shri Perumalsamy and Smt. Ponnammal, instilled in him a deep sense of service, inspiring him to pursue medicine not just as a profession but as a calling to uplift rural communities.

Dr. Nam’s journey began at Madurai Medical College, where he earned his MBBS in 1963. It was here that fate intertwined his life with Dr. G. Venkataswamy, fondly called Dr. V, his professor and later his brother-in-law through his marriage to Dr. Natchiar, a fellow medical graduate. Dr. V’s passion for eradicating preventable blindness became a guiding light for Dr. Nam, shaping his personal and professional life. Initially aspiring to be an engineer, Dr. Nam found his true purpose in ophthalmology, influenced by Dr. V’s mentorship and their shared commitment to selfless service.

After his medical training, Dr. Nam’s pursuit of excellence took him to the United States, where he honed his skills in retina and vitreous diseases at the Eye and Ear Infirmary in Chicago and later at Harvard’s Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. Returning to India, he brought with him not just expertise but a determination to make eye care accessible to all. In 1971, he established India’s first Low Vision Aid Clinic at Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai, followed by the country’s first Vitreous Surgery Centre in 1975. These were bold steps in a nation where specialized eye care was scarce.

In 1977, Dr. Nam made a pivotal decision to leave his comfortable government job as an assistant professor at Madurai Medical College to join Dr. V’s fledgling Aravind Eye Hospital, which had started as an 11-bed facility in 1976. This leap of faith marked the beginning of a revolution in eye care. Under Dr. Nam’s leadership as Chairman Emeritus, Aravind grew into a global model of compassionate, efficient healthcare. He introduced an assembly-line approach to eye surgery, inspired by industrial efficiency, enabling doctors to perform high-quality cataract surgeries in just 5-10 minutes. This innovation, coupled with a unique business model where paying patients subsidized free or low-cost care for the poor, allowed Aravind to serve millions—70% of its patients received treatment at little to no cost.

Dr. Nam’s impact extended beyond surgery. Recognizing the growing threat of diabetic retinopathy, he established the Centre of Relevance and Excellence in Diabetic Retinopathy, collaborating with the Government of India, the World Diabetes Foundation, and TOPCON, Tokyo. He pioneered IT-enabled Vision Centres in rural areas, bringing eye care to remote communities, and founded the Aravind Virtual Ophthalmic Academy to train doctors worldwide. His research on diabetic retinopathy and Eales’ disease, with over 100 published articles and contributions to major textbooks, advanced the global understanding of these conditions.

A soft-spoken man with a sharp mind, Dr. Nam was a teacher, clinician, surgeon, researcher, and administrator rolled into one. His colleagues described him as a rare blend of brilliance and humility, someone who trained countless doctors and inspired a generation. His work earned him the Padma Shri in 2007, the Dr. B.C. Roy National Award, and a place on TIME magazine’s 2010 list of the 100 most influential people in the world. Yet, Dr. Nam remained grounded, driven by the belief that “all people have a right to sight.”

Dr. Nam’s legacy lives on through Aravind’s network of hospitals, vision centers, and research institutes, which continue to fight avoidable blindness. He passed away on July 24, 2025, at 85, leaving behind his wife, Dr. Natchiar, and their two sons, Venkatesh Prajna and Vishnu Prasad. His cremation took place in Ambasamudram, Theni, the following day. Tributes poured in from across the globe, with peers like Dr. Amar Agarwal and Dr. Mohan Rajan hailing his contributions to ophthalmology and his compassionate leadership. Dr. Nam’s life was a testament to the power of vision—both in restoring sight and in seeing a world where healthcare transcends barriers of wealth and geography.