Innovation

Apart from the free eye check-up camps, Mukta Opticians also has a fully functional mobile eye examination unit. As Mr. Sarsolkar, owner of Mukta Opticians elaborates, “We use this mobile unit to reach out to the rural areas. These are areas where access to eye care is relatively poor and so the risk of vision problems developing into major issues is higher. Through our mobile unit, we are able to provide basic eye check-up to the people in these areas and therefore help prevent vision problems from growing.”

Till date, Mukta Opticians has conducted free eye testing camp across villages, schools, corporate offices, local clubs, women welfare organisation, among others. The camps are conducted in collaboration with companies like Cipla Ltd, Sesa Goa, GSL, SGL, Fomento Resources, IMA , Adani Ltd, WOCHARDT, Konkan Railway and other corporate as well as not-for-profit organisations.

Quoting Mr Kishor Sarsolkar, "Along with regular business, there is a concentrated effort of fulfilling our social responsibility towards the society. This is a conscious call as we are aware of our responsibilities towards society. Mukta Opticians has always been at the forefront of offering new and innovative solutions to health problems especially eyecare and implemented them on a large scale. A business entrepreneur measures performance on the basis of profit but here at Mukta Opticians, our focus is on creating social capital for the larger economic benefit. CSR at Mukta Opticians is a continuous commitment to contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life for the workforce and society at large."

Inspiration

According to Mr Kishor Sarsolkar, he believes that we come into this world naked and we go naked, we can't really take back anything. But the only thing we can give back to society even after death is our eyes.

He says that. "I believe in taking a challenge heads on and working hard to achieve my goal. Nothing comes without hard work, performance, dedication, devotion, determination and discipline. It seemed like a tough job when we started. But when I saw the underprivileged benefiting from it, my hard work became worth the effort. The smiles on their faces is truly one of my biggest earnings because these are people who did not have access to basic eye-care as well before our mobile van reached them."

Overall impact

Since 2009, they have conducted more than 600 eye care camps have screening more than 90,000 people for free. Free spectacles were provided to more than 25,000 people. They were also honored that ther efforts were recognised on a platform like ‘ZEISS ‘YOU&EYE’ AWARDS. Amongst the 18 awards in 4 categories announced, Mukta Opticians, Goa won the ‘Excellence in Clinical Support’ Award in the Retail Chains (All India) Category.

Mukta Opticians not only has Mobile Eye Testing Camp but also Eye Screening Camps for School Children, Corporates and for Rural areas.

Business benefit

Armed with four decades of operation, Mukta Opticians has made its presence felt not only by being uncompromising in the quality of its products, keeping abreast with latest developments in the eyewear sector, and through their philanthropic work. Evolving over the years, the company now has its own lens manufacturing unit, powered by state-of-the-art machinery. This has not only made the company an independent manufacturer of the required spectacles but has also boosted the revenue in the process, with an annual turnover of over ₹6 crores(INR 60 Million). Having a workforce of over 60 personnel, the company has serviced over one hundred thousand satisfied customers.

Mukta Opticians also take pride in their post-sales service and customer care management. They provide an intensive customer support at retail outlets taking care of post-sales service requirements.

Mukta Opticians is also a member of Vision 2020, a unit of World Health Organisation working towards the same end. In recognition of their novel work, Mukta Opticians was conferred an award on a national scale for the Best CSR initiative at the ZEISS You&Eye Awards 2016. They were also felicitated at the Secretariat of Goa for their philanthropic work in November 2017.

Social and environmental benefit

Mukta Opticians has launched its mobile eye clinic. It also helps the needy with cataract operations. Kishore says, “The happiness that can be seen in the person after the surgery gives an inexplicable sense of satisfaction.”

The company also organises awareness drives for the masses, such as ‘Walk in the Dark’ an initiative to spread awareness about blindness and eye care. In the year 2016, under their CSR initiative, Mukta Opticians founded an eye care NGO named Mukta Drishti Foundation with the objectives of providing eye care to the masses, promote sustainable entrepreneurial ventures in eye care services, promote general and preventive health care through education, collect data on eye health and utilise it for research and development and to provide guidance and support to develop visually challenged community.

Interview

Mr. Kishor Sarsolkar, Owner and Present Head of Operations