Sightsavers India Launches Looms & Lenses with Kabir Bedi
Mrs. Sherriy Singh, Mrs. Universe 2025, joined the launch to highlight the need for better eye care for India’s weavers and artisans.
Sightsavers India has launched ‘Looms & Lenses’, a national initiative to improve eye care for weavers and artisans. The organisation has worked since 1966 to prevent avoidable blindness and support people with disabilities across India.
Through this initiative, Sightsavers India aims to bring eye care closer to weaving communities. It also seeks to protect their skills, traditions and livelihoods. By 2030, the programme aims to reach 1 million weavers, allied workers and artisans. It also plans to provide 400,000 spectacles to people who need them.
Kabir Bedi, Honorary Brand Ambassador of Sightsavers India, unveiled the initiative at the India International Centre in New Delhi.
The event brought together leaders from government, healthcare and the textile sector. Key attendees included Kabir Bedi; Swayamprava Pani, Additional Development Commissioner (Handlooms), Ministry of Textiles, Government of India; Poonam Guha, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Handlooms, Textiles and Handicrafts Department, Government of Odisha; Sherriy Singh, Mrs Universe 2025; Dr G. Kausalya, Deputy Director General, NPCB&VI, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare; Dr Tashi Tobgay, Regional Adviser, World Health Organization South-East Asia Regional Office; Dr Caroline Harper, CBE, CEO, RCSB UK; and Rati Forbes, Chair, Sightsavers India.
Eye Care Supports Weavers’ Livelihoods
The launch took place ahead of World Sight Day. The annual observance raises awareness about eye health and access to quality eye care.
For weavers and artisans, good eyesight is vital to their daily work. It helps them maintain quality, earn an income and continue traditional crafts. However, untreated vision problems can affect their productivity and financial security.
Through ‘Looms & Lenses’, Sightsavers India aims to help these communities access eye screenings, spectacles and further medical care when needed.
Speaking at the launch, Kabir Bedi, Honorary Brand Ambassador, Sightsavers India, said, “Being made the Honorary Brand Ambassador of Sightsavers India is a deeply special honour because restoring sight is not just about treating a medical condition—it is about restoring lives, dignity and livelihoods. The Looms and Lenses initiative is particularly meaningful as it supports India’s weavers, whose craft depends on precision, vision and generations-old traditions. By helping them protect their eyesight, we are not only improving their lives but also helping preserve an invaluable part of India’s artistic heritage.”
Odisha to Lead the First Phase
RN Mohanty, CEO of Sightsavers India, said the programme would begin in Odisha. The organisation will build on its partnership with the Department of Handlooms, Textiles and Handicrafts, Government of Odisha. It plans to expand the programme to other states later.
The initiative will bring eye screenings, spectacles and referral services closer to local weaving communities. These services can help address vision problems that affect work, income and independence.
Swayamprava Pani, ADC-Handlooms, Ministry of Textiles and Guest of Honour, said, “India’s handloom sector supports 3.5 million weavers, 72% of whom are women. Strengthening their welfare is essential to the sector’s growth and sustainability. I commend Sightsavers India for recognising the importance of eye health in improving productivity, securing livelihoods and ensuring the well-being of our weaving communities.”
Poonam Guha, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, also highlighted the importance of accessible eye care.
She said, “Eye care is as fundamental to human welfare as any other basic need. Our partnership with Sightsavers India has helped us take this support directly to weavers and artisans through eye-care camps in Cuttack and Bargarh, reaching around 1,000 people. Given the positive response, we are now working towards a structured plan to cover the entire weaver community.”
Protecting India’s Traditional Crafts
Sherriy Singh, Mrs Universe 2025, spoke about the link between artisans’ well-being and the preservation of traditional crafts.
She said, “By protecting the eyesight and livelihoods of artisans, we are not just saving a craft; we are preserving a part of our cultural heritage. As a woman, I have grown up seeing my mother preserve this art, and I believe we have a responsibility to ensure that these traditions do not disappear. My heart is full knowing that initiatives like Sightsavers India are working to protect both the people and the traditions behind this beautiful craft.”
The event also featured the unveiling of the programme’s new visual identity by Kabir Bedi. Attendees then watched a special film featuring him. The film highlighted the link between eye health, livelihoods and India’s weaving heritage.
Sightsavers India also launched its report, Beyond the Thread, at the event.
Safeguarding Vision and Heritage
Millions of weavers across India rely on good eyesight to earn a living. Their work also keeps traditional skills alive for future generations.
Through ‘Looms & Lenses’, Sightsavers India aims to prevent vision problems from forcing artisans to reduce their work or leave their craft. The programme seeks to make eye care easier to access for those who need it.
By protecting the eyesight of weavers and artisans, the initiative also supports their livelihoods and helps preserve India’s rich handloom heritage.
