Suchitra Shenoy

The Power of Creative Constraints

An almost incomprehensively ambitious vision unsupported by any sort of business plan may sound like a vision doomed to fail. Yet more than 35 years after the first Aravind Eye Clinic was set up in South India, Dr. Govindappa Venkataswamy’s (Dr. V) mission to eliminate curable blindness in the country is surpassing even the most optimistic expectations. This excerpt from Infinite Vision: How Aravind Became the World’s Greatest Business Case for Compassion describes how a precisely defined set of creative constraints, including never refusing to provide care, never compromising on quality, and never relying on outside funding for patient services, became the basis for a world-class organization. The story of Aravind’s success, characterized by all the hallmarks of sustainability – financial health, massive scale, continued relevance, and longevity – demonstrates that charity and business can indeed be compatible.