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Infinite Vision: How Aravind Became the World's Greatest Business Case for Compassion (BK Business) [Paperback]

Pavithra K. Mehta , Suchitra Shenoy
5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (36 customer reviews)

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Book Description

November 7, 2011 BK Business
When a crippling disease shattered his lifelong ambition, Dr. Venkataswamy (better known as Dr. V) chose an impossible new dream: to cure the world of blindness. The tiny clinic he founded in India defied conventional business logic and is now the largest provider of eye care on the planet. At Aravind, patients choose whether to pay or not. Millions are treated for free, yet the organization remains stunningly self-reliant. Serving everyone from penniless farmers to the president, it delivers world-class outcomes at a hundredth of what similar services cost providers in advanced nations. Its model is emulated by organizations everywhere from Rwanda to San Francisco.

Drawing inspiration from spirituality, and of all things, fast food franchises, Dr.V and his  team (which now includes 21 ophthalmologists across three generations of his family) have created a global phenomenon. Infinite Vision is the first book to probe Aravind's history for the distinctive practices and values that unleashed its improbable success. It reveals the power of a model that integrates innovation with empathy, service with business principles, and inner change with outer transformation. It shows how choices that seem naïve or unworkable, can, when executed with wisdom and integrity, yield powerful results - results that light the eyes of millions

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Infinite Vision: How Aravind Became the World's Greatest Business Case for Compassion (BK Business) + The Blue Sweater: Bridging the Gap between Rich and Poor in an Interconnected World
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Editorial Reviews

Review

(...)"This thought-provoking story of Dr. V and the Aravind Eye Care System should be required reading for current and future business and charity leaders.  Only by breaking down the false separation between business practices and community needs will our societies prosper."
-- Dr. Pamela Hartigan, Author, The Power of Unreasonable People

"If you aspire to combine entrepreneurship and innovation with higher life purpose then there can be no better guide than Infinite Vision and the life of Doctor V. But beware. Once ensnared it will be impossible to escape!" - Tim Brown, CEO, IDEO, Author of Change By Design

"(..)Rich with lessons that come to life through the vivid personalities of Aravind's torchbearers -- their insights on leadership and management forge a path forward for the social as well as corporate sectors. An important and compelling read."-- V. Kasturi Rangan, Co-chair of The HBS Social Enterprise Initiative

A stirring account of how one man's faith and pragmatism healed millions. Infinite Vision is a powerful reminder that any of us can overcome the most severe of obstacles, and rise to unparalleled heights of spiritual and practical achievement. 
 - Huston Smith, Author, "The World's Religions"

Infinite Vision offers a lucid and moving account of the Aravind story, while detailing its greatest lesson to the world: Compassion, when focused with clear goals, thoughtful strategies and sound management practices, can yield incredible results. - Steve Hilton, President and CEO, Conrad N. Hilton Foundation

More Praise for Infinite Vision

“In an increasingly complex world where making money and doing good are dichotomized, this thought-provoking story of Dr. V and the Aravind Eye Care System should be required reading for current and future business and charity leaders. Only by breaking down the false separation between business practices and community needs will our societies prosper.”
—Dr. Pamela Hartigan, Director, Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship, University of Oxford, and coauthor of The Power of Unreasonable People

“Most business books completely fail to communicate the human and intuitive side of organizational and business success. This book explores both very effectively while describing practical achievements as well. If you aspire to combine entrepreneurship and innovation with higher life purpose, then there can be no better guide than Infinite Vision and the life of Dr. V. But beware. Once you are ensnared it will be impossible to escape!”
—Tim Brown, CEO, IDEO, and author of Change by Design

“A deftly crafted book that relates how Aravind triumphed in business by focusing on compassion. It is rich with lessons that come to life through the vivid personalities of Aravind’s torchbearers—their insights on leadership and management forge a path forward for the social as well as corporate sectors. An important and compelling read.”
—V. Kasturi Rangan, Malcolm P. McNair Professor of Marketing, Harvard Business School, and cofounder of the HBS Social Enterprise Initiative

“A stirring account of how one man’s faith and pragmatism healed millions. Infinite Vision is a powerful reminder that any of us can overcome the most severe of obstacles and rise to unparalleled heights of spiritual and practical achievement.”
—Huston Smith, Professor of Religion and Distinguished Adjunct Professor of Philosophy, Emeritus, Syracuse University, and author of The World’s Religions

“Infinite Vision offers a lucid and moving account of the Aravind story while detailing its greatest lesson to the world: compassion, when focused with clear goals, thoughtful strategies, and sound management practices, can yield incredible results.”
—Steve Hilton, President and CEO, Conrad N. Hilton Foundation

“Those seeking inspiration from a spiritual journey or insight into innovative business practices—attributes not normally found in the same story—will benefit from this narration of a profoundly impactful adventure.”
—Dr. Alfred Sommer, MHS, Dean Emeritus, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

“This is that rare book that informs you on how to put your compassion to work. Through the accessible genius of the Aravind model of business, you will find a gateway with a road map for you to find your own personal brand of compassion in your work and in your life.”
—Dr. Mark S. Albion, cofounder, Net Impact, and author of True to Yourself and Making a Life, Making a Living

“A story about an organizational marvel, this book is somehow internally illuminated. It has plot, poetry, and emotion—things you don’t expect from a business title. The writing pierces through management abstractions, and what remains is the rootedness of a family, the crazy-beautiful daring, the labor and the thrift, the sense of ‘what else is there to do?’”
—Amulya Gopalakrishnan, columnist, Indian Express

“Surgery, service, soul, and sustainability weave together in this inspiring true story. The messages of this book transcend health care and business—they speak to the potential that lives within each of us.”
—Dr. William Stewart, cofounder, Institute for Health & Healing, California Pacific Medical Center, and author of Deep Medicine

“Expertly weaves through the challenges and opportunities encountered in transforming a small eye clinic into the largest eye hospital in the world. This story is a gift to aspiring change makers and leaders everywhere. Its visionary protagonist is one of the real heroes of our times.”
—Dr. Suzanne Gilbert, founding member, Seva Foundation, and Director, Center for Innovation in Eye Care
 

From the Back Cover

THE WISDOM OF AN IMPOSSIBLE ORGANIZATION
 

"Again, may I say, how profoundly I admire your work and how deeply gratifying it is for me to hear that you appreciate mine."
--PETER F. DRUCKER in a letter to Aravind's founder, Dr.V

When a crippling disease shattered his lifelong ambition, Dr. Venkataswamy (better known as Dr. V) chose an impossible new dream: to cure the world of blindness. The tiny clinic he founded in India defied conventional business logic and is now the largest provider of eye care on the planet. 

At Aravind, patients choose whether to pay or not. Millions are treated for free, yet the organization remains stunningly self-reliant. Serving everyone from penniless farmers to the president, it delivers world-class outcomes at a hundredth of what similar services cost providers in advanced nations. Its model is emulated by organizations everywhere from Rwanda to San Francisco.

Infinite Vision uncovers the radical principles behind Aravind's baffling success. Charged with profound insights and stories, it draws readers to the heart of Dr. V's selfless vision, proving how choices that seem quixotic can, when executed with compassion and integrity, yield incredible results -- results that can light the eyes of millions.
 
"Reveals the power of a model that combines business discipline with compassion. May the wisdom of Dr. V and Aravind shared here inspire many such initiatives for the wellbeing of future generations." -MUHAMMAD YUNUS, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Founder, Grameen Bank
 
"A must-read for anyone interested in leadership, service, and the building of institutions that release the best energies of the human spirit." --JACQUELINE NOVOGRATZ, Founder-CEO, Acumen Fund, and author of The Blue Sweater
 
"Aravind may be a case study for MBA students, and a model social business, but to me this book told a story, with elegance, clarity and intimacy." -FRED DE SAM LAZARO, PBS NewsHour
 
"In the world of blindness Dr. V has performed a miracle." -RAM DASS, Author, Be Here Now, Co-founder Seva Foundation
 
100% of the authors' royalties are being gifted to Aravind's sight-restoring work.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 336 pages
  • Publisher: Berrett-Koehler Publishers (November 7, 2011)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1605099791
  • ISBN-13: 978-1605099798
  • Product Dimensions: 5.4 x 0.8 x 8.5 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 15.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #146,512 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Infinite Vision is so much more than a business case... October 22, 2011
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
When Pavithra first produced and brought to the world her acclaimed documentary film, Infinite Vision, I was stunned with the quality and emotional impact that the film brought forth. The depth of scholarship, insight, and pure inspiration that Pavithra and Suchitra have provided in this new book with the same title is stunning. If you pick up this book to read a business case for an extraordinary organization, good for you, but you will miss 90% of what this inspirational work is about. Transformation is about a shift in mindset. To simply take the work and try to duplicate it is bound to be frustrating. The mindset of Dr. V is what the profound lesson is about to me. That mindset created the culture which allowed the current Aravind to emerge. It was not planned and controlled into existence, it emerged from the will of those who envisioned it. What is the core to a culture of innovation? What mindsets are critical to its emergence? This book is inspirational and can provide the foundation for transformative conversations that have the opportunity to create social justice in our world. Embrace this book, internalize it, and create the conversations that can heal our world. This book has that spirit within it. Not many do. I highly recommend Infinite Vision and suggest that it be offered to anyone interested in creating a better world. Can one person make a difference in this world? From what I have seen, the resounding answer is yes. If each of us takes this challenge, there is no doubt in my mind that we can make it happen.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars We Can All Have INFINITE VISION November 2, 2011
By Tigera
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Don't miss this book, Infinite Vision. It's about one person, "Dr. V.," who revolutionized healthcare for those who cannot see. But it's equally about us, about everyone. It's about our creativity when we don't set limits. And about how it can spread, even globally. It is about our higher potential. <Also see www.saybrook.edu, Saybrook University, where we teach about everyday creativity.>

If you ever had cataract surgery, take note. You know what it is like; seeing or not seeing can change everything. In India, some have used a derogatory term for a blind elder, "a mouth without hands." Can you imagine?

Infinite Vision tells how Dr. V helped reverse this tragedy. The book is personal and inspiring, and it also gives operational details and a recipe for success. Dr. V, Dr. Govindappa Venkataswamy, a surgeon in South India, began, as a post-retirement project, what became the largest eye surgery operation in the world. And where a great many needy people now get eye surgery for free. His is a required case study for Harvard Business School, has been honored by Bill Gates (Award for Global Health) and many others. His Aravind organization has attracted visitors, promoters and collaborators from Seva Foundation to the International Lions Club, from Dr. Brilliant to Ram Dass to Wavy Gravy. Why? Here's a goodhearted doc moving from a clinic for 11 people to a massive medical movement which has brought hope to the 12 million blind people in India. A movement now spreading around the world. And a man who said, whose stated goal in life was, "to give sight for all." Now Aravind, is doing just that! Here is the story.

The recipe: Good person, hard times, a crippling arthritis that changed his career goals, a fundamental desire to help others. Deep spiritual roots, Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, in Pondicherry, India, astonishing spiritual leaders. And let it be said, with all respect, that this could also have been another of the World's Great Wisdom Traditions. Here, to be sure, is our True Vision. Our True Creativity.

And an ability to reach out. To involve others. To collaborate, to share and learn--and this includes sharing with groups that might be called "competitors" in other settings. Instead we learn to thrive together. To have a new bottom line of compassion and love, not profit or loss. Yet to find a greater monetary profit in this approach than in that of the so-called competition.

Dr. V never married nor had a family. Yet a fascinating side note is that a full 21, yes twenty-one, of his relatives have now become opthalmologists! And all are helping. Talk about family spirit (and the human spirit).

Best of all--and this is sometimes hard for us Westerners to believe--here is the Gift Economy. This is what can happen when we move from grasping and getting to caring and giving. Those folks weren't fooling in the Bible (or elsewhere) when they said that we who give will receive in turn. (Actually, we may also live longer as well--which is another interesting story! Here is a new world view we need badly today.

As Dr. V. said, "When we grow in spiritual consciousness, we identify with all that is in the world...It is ourselves we are helping....ourselves we are healing."
Is InfiniteVision a religious tract? Not at all; it is a business plan--one set in an engaging personal story. But a business plan with a different bottom line, a different way of operating. A different way of living. No wonder Harvard Business School took note. And so should we.

Do buy this book, by all means! And also give it to your own doctor. I have done so myself. Let me dedicate this review to my ophthalmologist and cataract surgeon, Gary Aguilar, M.D., in San Francisco, who has volunteered his services each summer, in places including Guatemala, Peru, and China, to help people who could never see otherwise. Whose lives have been changed. He too is part of this story. What a gift. What a role model. May each of us, in turn, help this influence to spread.
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Can't recommend this book more highly November 14, 2011
Format:Paperback
This isn't the kind of book you read, it's the kind of book that reads you.

It's like stepping into a chariot and being whisked away to magical places where unimaginable extraordinary things are possible. Except...

...The magical places are right here and they're happening right now. They are not a result of genies in lamps or the wands of wizards, but by people who's only special power is unconditional love.

I started this book one day and finished it the next. When i was done, i felt everything inside of me bigger than before: my heart, my hope, my belief in people, and that anything's possible. Reading this book taught me as much about myself as the men and women about whom it's written. I grew a deeper understanding for the joy of selfless giving, a yearning to contribute, and confidence in my own ability to serve.

Reading this book is superfood for the soul.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Seeing compassion through a new lens
For many years I have been aware of Aravind Eye Hospital in Madurai, India and the visionary zeal and actions of its founder, Dr V. Read more
Published 11 days ago by V.Srinivasan
5.0 out of 5 stars Great
Great Book to read even if you have nothing to do with medicine. Highly recommended. Very inspiring. Easy flowing. Enjoyable linguistic style.
Published 2 months ago by Dr. M. H. Zeini
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing.
I had a chance to meet Pavithra today in Ahmedabad after Wednesday Meditation class. She talked about her family, Dr. V and the book she has written. She is a amazing person. Read more
Published 3 months ago by JM
5.0 out of 5 stars Incredible and Inspirational -
In 1976, Dr. Govendappa Venkataswamy (Dr. V) retired from performing eye surgery at the Government Medical College in southern India (then 58 - the mandatory retirement age) and... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Loyd E. Eskildson
5.0 out of 5 stars Great story and great lesson!
This book was exactly what I wanted, the story is inspiring and the message is clear, this is a book that anyone could benefit from, especially if you enjoy personal self... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Nancy J. Anderson
5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring, revealing!
The book presents a unique model, which is difficult to replicate unless you have a well defined value system, deep faith and focus of vision. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Sunoor Verma
5.0 out of 5 stars Infinite Vision by Pavitra Mehta
This is an excellent book about an Organization based on Compassion,Quality Eye Care and Spirituality It is also
a Story of one Compassionate Soul a Physician who started this... Read more
Published 7 months ago by R.Ashok Reddy,MD
5.0 out of 5 stars Infinate Vision
An extremly well written, engaging true story of a man in India with a passion for eliminating cataract blindness in India - revealing how he successfully used sound business... Read more
Published 12 months ago by Lila
5.0 out of 5 stars A story so relevant to every field!
The American medical system is broken. There are endless prescriptions on how to fix it. Health systems around the world are trying to meet the demands of growing populations. Read more
Published 12 months ago by srijeeva
5.0 out of 5 stars A creative integration of innovation, spirituality and compassion
In 2009, when I took my aged mother to the Aravind Eye care hospital in Coimbatore for a cataract surgey, I was struck by the kindness, courtesy and professionalism of the staff,... Read more
Published 14 months ago by Raghu Nathan
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