Dr. V.K. Raju was born in Rajahmundry, AP, India. He is the founding patron member of AAPI. He is a Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at West Virginia University, Adjunct professor of Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University and director of the International Ocular Surface Society. He is also founder and president of The Eye Foundation of America, a non-profit organization dedicated to realizing a world without childhood blindness. The Eye Foundation of America has established two eye institutes in India. Since 1979, EFA has expanded its reach to over 25 countries, screened millions of patients, and provided hundreds of thousands of surgeries.