Seva

Seva Foundation is an international nonprofit organization founded in 1978 by Ram Dass, Larry Brilliant, and colleagues emerging from the successful WHO smallpox eradication program. Seva's primary focus is the prevention and treatment of blindness and visual impairment in underserved communities across Asia, Africa, and the Americas. To date, Seva has helped restore sight to millions of people through surgical programs, training of local eye care professionals, and systemic strengthening of health infrastructure.

Seva's founding philosophy is rooted in the concept of seva — a Sanskrit term meaning selfless service — as understood in the Hindu and Sikh traditions. Its founders brought to public health work a conviction that service, done with awareness, is itself a transformative practice for the server as much as the served. This philosophical orientation continues to shape the organization's culture and approach.

Seva's significance in the transition extends beyond its public health impact. It represents one of the clearest demonstrations that organizations rooted in contemplative values can achieve rigorous, measurable impact at scale — and that the motivation of selfless service produces a distinctive quality of organizational culture and commitment. For the broader ecosystem of conscious philanthropy and impact-oriented stewardship, Seva is a reference point for what it looks like when inner development and outer service are genuinely integrated rather than sequenced.