Hi, I’m Nethra, a passionate artist and aspiring doctor. I'm the founder of the art club at my school, do graphic design and write for the newspaper, play violin, dance Kathak, and sing Hindustani classical music. 

 

In 2022, I began working for and later raising money for the Sankara Eye Foundation, which provides funded cataract surgery for under-resourced people in India. I also create and deliver presentations in Georgia for the Global Thrombosis Forum to educate members of the public on thrombosis, and in 2023 I presented a poster on the genetic association of thrombosis at the PERT (Pulmonary Embolism Response Team) medical conference in Austin, TX. 

 

After watching my grandfather struggle with macular degeneration and learning that I had Brown’s syndrome, I began to research various visual impairments and explore the intersection of art and medicine. I quickly realized that while it’s hard enough for most artists to receive attention or recognition for their work, it’s near impossible for the visually impaired. Through VIVA, I hope to connect, inspire, and bring a platform to visually impaired visual artists.