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NEW YORK, May 21 (Reuters Life!) - An innovative eye surgery network in India that has prevented blindness in millions of people has won the $1 million Gates Award -- the world's largest prize for international health.

The Aravind Eye Care System based in Tamil Nadu in southern India is the eighth recipient of the award for global health established by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2000.

From a rented house with 11 beds in 1976, Aravind, whose mission is to eliminate needless blindness, has grown into a network of hospitals and clinics that treated 2.4 million cataract patients in the past year and performed 280,000 surgeries.

"Being blind in a rural village in the developing world leaves a person in darkness and dependence, often unable to earn a living or assist in the duties of their household," William H Gates Sr, the co-chair of the foundation, said in a statement announcing the award.

"Aravind has given sight to millions of men, women and children, enabling them to participate in the lives of their families and communities," he added.

Cataracts are a leading cause of blindness in India where many poor people living in rural areas have no access to care.

Aravind provides eye exams, surgery by keeping its costs extremely low and by subsidizing care for poor people through fees for paying customers and the sale of eye-care products.

It also trains health professionals to work throughout the country and uses high-speed broadband links from central hospitals to eye camps which provide free eye exams in poor areas.

"It will be a major benefit to our organization," Thulasiraj Ravilla, the executive director of the Lions Aravind Institute of Community Ophthalmology in India.

He added that Aravind plans to use the money to expand its services to provide glasses to everyone in India who needs them and to treat other eye disorders.

The award will be presented at the Global Health Council annual meeting in Washington on May 29.

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