India born billionaire businessman and visionary philanthropist Tej Kohli, has had to overcome a diverse array of obstacles on his chosen career path and in every sense of the word personifies a “self-made” man who believe that hard work and determination are keys to achievement. Growing up in India in a family of modest means, the young Kohli was motivated to pursue his education and follow his dreams. After graduating from the prestigious India Institute of Technology, Tej worked in the private sector, never abandoning his plans of starting his own business.
Amongst his peers Kohli, known for his savvy Internet marketing skills and web site design services, had built an enviable reputation as “a-one-stop” solution for both large and small businesses seeking to establish a strong online Internet presence. The dream of launching his own business venture came to fruition in 1993 when entrepreneur Kohli founded Grafix Softech, a unique full-service company offering turnkey solutions for online business, large and small.
Remaining at the helm and guiding Grafix Softech to greatness, Tej Kohli has played a pivotal role in building Grafix Softech’s impressive international reputation as a cutting-edge, leading online marketer. A privately held company headquartered in San Jose, Costa Rica, Grafix Softech has established a worldwide stellar reputation for its innovative technology and payment gateway services.
Today, Grafix Softech is one of a number of flourishing high-tech companies based in Costa Rica. The company also has a substantial presence in India, along with a number of other ventures owned and directed by Mr Kohli. A private company,, owned by Mr. Kohli, Grafix Softech has an annual turnover of several hundred million dollars, and employs more than 500 people in multiple locations around the world.
Additionally, Mr. Kohli retains significant interests in a number of growth industries, ranging from real estate in the Middle East, to reconstructive and cosmetic surgery worldwide.
Mr. Kohli continues to invest in forward-looking industries, while retaining a personal interest in IT development and ensuring his own companies remain at the head of their chosen field.
Tej Kohli’s charitable works are directed through the Tej Kohli Foundation based in Gurgaon, India. Mr. Kohli never wanted to be known as a philanthropist. Driven by a sincere desire to use his good fortune to help make the world a better place, he believes that charity is something that needn't be made public. However, he acknowledges the benefits of letting his charity work be known if it can serve as an inspiration for others to follow.
Privately funded by Kohli and staffed by a dedicated group of volunteers and human rights activists, the Foundation has two key areas of effort: providing nutritional and education support to under-privileged children in Costa Rica; and supporting, funding and promoting corneal transplants in India to alleviate corneal blindness.
Corneal blindness affects millions of people in India. Corneal blindness is most often the result of a vitamin deficiency, a bacterial, viral or fungal infection that went untreated, traumatic injury to the eye or as a result of a congenital disease.
Government health officials predict that if the current trend continues unabated, it is expected that the number of persons suffering from corneal blindness in India will multiply to more than 10.6 million by 2020. It is tragic that over 60 percent of Indian persons that lose their vision due to corneal blindness are young children. If a patient has a cornea that is too damaged to function properly and is robbing them of sight, corneal transplant surgery offers hope and the return of vision.
Corneal transplant surgery has a documented success rate of more than 90 percent. It is an extremely delicate procedure to replace damaged opaque cornea with clear and healthy cornea obtained from a human donor.
It is in this area where the Tej Kohli Foundation has generated such an outstanding impact. Tej Kohli recognized the lack of eye care available to the impoverished of rural India and could not turn his back on the problem. The Tej Kohli Foundation provides monthly grants to cover the cost of corneal transplants carried out by Niramaya, a Gurgaon based NGO.
Niramaya comments on the eye donation program saying, “The eye donation scene in India is very grim. If statistics are to be believed, of the 45 million blind people across the world, 15 million live in India. The sad fact is that 75 percent of these cases are of preventable blindness, but thanks to the nation's acute shortage of donors, most of the cases either go untreated or inadequately treated. A meager 25000 corneas are collected for transplants against the annual demand of 2,50,000.”
"Lack of awareness among general public, traditional believes coupled with infrastructural barriers make this noble act an uphill battle," advised Tej Kohli, founder and principle benefactor of the Tej Kohli Foundation. "While there is no doubt that rate of eye donations has picked up recently, but the myths associated with eye donation is still holding back many from contributing to the cause." he added.
Grants from the Tej Kohli include each additional city in India in which the blindness intervention program expands its work. Indian health experts anticipate that by the end of 2013 the generous humanitarian outreach will give the gift of sight to tens of thousands of visually impaired persons in India who would otherwise have no access to this type of healthcare.
Following the Tej Kohli Foundation launch of it first mobile eye clinic in 2010, thousands of persons with impaired vision have been treated. The mobile clinic known as Drishti Rath, provides eye care for impoverished persons living in remote areas with little availability of accessible healthcare. The clinic is located in a specially equipped mini-bus staffed by an optometrist and lens crafter. Patients with correctable corneal blindness are referred for corneal transplant surgery. The mobile clinic is able to see approximately 100 or more patients per day.
Not only do they pay for the expense of corneal transplants, the Tej Kohli Foundation is dedicated to using their resources to promote eye awareness programs to help educate people about their eyes, how to care for them, and why it is so important that they help others by pledging to donate their corneas upon their death.
As with his business interests, Mr. Kohli is always looking for new opportunities where direct, targeted, charitable support will positively change people’s lives.
Amongst his peers Kohli, known for his savvy Internet marketing skills and web site design services, had built an enviable reputation as “a-one-stop” solution for both large and small businesses seeking to establish a strong online Internet presence. The dream of launching his own business venture came to fruition in 1993 when entrepreneur Kohli founded Grafix Softech, a unique full-service company offering turnkey solutions for online business, large and small.
Remaining at the helm and guiding Grafix Softech to greatness, Tej Kohli has played a pivotal role in building Grafix Softech’s impressive international reputation as a cutting-edge, leading online marketer. A privately held company headquartered in San Jose, Costa Rica, Grafix Softech has established a worldwide stellar reputation for its innovative technology and payment gateway services.
Today, Grafix Softech is one of a number of flourishing high-tech companies based in Costa Rica. The company also has a substantial presence in India, along with a number of other ventures owned and directed by Mr Kohli. A private company,, owned by Mr. Kohli, Grafix Softech has an annual turnover of several hundred million dollars, and employs more than 500 people in multiple locations around the world.
Additionally, Mr. Kohli retains significant interests in a number of growth industries, ranging from real estate in the Middle East, to reconstructive and cosmetic surgery worldwide.
Mr. Kohli continues to invest in forward-looking industries, while retaining a personal interest in IT development and ensuring his own companies remain at the head of their chosen field.
Tej Kohli’s charitable works are directed through the Tej Kohli Foundation based in Gurgaon, India. Mr. Kohli never wanted to be known as a philanthropist. Driven by a sincere desire to use his good fortune to help make the world a better place, he believes that charity is something that needn't be made public. However, he acknowledges the benefits of letting his charity work be known if it can serve as an inspiration for others to follow.
Privately funded by Kohli and staffed by a dedicated group of volunteers and human rights activists, the Foundation has two key areas of effort: providing nutritional and education support to under-privileged children in Costa Rica; and supporting, funding and promoting corneal transplants in India to alleviate corneal blindness.
Corneal blindness affects millions of people in India. Corneal blindness is most often the result of a vitamin deficiency, a bacterial, viral or fungal infection that went untreated, traumatic injury to the eye or as a result of a congenital disease.
Government health officials predict that if the current trend continues unabated, it is expected that the number of persons suffering from corneal blindness in India will multiply to more than 10.6 million by 2020. It is tragic that over 60 percent of Indian persons that lose their vision due to corneal blindness are young children. If a patient has a cornea that is too damaged to function properly and is robbing them of sight, corneal transplant surgery offers hope and the return of vision.
Corneal transplant surgery has a documented success rate of more than 90 percent. It is an extremely delicate procedure to replace damaged opaque cornea with clear and healthy cornea obtained from a human donor.
It is in this area where the Tej Kohli Foundation has generated such an outstanding impact. Tej Kohli recognized the lack of eye care available to the impoverished of rural India and could not turn his back on the problem. The Tej Kohli Foundation provides monthly grants to cover the cost of corneal transplants carried out by Niramaya, a Gurgaon based NGO.
Niramaya comments on the eye donation program saying, “The eye donation scene in India is very grim. If statistics are to be believed, of the 45 million blind people across the world, 15 million live in India. The sad fact is that 75 percent of these cases are of preventable blindness, but thanks to the nation's acute shortage of donors, most of the cases either go untreated or inadequately treated. A meager 25000 corneas are collected for transplants against the annual demand of 2,50,000.”
"Lack of awareness among general public, traditional believes coupled with infrastructural barriers make this noble act an uphill battle," advised Tej Kohli, founder and principle benefactor of the Tej Kohli Foundation. "While there is no doubt that rate of eye donations has picked up recently, but the myths associated with eye donation is still holding back many from contributing to the cause." he added.
Grants from the Tej Kohli include each additional city in India in which the blindness intervention program expands its work. Indian health experts anticipate that by the end of 2013 the generous humanitarian outreach will give the gift of sight to tens of thousands of visually impaired persons in India who would otherwise have no access to this type of healthcare.
Following the Tej Kohli Foundation launch of it first mobile eye clinic in 2010, thousands of persons with impaired vision have been treated. The mobile clinic known as Drishti Rath, provides eye care for impoverished persons living in remote areas with little availability of accessible healthcare. The clinic is located in a specially equipped mini-bus staffed by an optometrist and lens crafter. Patients with correctable corneal blindness are referred for corneal transplant surgery. The mobile clinic is able to see approximately 100 or more patients per day.
Not only do they pay for the expense of corneal transplants, the Tej Kohli Foundation is dedicated to using their resources to promote eye awareness programs to help educate people about their eyes, how to care for them, and why it is so important that they help others by pledging to donate their corneas upon their death.
As with his business interests, Mr. Kohli is always looking for new opportunities where direct, targeted, charitable support will positively change people’s lives.