How Lenskart’s Drishti Didis Are Bringing Vision to Rural India

Lenskart, one of India’s most iconic startup success stories, isn’t just a tale of profit and expansion, it’s a purpose-driven revolution. At the heart of this movement is Drishti Didi, an initiative that empowers rural women to become changemakers in eye care. These women go door-to-door in villages, conducting preliminary eye screenings, recording visual impairments, and becoming the first line of vision care for underserved communities.

“Today we are in 600 villages,” said Peyush Bansal, Co-founder & CEO of Lenskart, in conversation with Founder & CEO of YourStory, Shradha Sharma. “We employ women, we call them Drishti Didi, who scan people and collect vision data. Then, through our centralized system, a full eye test is conducted remotely, and we deliver spectacles for free.”

Women at the Core of Social Innovation

The Drishti Didi initiative is more than a CSR project, it’s a reimagination of grassroots healthcare delivery. Without relying on advanced tools, these women rely on basic screening and empathy, backed by Lenskart’s powerful tech backend. The company then completes the process using AI and tele-optometry, ensuring accurate diagnosis and free delivery of glasses.

This decentralized-yet-connected model creates income opportunities for women while solving a pressing national issue unattended visual impairment. Bansal adds, “The office of the Lenskart Foundation is within my home. My wife runs it. We stay close to the mission.”

Building a Global Brand from Bharat

In the same interview, Peyush recounts how Lenskart’s journey from a humble Indian eyewear startup to a global retail giant was fuelled by belief and perseverance. “People said, from India it won’t be made,” he said. But today, Lenskart operates in 14 countries with 2100 stores in India alone.

The goal? To make Lenskart as essential as Google Maps in daily life. Bansal recalls, “In a keynote, I showed a slide of Google Maps and said ‘This is how Lenskart must be.’”

Talent, Technology & Tenacity

What powers this scale? According to Bansal, it’s two things: world-class talent and cutting-edge technology. Lenskart employs over 500 engineers unheard of for a glasses company who build everything from robotic lens fitting systems to virtual try-on tools and remote eye testing platforms.

He believes in giving engineers purpose: “They love solving hard problems like how to do eye tests via phone, how to standardize care from Patna to Tokyo.”

Vision for India’s Children

Lenskart has also launched seven Child Eye Care Centers around NCR. Originally meant for kids, these centers quickly saw adult footfall too. The impact is crucial many school dropouts are due to uncorrected vision problems, which can shape (or ruin) a child’s future.

“Vision issues are not just a medical problem. They are an educational and economic barrier,” said Shradha. Peyush agreed: “If we don’t solve it, who will?”

A Clearer India, One Frame at a Time

From a product stuck behind phones to a product stuck in people’s hearts, Lenskart’s journey is redefining India’s startup ecosystem. More importantly, Drishti Didis are proving that real change comes from the ground up led by women, powered by purpose, and scaled by technology.

As Shradha sums it up: “When you travel the world, and someone asks what Indian brand can I find here? Say Lenskart. It’s not just a business. It’s India’s vision revolution.”

---