LEAP Foreword

The most valuable asset of any nation is its next generation, and the future of that nation is shaped by the thinking capacity of its youth. In the era of artificial intelligence, nurturing new ideas and original thought is more critical than ever—lest we risk a generation that stops questioning, innovating, and creating.

We are living in a time that demands solutions—solutions that we own, that are tailored to our unique environment, and that are developed and implemented locally for our own population.

The Vitreoretinal Society of India (VRSI), in collaboration with the Retina Fellows Retreat (RFR), and with Roche as a corporate partner, is proud to announce the ‘LEAP Retina’ program for vitreoretinal fellows.

Vitreoretina, as a specialty, is uniquely challenging—it requires strategic thinking, innovation, and the ability to develop cost-effective alternatives to advanced technologies. LEAP Retina aims to empower fellows to think critically and develop innovative solutions under the guidance of experienced mentors.

The program is structured to encourage meaningful interaction between fellows and mentors from VRSI, including two in-person engagements during the year at RFR and VRSI meetings.

Through a pyramid-style selection process, the top five proposals will be recognized with awards and financial support at VRSI. Promising proposals will be advanced for further development through research and development or clinical trials. The overall winner of LEAP Retina will be invited to submit a detailed research proposal to VRSI and will be given priority consideration for research funding.