Our History

“No Indian child in any community should have to live with a facial deformity that is correctable.”

Operation Smile’s history in India began with the invitation from Mother Teresa, world-famous nun and Nobel Peace Prize winner. Operation Smile co-founder Kathy Magee went to one of Mother Teresa’s homes for the dying, handicapped, and deformed. In 2001, Michael Kildea, an Operation Smile volunteer, introduced Kathy Magee to an Indian family living in the United States, Babu and Gracie Stevans.

In January 2002, Operation Smile conducted the inaugural medical mission to Manipal, India. In five days, medical volunteers treated 99 children with cleft lips and cleft palates, and forged valuable relationships with local physicians and hospital administrators.

Since 2002, Operation Smile has conducted international and local medical missions in India. More than 3,000 children and young adults have received free medical evaluations and more than 2,000 patients have received life-changing surgeries.

Though Operation Smile India aims to cover all of India, the current areas of focus are the States of West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh. Medical missions have been conducted in Deesa, Gujarat; Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh; and Bolpur, West Bengal.

Operation Smile India opened its first ever Comprehensive Care Centre in April 2008, in partnership with Jubilant First Trust Healthcare Ltd. It is localted in Kalpataru Hospital in Barasat just 15 KMs away from Kolkata’s international airport. The Comprehensive Care Centre will provide year-round care to children who suffer from cleft lips and cleft palates as well as provide education and training to medical professionals in the region. The Centre includes operating and recovery rooms as well as rooms for medical, dental, speech therapy, parental and patient consultations.

Operation Smile India continues to focus on building its volunteer medical team and providing medical education training opportunities through Operation Smile's Critical Nursing Skills Training Program and Biomedical Technician Training Programs, as well as Basic Life Support, Advanced Cardiac Life Support and Pediatric Advanced Life Support courses. The Foundation is governed by an eminent Board of Trustees and managed by an executive director.

About Us

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