Free Ophthalmic Hospital’s Society owes its inception to the enthusiasm, public spirit and charitable disposition three eminent Ophthalmologists in Mumbai – the late Dr. D. D. Sathaye, Dr. D. S. Sardesai and Dr. C. R. Athavale. With meager resources in hand, in 1914 they set on to give free medical aid to the poor and needy patients suffering from various eye diseases and also started training post graduates in Ophthalmology. The hospital was commenced of 6 beds in a small rented block at Parel, mostly populated by Mill hands and labour class.