Dr. Sanduk Ruit, Nepal’s best-known eye surgeon, offered condolences Tuesday to families of protesters killed during recent Gen-Z demonstrations and said he will stay focused on medicine rather than enter politics, according to a statement he posted on Facebook.
Ruit, 69, said he mourned those who died and wished the injured a quick recovery. He acknowledged repeated appeals to take a leadership role after periods of political turmoil but said his duty remains in the operating room and in clinics serving patients in Nepal and abroad.
“I express my heartfelt tribute to all those who lost their lives during the protest demonstrations,” he wrote, adding that the path forward lies in people doing their jobs with integrity. “If we all engage honestly in our professions, duties, and businesses, it will not take long to transform the condition of this country.”
His remarks came after demonstrations on Sept. 8–9 that drew large numbers of young Nepalis frustrated by political instability and corruption. Civil society groups in Nepal have urged accountability while warning against further violence.
Dr. Ruit is co-founder of Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology in Kathmandu and is known for pioneering high-volume, low-cost cataract surgery and helping expand access to eye care across Asia and Africa. He has performed tens of thousands of surgeries, often in remote areas with limited medical infrastructure.
In the statement, Ruit said he’s been asked “after every political upheaval” to assume a public post, but he reiterated that his mission is “the elimination of blindness” and to “spread the name of Nepal and Nepalis throughout the world.” He ended with a call for unity and professional responsibility: “The time ahead is for everyone to come together and build the nation.”
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