SR0482 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0482 LRB104 15835 LAW 29047 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Sriram Sonty, M.D., F.A.C.S., who passed away on June 8, 2025; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Sonty was born in Ramachandrapuram, East Godavari District, Andhra Pradesh, India on July 10, 1946; he studied medicine at Andhra Medical College in Visakhapatnam from 1963 to 1969, and he interned at King George Hospital in Visakhapatnam; he then completed his post-graduation studies and residency in ophthalmology at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi, India in 1974; he married Susarla Sarada Purna on February 27, 1975; he moved to the United States in May 1975; he obtained further training in ophthalmology at Tufts Medical Center, the Boston Children Medical Center of Harvard University, and the University of Pittsburgh Eye and Ear Infirmary; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Sonty served on the faculty at Tufts Medical Center; he later moved to Chicago, where he became a faculty member at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) Eye Center and a clinical associate professor at the UIC Glaucoma Service; he served as a senior academic consultant at the King Khalid Eye Specialist Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; he was assistant director of the Department of Ophthalmology at Boston Veterans' Hospital from 1978 to 1980; he was founder/director of the glaucoma and neuro-ophthalmology sections at the LV Prasad Eye Institute in Hyderabad, India from January to December 1989; he served as regional director/chair of the Department of Ophthalmology of Humana/Michael Reese Health plans from 1993 to 1997; he began serving as director/glaucoma consultant with Midwest Eye Center SC in 1998; more recently, he started a glaucoma lecture series in 2016; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Sonty served as a presenter at various national and international meetings and events, including the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the All India Ophthalmic Society, the International Congress of Ophthalmology, the Asia Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology, World Glaucoma Congress, and the International Glaucoma Society, and he was a speaker for Allergan, Alcon, Pfizer, and Merck; his writing was part of over 125 publications, including both peer-reviewed and non-peer-reviewed journals, book chapters, and abstracts, and he conducted symposia, seminars, and grand rounds for various organizations at various events; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Sonty held leadership positions in many organizations, including serving as founder/trustee of the LV Prasad Eye Institute, as president of the Matteson Rotary Club, the Sonty Renaissance International Foundation, and the Andhra Medical College Alumni of North America (AMCANA), as chairman of the AMCANA Board of Trustees, and as a member of the President's Council of UIC, the Illinois Eye Fund Board, Congressman Danny K. Davis' Advisory Task Force, and the Governors State University (GSU) Foundation Board; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Sonty received honors from a number of organizations, including the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the Indian Glaucoma Society, the American Telugu Association (ATA), the Telugu Association of North America (TANA), the Telugu Association of Greater Chicago, the Tristate Telugu Association, and the Vanguri Foundation; he was also the recipient of the Vamsee Arts International Lifetime Achievement Award; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Sonty remained committed to promoting and honoring his Indian cultural heritage, serving as trustee of the Gandhi Memorial Trust in Skokie and as founder and chairman of the Sri Annamacharya Project of North America (SAPNA) and the Sonty Renaissance International Foundation; he presented numerous presentations on Gandhi's life and legacy; alongside his wife, Dr. Sarada Purna Sonty, he completed 32 years of service to Indian classical music, dance, and literature; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Sonty and his wife donated significantly to several major institutions, including the LV Prasad Eye Institute, the SVS Temple of Aurora, the UIC Foundation, the Chicago Symphony Center, the GSU Scholarship Fund, the Rotary International Foundation, the NIMHANS Brain Bank, and the Vegesna Foundation, among many more; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Sonty will be remembered for his impact on the profession of ophthalmology and his service as a mentor to many in the field; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Sonty was the husband of Dr. Sarada Purna Sonty, Ph.D., Ph.D., D.Litt.; the father of Dr. Sreepadma Priya "Siri" Sonty, M.D. and Sreelakshmi Sita "Sita" Sonty; and the grandfather of Jairam Aidan Taggart and Ananda Skylar Taggart; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Sriram Sonty, M.D., F.A.C.S. and extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Dr. Sonty as an expression of our deepest sympathy.