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Born in 1967 in Kolkata, Ajay Kr Bhootra’s journey is a powerful narrative of resilience, sincerity, hard work, passion, craziness, and an unrelenting pursuit of excellence.
What began as an ordinary childhood evolved into an extraordinary life shaped by discipline, consistency, and a fierce commitment to growth. His path reflects not luck, but hard work sustained over decades, unwavering focus in moments of challenge, and a lifelong devotion to learning.
His academic foundation was strengthened at St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata, where intellectual curiosity met structured rigor. Years later, his strategic thinking and leadership perspective were further refined through executive learning at Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, one of India’s premier management institutions.
From classrooms to clinics, from retail floors to boardrooms, every phase of his journey reflects a singular belief:
Growth is intentional. Excellence is cultivated. Vision is built.
Ajay’s story is not merely about professional success — it is about transforming challenges into stepping stones, knowledge into impact, and ambition into meaningful contribution.
Early Days
Raised in a traditional nuclear family by Mr. Ashok and Mrs. Kamalesh Bhootra, Ajay spent his early years in Kolkata and Allahabad. Started as an average student at Shree MaheshwariVidyalaya, Kolkata, he was not known for academics, sports, or cultural achievements. Like most young boys, he spent his time playing with friends and engaging in playful rivalries with his younger sister.
Life changed dramatically in 1981 when, as a 9th-grade student, he suffered from tetanus and was hospitalized for a month, followed by strict bed rest. The illness became a turning point. Fighting physical weakness and academic pressure, he pushed himself beyond limits and, in 1983, secured First Division marks in his High Secondary examination — THE FIRST MAJOR ACADEMIC MILESTONE OF HIS LIFE.
The Beginning of a Vision
That same year, circumstances led him to join Himalaya Optical as an apprentice. With no clear career plan and no technical background, he stepped into the optical industry just as a fresher, purely by circumstance.
Under the mentorship of Late Sri. K. K. Binani, erstwhile Director, Ajay found direction, discipline, and purpose. Inspired by his strong leadership and vision, he immersed himself in a rigorous routine — attending college in the morning, working during the day, and studying at night at home. At just 16, while most teenagers were discovering leisure and freedom, he made a defining choice — to sacrifice comfort, embrace responsibility, and commit himself to a future he had not yet fully seen, but firmly believed in.
He completed his graduation in 1987 from St Xavier’s College and pursued formal optometry training at the Academy of Optometrists, completing it with distinction in 1989. He later earned a Diploma in Optometry Science from the Institute of Ocular Science.
His functional knowledge of business, technical excellence and leadership capabilities quickly propelled him to Store Manager position. Soon he started working at management level. His early achievements were leading the development and implementation customized POS software for his company, and beginning the culture of providing optical training to employees, both from scratch level.
Commitment to Learning & Family
In 1992, he married Savita, daughter of Sri. J. R. Kothari and Late Smt. Hira Devi. Their journey together was soon blessed with two sons — Rahul (1993) and Pankaj (1997).
Even as professional responsibilities increased, learning never paused. In 1995, he underwent advanced contact lens training with the Calcutta Contact Lens Society and completed ICLEP training at L V Prasad Eye Institute in Hyderabad. He began presenting papers at conferences and writing for professional journals.
Over the years, he further specialized in:
1) Low Vision Practice
2) Contact Lens Fitting
3) Ocularistry
4) Sport Vision,Diploma under Prof. Gerent Griffiths, UK
5) Binocular Vision, under Dr. Barry Tannen, USA
6) Advanced Contact Lens certifications, including FIACLE from the International Association of Contact Lens Educators
Author, Educator & Thought Leader
In 2002, Ajay wrote his first book, Optician’s Guide. When publishers declined, he self-printed copies and distributed them free at conferences. Persistence paid off when Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers — India’s largest medical publisher — published it in 2006. Today, the book is in its 3rd edition and distributed across the globe.
His authorship expanded steadily, including:
1) Low Vision Aids Practice (2007)
2) Elite Sports & Vision (2008)
3) Ophthalmic Lenses (2009)
4) Clinical Refraction Guide (2013)
6) Contact Lens Fitting Guide (2014)
7) Dispensing Optics (2016)
8) Diploma in Optometry 1st Year (2024)
9) Diploma in Optometry 2nd Year (2024)
10) Professional Optometry Practice Management (2025)
11) Basics of Visual Optics (2026)
In 2016, he stepped into fiction with his debut novel Yet We Marry — a provocative romantic narrative that received wide appreciation and found shelf space in leading bookstores across India, followed by The Knot, another romantic series. In between Ajay also wrote a self-helpnonfiction The Race for Space, published by Jaico Publishing House.
The LASIK Milestone
In 2003, his companydecided to establish a state-of-the-art LASIK center in Kolkata and he was entrusted with complete responsibility for setting it up.
He underwent advanced training at the Bausch & Lomb Centre of Excellence in Singapore, mastering Orbscan, Wavefront technology, Zyoptix, and Hansatome procedures. Alongside the LASIK center, he established a full-fledged optometry clinic specializing in Ocularistry, Low Vision, Sportvision, Contact Lenses and Vision Therapy.
The center quickly earned professional recognition and peer respect.
Ajay’s happiest Moment of Life
Ajay’s life is defined not merely by professional milestones, but by values. When his son Pankaj secured 99% in ISC and earned admission to the National University of Singapore in 2015, it marked one of his proudest personal achievements — proof that discipline, belief, and perseverance transcend generations.
Strategic Leadership
As the organization evolved, so did his role. When the company decided to refocus on core optical retail, Ajay transitioned from clinical practice to strategic leadership and designated as Executive Director, he led restructuring, organizational redesign, policy development, and talent mentoring. Working alongside professional consultants and legal advisors, he helped modernize systems and build scalable processes for growth.
His perspective broadened — from clinician to corporate strategist.
Through every phase — apprentice, optometrist, author, entrepreneur, executive — one constant remained: an unwavering passion for learning and creating impact.
In 2024, at the age of 57—an age when many begin to slow down—he chose to begin again.
He enrolled in the Executive Human Resource Strategic Program at Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, returning not just to the classroom, but to campus life itself. Living in the institute hostel, he immersed himself fully in the academic rigor and youthful energy of the environment—much like a college student, but with decades of experience behind him.
For one year, he balanced reflection with reinvention, experience with exploration. In 2025, he successfully completed the certificate program—proving that growth has no expiry date, and that true leaders never stop being students.
Philosophy
Ajay’s philosophy:
“Keep a positive attitude. Share your expertise. Take your people along. Success will follow.”
Today Ajay is
An Optometrist by qualification.
An HR professional by choice, shaped further by IIM.
An author by passion.
A coach by impact.
A thinker by mind-set.
A learner by nature.
A transformer by purpose.
And a believer that
Knowledge, by itself, is not power — it is responsibility.
Knowledge must be shared.
Knowledge must translate into excellence.
And knowledge must ultimately lead to holistic growth — in business, in leadership, and in life.
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