BENGALURU: Narayanappa Pothuru, who used to teach social studies in schools near Ballari, has been confined to his home for some time due to knee problems. The 86-year-old suffers from stage-4 arthritis. “I need double knee replacement,” he said, adding: “I have been facing problems for the last 15 years. My left leg is completely damaged.”

Pothuru will soon be able to set foot out of his home, thanks to Guru Namana, an initiative of SPARSH Foundation, the charitable wing of SPARSH Hospital Group. As a tribute, the drive aims to provide 100 retired school teachers from rural Karnataka free joint-replacement surgeries. Each teacher will be undergoing a joint — either hip or a knee — replacement surgery this month. Five per cent of the beneficiaries are undergoing hip-replacement surgery.