Srinagar, Nov 22 (KNO): A first-of-its-kind advanced surgical eye camp ‘Operation Drishti’ was organised by Command Hospital, Northern Command, Udhampur from November 18-22, 2025, in collaboration with the surgical team from Army Hospital (Research and Referral), New Delhi.
The camp exceeded expectations as more than 2,000 people were screened and over 400 surgeries performed, including complex procedures for cataracts, glaucoma, and retinal ailments. People, including serving personnel, dependents, Veer Naris (war widows), and local civilians, came from far-flung areas of Jammu & Kashmir, including remote villages in Udhampur, Doda, Rajouri, Poonch, Kishtwar, Ramban etc, a defence spokesman said in a statement issued to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO).
The surgical team consisted of highly skilled and experienced ophthalmologists led by Brigadier SK Mishra, a distinguished ophthalmic surgeon and Head of the Department of Ophthalmology at Army Hospital (Research and Referral), who has the distinction of performing surgery on two Presidents of India.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh virtually addressed the closing ceremony and appreciated the efforts of the Northern Command and Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) for providing emergency medical care as and when required to the people of J&K.
Chief of Army Staff Gen Upendra Dwivedi also virtually addressed the gathering congratulating the AFMS and Northern Command for this unique endeavour. LG of J&K Manoj Sinha attended the closing ceremony. General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Northern Command Lt Gen Pratik Sharma was present on the occasion.
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Earth Sciences; Prime Ministers’ Office Dr Jitendra Singh visited the camp on November 20, 2025, and interacted with the patients.
Among the beneficiaries is Surinder Singh, a 72-year-old patriarch from Poonch. He was not merely battling blindness for 2-3 years, he was carrying the heavy, indelible scars of loss. He had witnessed the unfolding tragedy in his very neighborhood as Pakistan resorted to shelling during Operation Sindoor, leading to the loss of lives of his neighbors - the vital breadwinners, the pillars of their families.
Surinder Singh transformed his gratitude into action, becoming a tireless champion who used his restored sight and his intimate understanding of grief to personally mobilise those fellow citizens paralysed by sorrow and hardship.
Similarly, Abdullah Shafeeq, a 56-year-old retired soldier from Mendhar, proved pivotal in coordinating and facilitating the provision of these specialised ophthalmological facilities to residents impacted by the recent conflict.
The camp delivered life-changing results, perhaps best exemplified by Rajkumari Devi, 96 years, having received the gift of clear sight, now has the precious ability to witness the world in full clarity.
The genesis of this impactful medical mission lay in a shared vision of service, conceptualised by Rajnath Singh, following a request from the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.
Responding swiftly to this call for vital healthcare outreach, Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi instructed the highest echelons of military medicine - DG, AFMS & DG Medical Services (Army) - to meticulously plan and execute the camp's operations. To guarantee clinical excellence, the Chief of the Army Staff further instructed the setting up of a specialised camp within the operational area of Udhampur—(KNO)