Op Drishti, a first-of-its-kind advanced surgical eye camp in Jammu & Kashmir, was organised at the Command Hospital, Northern Command, Udhampur from November 18–22, 2025. Conducted in collaboration with the expert ophthalmic team from Army Hospital (Research & Referral), New Delhi, the mega camp surpassed expectations by screening more than 2,000 patients and performing over 400 free eye surgeries, including complex cataract, glaucoma, and retinal procedures. Beneficiaries included serving personnel, dependents, Veer Naris, and civilians from remote districts such as Doda, Rajouri, Poonch, Kishtwar, Ramban, and Udhampur.
The surgeries were led by Brigadier SK Mishra, Head of the Ophthalmology Department at Army Hospital (R&R), who is renowned for operating on two former Presidents of India.
During the virtual closing ceremony, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh praised the Northern Command and Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) for delivering critical medical support to the people of J&K. Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi also addressed the gathering, appreciating the successful execution of this large-scale healthcare outreach. J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha attended the ceremony, while Lt Gen Pratik Sharma, GOC-in-C Northern Command, was present on-site.
On November 20, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh visited the camp, interacted with patients, and reviewed the hospital’s state-of-the-art ophthalmology facilities. He commended the Indian Army for its humanitarian services, highlighting its crucial role in providing free medical camps and specialised eye care to citizens in peace as well as during crises.
The eye camp transformed lives across the region.
• Surinder Singh (72) from Poonch regained vision after 2–3 years of blindness worsened by trauma from Pakistan’s shelling during Operation Sindoor.
• Abdullah Shafeeq (56), a retired soldier from Mendhar, helped mobilise conflict-affected residents to benefit from the camp.
• Rajkumari Devi (96) experienced restored eyesight after years of visual impairment.
Op Drishti was conceptualised by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh following a request from LG Manoj Sinha. Acting promptly, the Chief of Army Staff directed AFMS leadership to create a fully equipped specialised surgical eye camp in Udhampur, ensuring world-class ophthalmic care reached underserved populations of Jammu & Kashmir.