1. The Training: Benchmarked Internationally, Available Locally
Dr. Gitanjli's qualifications are not the standard MS + fellowship found across most ophthalmology practices in HP. They extend to internationally examined and recognised credentials that most ophthalmologists in India have not pursued.
Qualifications - Dr. Gitanjli Sood Sirkek
MBBS - Indira Gandhi Medical College, Shimla
MS Ophthalmology - Delhi University, UCMS & GTB Hospital
DNB - National Board of Examinations, Delhi
FMRF Vitreo-Retina - Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai (2-year surgical fellowship)
FAICO - All India Ophthalmological Society
FICO UK - Merit - International Council of Ophthalmology, London
FRCG II - Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons, Glasgow
The FICO (UK) and FRCG II are not ceremonial titles. They are rigorous written and clinical examinations, assessed internationally. Dr. Gitanjli passed the FICO with Merit - a distinction placing her among the top performers in her exam cohort globally.
The Sankara Nethralaya fellowship is a 2-year programme at one of Asia's most respected eye institutions. Placement requires demonstrated surgical excellence. It is where Dr. Gitanjli developed her specialist expertise in vitreo-retinal surgery - the most complex surgical subspecialty in ophthalmology.
🔗 Full credentials breakdown: Why international training matters for eye care in Kangra
2. The Surgical Record: 15,000+ Cataracts, 5,000+ Retinal Procedures
Experience in surgery is most honestly measured in cases performed. Generic phrases like "extensive experience" or "years of practice" mean nothing without the numbers behind them.
Dr. Gitanjli has performed over 15,000 phaco cataract surgeries - across routine cases and the complex presentations that require adaptation mid-procedure. She has completed over 5,000 retinal surgeries including diabetic vitrectomies, retinal detachment repairs, macular hole surgeries and epiretinal membrane removals.
These are cases that patients in Himachal Pradesh previously had to travel to Delhi or Chandigarh for. They are performed at Eye One Centre, Kangra.
- Cataract surgery at Eye One Centre - same day, premium IOL, complex cases
- Surgical Retina - retinal detachment, vitrectomy, macular surgery
- Medical Retina - diabetic retinopathy, macular disease, intravitreal injections
- Glaucoma - including combined cataract-glaucoma procedures
3. Peer Recognition: Awards Earned Through Outcomes, Not Tenure
Awards in medicine are not given for longevity. They are given for outcomes, innovation and contribution to the field. Here is Dr. Gitanjli's recognition record:
Awards & Recognition
Dr. MC Luthra Gold Medal - Uttara Eyecon 2022. Most prestigious surgical award in North Indian ophthalmology.
Best of IJO Award (x2) - AIOC 2022 and 2026. Indian Journal of Ophthalmology best paper, peer-reviewed recognition.
BEST OF IJO - Retina Surgical Technique - AIOC 2026. Innovation in retinal surgery methodology.
IJO Best Photograph Award - 2024 and 2025. Clinical documentation precision recognised consecutively.
FICO UK - Merit - International Council of Ophthalmology, London. 2015.
These recognitions come from peer-reviewed platforms - AIOC (All India Ophthalmological Conference), IJO (Indian Journal of Ophthalmology) and APAO (Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology). They are earned in a field where thousands of ophthalmologists compete. They are not participation certificates.
4. The Research: 100+ Publications, H-Index 10
A doctor who publishes research stays current. Dr. Gitanjli has over 100 peer-reviewed publications in journals including the Indian Journal of Ophthalmology, Ophthalmology Retina and the European Journal of Ophthalmology. Her H-index is 10 with 354 citations - placing her among the most academically productive ophthalmologists of her generation in the region.
For patients, this matters directly: the treatment Dr. Gitanjli recommends is grounded in the same evidence base she has helped build and test. She is not practising on methods from a decade ago.
5. A First-Generation Doctor Who Chose Kangra
Dr. Gitanjli is a first-generation doctor - the first in her family to enter medicine. She trained at IGMC Shimla, completed her post-graduation in Delhi, trained at Sankara Nethralaya in Chennai, and then chose to bring all of that back to Himachal Pradesh.
That choice was deliberate. She saw a genuine gap - a region where patients with serious eye conditions had no local specialist and had to travel long distances for care they could not always afford or access. Eye One Centre, Kangra was built to close that gap.
Patients across HP do not just receive a skilled surgeon when they come to Eye One Centre. They receive someone who understands this region, its patients, and why quality local eye care matters.
🔗 Choosing a hospital: What makes Eye One the most trusted eye hospital in Kangra
Meet Dr. Gitanjli Sood Sirkek
Dr. Gitanjli Sood Sirkek - Chief Surgeon & Founder, Eye One Centre, Kangra
Specialises in: Cataract Surgery · Vitreo-Retinal Surgery · Glaucoma · Uveitis · Cornea
Ex-Deputy Director, S.M. Eye Hospital Kangra · Ex-Senior Resident, AIIMS Rishikesh · Ex-Fellow, Sankara Nethralaya
View full profile, publications and credentials →
Final Thoughts
The best eye doctor in Kangra is not found by searching the most prominent name or the longest-established clinic. It is found by looking at training, surgical volume, peer recognition, and whether the doctor chose to be in this region for reasons beyond convenience.
By every one of those measures, Dr. Gitanjli Sood Sirkek at Eye One Centre, Kangra is Himachal Pradesh's most comprehensively qualified ophthalmologist. If your family needs specialist eye care, she is the right person to see.
Book a Consultation With Dr. Gitanjli Sood Sirkek, Kangra
15,000+ surgeries · FICO UK Merit · FRCG Glasgow · Sankara Nethralaya Fellow
→ Dr. Gitanjli's full profile and credentials
→ All eye care services at Eye One Centre
Serving Kangra, Dharamshala, Palampur, Hamirpur, Mandi, Una and all of Himachal Pradesh.