What Does "Internationally Trained" Actually Mean?
It is a phrase used loosely. Worth unpacking what it means in Dr. Gitanjli's case specifically.
Dr. Gitanjli Sood Sirkek - Qualifications at a Glance
MBBS - Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC), Shimla
MS Ophthalmology - Delhi University, UCMS & GTB Hospital
DNB Ophthalmology - National Board of Examinations, Delhi
FMRF - Vitreo-Retina - Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai (2-year surgical fellowship)
FAICO - Vitreo-Retina - All India Ophthalmological Society
FICO (UK) - MERIT - International Council of Ophthalmology, London
FRCG II - Royal College, Glasgow
The FICO (UK) and FRCG II are not honorary titles. They are rigorous examinations sat and passed at international level. The FICO requires demonstrated clinical and surgical competency assessed against global ophthalmology standards. Dr. Gitanjli passed with Merit - placing her among the top performers in her examination cohort internationally.
The Sankara Nethralaya fellowship is equally significant. Sankara Nethralaya in Chennai is regarded as one of the finest eye institutions in Asia. A 2-year surgical Vitreo-Retina fellowship there is not easy to secure - it requires demonstrated excellence and is intensely competitive.
Why Training Level Matters in Kangra Specifically
Patients in Kangra and across Himachal Pradesh often have eye conditions that are more advanced by the time they reach a specialist. Reasons include limited awareness, distance from cities, and late diagnosis - particularly with conditions like glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy that have no early symptoms.
Advanced or complex cases require a surgeon who has seen and operated on these presentations many times, with training that goes beyond standard clinical exposure.
Complex Cataracts
Not every cataract is straightforward. In older patients, or those with diabetes, high myopia, or previous eye injuries, cataracts can be dense, unpredictable and technically demanding. Dr. Gitanjli has performed 15,000+ phaco cataract surgeries, including complex cases that require the precision and experience her training has built.
🔗 Read more: Cataract Surgery in Kangra - procedure, recovery and results at Eye One Centre.
Retinal Conditions
Retinal detachment, diabetic vitrectomy, macular holes and vitreous haemorrhage are conditions where the surgeon's training level directly determines whether vision is saved or lost. These are not procedures where general ophthalmology training is sufficient.
Dr. Gitanjli has performed over 5,000 retinal surgeries including complex diabetic vitrectomies, retinal detachment repairs and macular hole surgeries. Prior to founding Eye One Centre, she served as Deputy Director at S.M. Eye Hospital, Kangra - one of the region's most established eye hospitals.
🔗 Related: Medical Retina services at Eye One Centre, Kangra - diabetic retinopathy, macular disorders and retinal imaging.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma requires precise pressure monitoring, optic nerve assessment, and in some cases combined cataract-glaucoma surgery. Late-presenting glaucoma - common in Himachal Pradesh - demands both clinical depth and surgical versatility that Dr. Gitanjli's training directly provides.
🔗 Read: Glaucoma: The Silent Thief of Vision - why regular eye tests in Kangra can save your sight.
The Research Behind the Clinical Work
Clinical excellence and research go together. A surgeon who publishes, presents and contributes to the global evidence base is a surgeon who stays at the frontier of their field.
Dr. Gitanjli Sood Sirkek - Academic & Research Profile
100+ publications in Indian Journal of Ophthalmology, Ophthalmology Retina, European Journal of Ophthalmology, Ocular Immunology and Inflammation
H-index: 10 · Citations: 354 - placing her among the most cited ophthalmologists of her generation in the region
Surgical innovations presented and recognised at state, national and international conferences
First generation doctor in her family - built an academic and surgical legacy from IGMC Shimla to international forums
Research is not separate from patient care. When Dr. Gitanjli operates on a complex retinal detachment in Kangra, she draws on the same body of evidence she has contributed to and been recognised for at APAO, AIOC and IJO. Her patients benefit directly from that depth.
Recognition That Reflects Outcomes
Awards in medicine are not given for effort - they are given for outcomes, innovation and contribution to the field. Dr. Gitanjli's recognition record is worth understanding in that context.
- Dr. MC Luthra Gold Medal - Uttara Eyecon 2022, Uttarakhand Ophthalmological Society. One of the most prestigious surgical awards in North Indian ophthalmology.
- Best of IJO Award (x2) - AIOC 2022 and 2026. The Indian Journal of Ophthalmology's best paper recognition, awarded by peer review at India's largest ophthalmology conference.
- MERIT in FICO (UK) - 2015. International Council of Ophthalmology, London. Passed with merit at international examination level.
- IJO Best Photograph Award (x2) - 2024 (IJO) and 2025 (APAO-AIOC). Clinical photography awards recognising precision in surgical documentation and technique.
- BEST OF IJO Award - Retina Surgical Technique - AIOC 2026. Recognition for innovation in retinal surgery methodology.
For patients in Kangra, what this means practically: the surgeon operating on your eyes is recognised nationally and internationally for the quality of her surgical work. Not by marketing. By peer review.
Why Dr. Gitanjli Chose Kangra
This is a question worth asking. A surgeon with these qualifications could practise in Delhi, Mumbai or abroad. The decision to build Eye One Centre in Kangra - to serve patients in Himachal Pradesh - was a deliberate one.
Kangra and the surrounding districts have a genuine gap in specialist eye care. Patients with retinal detachments, complex cataracts, or advanced glaucoma have historically had to travel long distances, often arriving at city hospitals with conditions that have worsened due to the delay.
Eye One Centre was founded to close that gap. To bring the standard of care available in Delhi or Chennai to patients who deserve it right here, in their own region. That is the founding purpose of the clinic - and it shapes everything from the technology we invest in to the time given to each patient.
🔗 About Eye One Centre: Read more about who we are and what we stand for.
What Patients Across Himachal Pradesh Say
Patients travel to Eye One Centre from Dharamshala, Palampur, Hamirpur, Mandi, Una, Pathankot and beyond. Many come after being referred by other eye clinics for complex cases. Others come after researching their condition and looking for the most qualified specialist they can find in the region.
The common thread is trust. And trust, in medicine, is earned through outcomes - through patients who can see clearly after surgery that was handled with precision and care. After years of building those outcomes in Kangra, that trust has become Eye One Centre's most important credential.
What to Look for in Any Eye Specialist
Whether you come to Eye One Centre or not, here is what to consider when choosing an eye specialist for yourself or a family member:
- Specific fellowship training in the condition you need treated - a general ophthalmologist and a vitreo-retina surgeon are very different
- Verifiable qualifications - look for recognised bodies: NBE, NMC, AIIMS, international colleges (FICO UK, FRCG, etc.)
- Surgical volume - experience matters in surgery. 15,000+ cataract surgeries means the surgeon has seen and solved virtually every presentation
- Research and peer recognition - a surgeon who publishes is a surgeon who stays current
- Transparency about outcomes - a confident specialist will discuss realistic expectations, not just promises
- Local presence and follow-up - post-operative care in your region, not just surgery followed by distance
🔗 Not sure what condition you have? Read our guide on early signs of cataract or our overview of all eye care services at Eye One Centre.
Final Thoughts
The best eye specialist in Kangra is not simply the closest one, or the one with the most visible signboard. It is the one whose training, experience and outcomes give you confidence that your vision is in the right hands.
Dr. Gitanjli Sood Sirkek has trained at some of the most respected institutions in India and internationally. She has performed over 15,000 cataract and 5,000 retinal surgeries. She has been recognised by her peers at national and international level. And she has chosen to bring all of that to Kangra.
If you or someone in your family needs an eye specialist in Himachal Pradesh - for any condition, at any stage - that is who we are here for.
Book a Consultation with Dr. Gitanjli Sood Sirkek
Cataract · Vitreo-Retina · Glaucoma · Cornea · Neuro-Ophthalmology
15,000+ cataract surgeries · 5,000+ retinal surgeries · FICO UK (Merit) · FRCG Glasgow · Sankara Nethralaya Fellow
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Serving Kangra, Dharamshala, Palampur, Hamirpur, Mandi, Una and all of Himachal Pradesh.