Chandigarh
17 March 2017
KULBIR SINGH KALSI
Dr. Jagat Ram is Professor and Head of Ophthalmology at Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh. He received his Medical Degree (MBBS) from Medical College Shimla (HP) in 1978, followed by residency in Ophthalmology (MS) at PGIMER Chandigarh, which he completed in June 1982. He was awarded WHO Fellowship in the field of Phacoemulsification at Storm Eye Institute, Charleston, USA in 1993-1994 and another in Pediatric Cataract Surgery in 1998 at the same Institute. Administratively, he headed Ophthalmology Unit for 26 years, Members selection Committee PGI for Adhoc faculty and other group 15 years, Chairman Institute Compassionate Appointment Committee for 8 years, working for Eye Bank Society of India for 24 years (as members, Secretary and now vice-president), presently, Chief Coordinator of International Council of Ophthalmology (London) from India and Chairman, Core Technical Committee (CTC-A), PGI.
He is recognized internationally for his outstanding contributions in the field of cataract and refractive surgery. He has conducted several thousands surgical procedures with intraocular lens implantation on patients and over 9500 surgical procedures in children over a period of 37 years. He is recipient of 24 National and International Awards for his outstanding contribution and innovation, he is recipient of Most Prestigious Award “Best of the Best Winner” for A New Surgical Techniques “Management of Double Crystalline Lens” at American Society Cataract and Refractive Society (ASCRS) held at San Francisco, USA, 2013. At this televised award ceremony India’s National Anthem was played at the bestowal ceremony of this most prestigious International honour. Again on May 9, 2016, he received Best of the Best Award again at New Orleans, USA at the ASCRS which is an unique International honour. He received Oscar of Pediatric Ophthalmology at World Congress of Pediatric Ophthalmology in Barcelona in 2015.
Imbued with a missionary zeal, Prof. Jagat Ram has regularly offered his services as an Eye Surgeon free of cost in over 130 Eye Relief and Screening Camps and the most importantly organized for the poorest of poor patients. Prof. Jagat Ram has excelled as a teacher, being personally involved in training hundreds of postgraduate students and ophthalmologists in specialized cataract surgery deputed and selected from all over the country. During his two-year foreign deputation at Republic of Seychelles by the Government of India (2003-2005) he was instrumental in eliminating the backlog of cataract blindness.
Professor Ram has contributed over 450 lectures on pediatric and age- related-cataract in National and International conferences. As a researcher, he contributed over 300 research publications in the reputed indexed National and International Medical Journals including New England Journal of Medicine and Lancet. The published research is widely cited and had made global impact. Dr Jagat Ram has completed over 40 research projects with National and International Collaborative support. Prof Ram is the first and only invitee from Asia-Pacific region to contribute to a Complete Issue on “Elimination of Cataract Blindness” in world famous journal “Survey of Ophthalmology” in 1999- this was singularly a unique International honor. He is scientific reviewer for several major National and International Journals.
Prof. Ram is truly an inspiration and best known for his untiring devotion to both, patient care and teaching. He has been recognized by Indian medical community as a clinician par excellence, who provides quality care to members of every section of the society. His exceptional surgical qualities and skill have changed lives of thousands patients. He has not lost common man’s touch nor his deep empathy for all patients and learners. He has helped his peer and students to advance the cause of providing best eye care services to the poorest of the poor as well to high and mighty in equal measure.
His future vision is to raise PGI to the next level matching top global medical institutes in patient care, research and training. His goal is to provide highest level of compassionate care, provide high quality services to millions of patients visiting PGI and reaching the unreached.
