Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday, 30 September praised 'Operation Drishti' as far more than a medical initiative, calling it a living testament to the Indian Army's courage, dedication, and unwavering resolve to serve citizens in the most challenging terrain. Sinha was speaking at the closing ceremony of Phase-II of the Mega Cataract Surgery Camp held at Chinar Auditorium, Badami Bagh Cantonment in Srinagar.

Scale and Reach of the Initiative

The 11th mega surgery camp under Op Drishti brought together patients, specialist doctors, medical teams, and Army personnel to deliver advanced eye care to communities that would otherwise struggle to access such treatment. In total, 446 cataract surgeries were conducted during this phase, with medical teams fanning out to some of the most remote corners of the Union Territory. More than 1.5 lakh eye screenings have been carried out under the initiative since its inception, extending vision-care facilities deep into border regions.

Surgeries Under Shelling Risk in Tangdhar

Perhaps the most remarkable chapter of this phase unfolded at Tangdhar in Kupwara, a border locality where the risk of shelling is a daily reality and road access remains severely limited. Medical teams, led by Brigadier Sanjay Kumar Mishra and fellow officers, set up and operated an underground operation theatre to conduct surgeries in a conflict-adjacent zone. Specialised equipment and surgical tools were airlifted into the area, and Army personnel facilitated the movement of patients from adjoining communities to the camp. For many residents, this was reportedly the first time they had ever received advanced medical treatment. L-G Sinha noted that the Tangdhar camp was the 10th under the broader Op Drishti series and was unique by virtue of its location along the Line of Control.

What the L-G Said

'I express my gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh. I also express my gratitude to the Army Chief and the medical teams,' Sinha said, acknowledging the political and institutional support that underpins the operation. He described the initiative as 'an example of service, courage, resolve, and an effort to provide value to human life,' and credited the doctors and support staff for carrying specialised care into difficult terrain. He added that the Army 'has not returned after completing its work; it has given the vision of standing with the people.'

Broader Impact on Civil-Military Relations

L-G Sinha said Op Drishti had done more than restore eyesight — it had deepened the bond between the Indian Army and local communities across Jammu and Kashmir. This comes amid sustained efforts by the Centre and the J&K administration to strengthen people-to-army trust in border districts, where decades of conflict have often strained civilian-military ties. Notably, conducting surgeries in an underground OT under active shelling risk represents a level of operational commitment rarely seen in humanitarian medical missions. The initiative signals that healthcare delivery in conflict-affected zones is increasingly being treated as a strategic priority alongside security operations.

What Comes Next

With Phase-II now concluded, officials have not yet announced a timeline for Phase-III, but the scale of outreach — over 1.5 lakh screenings and counting — suggests the programme is set to expand further into underserved border areas. The success of the Tangdhar underground OT model may serve as a template for future medical missions in similarly inaccessible locations across the Union Territory.