Daljit Singh (ophthalmologist)

Daljit Singh (11 October 1934 – 27 December 2017) was an Indian ophthalmologist.[1] He was an honorary surgeon to Giani Zail Singh, President of India.[2][3]

Daljit Singh
Born	(1934-10-11)11 October 1934 Amritsar, Punjab, British India
Died	27 December 2017(2017-12-27) (aged 83)[1] Amritsar, Punjab, India
Occupation	Ophthalmologist
Years active	1957–2017
Known for	First to introduce intraocular lens in India, in 1976
Spouse(s)	Swaran Kaur (?–2007; her death)
Children	2
Awards	Padma Shri Dr. B. C. Roy Award

Early life and education

Daljit Singh was born on 11 October 1934 to Sahib Singh, a Sikh academic of Sikh literature. Daljit was enrolled at Khalsa School. After encouragement from a family member who was a medical doctor, he began studying to become one as well.[2][3] He was pre-medical at Khalsa College, then graduated in medicine with a MBBS from the Government Medical College, Amritsar in 1956.[4] After receiving his Bachelors of medicine and surgery, he performed a "house job" in ophthalmology and earned an ophthalmic diploma (DOMS). After working for atwo years, he earned a master's degree (MS) in ophthalmology in 1963.

Career

For more than two years, Dr. Singh worked as a general practitioner in the rural hinterland and also performed eye surgery.[3] After obtaining his master's degree, Singh returned in May 1964 to Amritsar as a senior lecturer in ophthalmology. He later transferred to Government Medical College, Patiala, for five years.[4]

Singh served as a member of faculty of the Government Medical Colleges in Amritsar and Patiala for 23 years and became an Emeritus professor of the institutions.[4]

He did pioneering work in lens implants beginning in 1976[3] and the Fugo technique[2][3] "plasma scalpel" for glaucoma and cataract surgeries.[1] He was an innovator with Trans-ciliary Filtration (invented in 2001) and the Pre-Tenon Tangential Micro Track Filtration.[2][3] He was the discoverer of lymphatics in the eye.[2][3]

He wrote over a dozen books on ophthalmology, and also a non-technical book Naroi Akh (Healthy Eye) in Punjabi decades ago.

Other endeavors

Singh was Aam Aadmi Partys unsuccessful candidate from Amritsar for the 2014 Lok Sabha election.[1][5] He later joined the Congress after a rift with AAP.[1]

He was also a poet, writing three volumes of poetry:Dharti Tirhai, Sidhre Bol and Babre Bol, that have been translated into Urdu, English and Hindi. He also wrote three anthologies of essays: Sach di Bhal Vich (In search of truth) Dooja Passa (The other side) and Badi di Jarh (The root of evil) to educate the rural masses about national and international issues.

Honors and awards

The Government of India awarded him the fourth highest civilian award of Padma Shri in 1987.[2][6] Seven years later, he received Dr. B. C. Roy Award, the highest Indian medical award from the Medical Council of India in 1994.[4]

Personal life

Singh was married in 1957 to Swaran Kaur until her death in 2007. His two sons —and their wive—are also eye doctors.[2]

After a chronic illness and being bedridden for a month, Singh died on 27 December 2017 at age of 83.[1]

References

1. Singh Gill, Manmeet (27 December 2017). "Noted eye surgeon Dr Daljit Singh passes away in Amritsar at 82". The Tribune. Amritsar. Tribune News Service. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
2. Walia, Pushpinder (29 March 2008). "A Perfect Vision". India Today. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
3. "Surgeon pushes limits within ophthalmic surgery conforms technology to situation". Ocular Surgery News (India ed.). January 2009. Retrieved 27 December 2017 – via Healio.com.
4. "Asia Ophthalmology profile" (PDF). Asia Ophthalmology. 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
5. "AAP's ophthalmologist candidate eyes niche support base". The Indian Express. 30 March 2014. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
6. "Padma Awards" (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 November 2014. Retrieved 21 July 2015.