SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2015 (PAGE-4) PERSONALITY HERITAGE An ophthalmologist par excellence RAMBAN Excelsior Correspondent settled abroad back to India, 1985-86. In 1986, Prof Sharma was selected as Faculty at Dr Prof Yog Raj Sharma is the Chief of Dr Rajendra Prasad Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Science, AIIMS, Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, All India Institute of Med- New Delhi. He was selected as Visiting Assistant Profes- ical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi and Professor of Oph- sor at newly started UAE University, UAE in the Depart- FROM PAST TO PRESENT thalmology and Consultant Vitreo-Retinal Surgeon. Prof ment of Surgery (Ophthalmology) in 1992. This was based Sharma is also Advisor (Ophthalmology) Ministry of Health on Worldwide open selection and International referee for & Family Welfare (MH&FW), New Delhi and Director, this appointment was Prof W C Foulds-CBE tenure was World Health Organization (WHO) SEA Collaborating for six months. Prof. Sharma was first Ophthalmologists Centre for Ophthalmology. He is the Chairman of the Task to be posted to an Academic posting in UAE. Force on Prevention and Control of Diabetic Retinopathy Since 1986, he has continued as Faculty at Dr R P Cen- Group of Co-Chairman of the National Task Force on Pre- tre for Ophthalmic Sciences and was appointed as a Pro- fessor in 2002. All along he has spe- cialised in Vitreo-Retina, especially in Vitreo-Retinal Surgery. He has exten- sively published research work and his Scientific Citation Index is approximate- ly 1000. He has publications in Journals besides IJO, The LANCET, American Journal of Medicine, Archieves of Oph- thalmology, Archives of environmental health, Journal of Cataract and Refrac- tive Surgery, Current Eye Research, American Journal of Ophthalmology, Experimental Eye Research, Investiga- tive Ophthalmology and Visual Sci- ences, Annals of opthalmology, Oph- K.D. Maini the Roze Namcha of Dewan Arjun Mal Gundyl, in the last thalmic Surgery & Lasers, Digestive dis- month of 1876, Maharaja Ranbir Singh had passed orders eases and Sciences (USA), Yale journal Ramban district was carved out from district Doda on to Babu Campaswal for construction of Jammu Srinagar of Biology and Medicine, Developments administrative grounds in April 2007. This district shares road. Immediately work was started with an estimated cost in Ophthalmology, Clinical and Experi- its boundaries with district Reasi, Udhampur, Anantnag of one lakh rupees. Accordingly Tehsildar Badarwah Toder mental Ophthalmology, Eye, Retina and Kulgam. District Ramban comprises of two tehsils Mal was entrusted the work of construction of road from Ramban and Banihal. The total area of the district is (Publications- 200). Batote to Ramban while Tehsildar Mean Indru was direct- Prof Yog Raj Sharma receiving Padma Shri Award from President of India 1527.65 Sq Kms and the district is divided into 127 villages In academic faculty work at the Cen- ed to construct the road from Ramban to Ramsu. From Pranab Mukherjee. and 124 Panchayats. There are three important towns Ramsu onwards tehsildar Khawaja Mohd Joo was appoint- tre involved in patient care and advanced vention of Blindness from Retinopathy of Prematurity namely Ramban, Banihal and Ramsu. ed incharge of the road. This 95 Kms long track was com- Vitreo-Retinal surgery including training of postgraduates (ROP) setup by MH&FW, Government of India. As per censes 2001, the total population of the district pleted in 20000 rupees. Next year resident Sahib traveled fellows. Average 20 to 45 VR Surgeries in a week for over Prof. Sharma was born on December 16, 1950 in Jam- was 2.83 lakh souls out of which 2.70 lakh population was via this road and reported to Maharaja Ranbir Singh that mu and received his MBBS (Hons.) degree from Univer- 20 years (1995-2010). Introduced numerous Innovations residing in the rural areas and 0.13 lakhs in urban areas. the road is fit for plying of carts. Maharaja was pleased on sity of Calcutta in 1974 and M S (Merit of First order) from on VR Surgery and has trained very large numbers of VR Literacy rate was 56.90%. The terrain of the district is hilly, the construction of this road. During the rule of Maharaja Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research Surgeons in advanced VR Surgery now settled all over rough and mountainous. Pogal, Parstan are the inacces- Partap Singh this road was maintained and improved while Maharaja Hari Singh converted this road for plying of light Chandigarh in 1978, ECFMG Certification from USA, India and abroad (USA, UK and Middle East), (Recom- sible areas. The climate varies according to altitude. The mendation available at Linkedin). At Linkedin-Retina temperature arises as high as 420 in summer season in vehicles. After independence this road became national (Valid indefinitely) 1979. highway and now it is being converted into four lanes. With Prof. Sharma while in his Senior Residency at PGI Group he has received around 500 Skills’ Endorsements. low lying areas like Ramban town and drops below zero Skills Surgery (Top Skill)-99+, Ophthalmology-69, Clinical in higher areas. The main attraction of the district is nation- the development of this road, the halting station Ramban Chandigarh was selected for Post Doctoral Faculty posi- also developed a lot and now it has got the status of dis- tion at Yale University School of Medicine and Visual Sci- Research-62 and Other skills-280 and his Research Gate al highway which connects Jammu with Srinagar. 95 Kms national highway passes through the district. trict headquarters. ences, USA. This tenure was completed in 1982 and from Score is 33.64, which is more than 92.5 percent of some In Ramban district, on the opposite side of Chanderkote 3 million Scientists members of Research Gate. As per C.E. Bats, the author of 'The Gazetteer of Kash- 1982-84 he was Faculty at University of Maryland Hospi- mir', before the formation of the J&K State in 1846, there across the river Chenab there is an important fort known He is a Member of the National and International Soci- tal, USAtill 1984. During this time he was selected as Assis- was a small village consisting of 15 houses on the right as Gajpat Fort in Saraj area constructed by local Rajputs tant Director of Indian Council of Medical Research under eties including American Academy of Ophthalmology, All bank of Chaneb river.This cluster was known as Nashband on the top of mountain to govern the whole mountainous Suprenumerary research cadre scheme, formulated by India Ophthalmological Society and his profile is included (closed nose) and was having neither importance nor any range. There is a temple of Mahakali in Gajpat fort which Government of India to attract eminent Indian scientists in Marquis’ Who’s who in Medicine, 2002-14. attraction. On 16th March 1846 when Raja Gulab Singh of is the center of devotion for the natives of Ramban. This Jammu became the Maharaja of J&K State, he adopted temple has recently been renovated. It is said that once Jammu, Udhampur, Banihal route to reach Srinagar for the Sheikh Mohd Abdullah was kept imprisoned in this fort for MOVIE-REVIEW movement of royal carvans. In this process, Nashband vil- few days. In 1825, Gulab Singh, the Raja of Jammu had lage got the status of halting station for the royal Carvans. imprisoned Raja Sultan Khan of Bimbar in this fort. Sultan The Dogras constructed a pacca building near present Khan died there and was buried at Chanderkote. It is said Ramban and a wooden bridge for the crossing of Chenab that a Hindu Shopkeeper who was a friend of Raja Sultan A typical SK movie River. After Gulab Singh, his son Ranbir Singh became the Khan had tried to construct a pacca tomb on the grave of Maharaja of J&K in 1858 A.D. Once when he was halting Raja Sultan Khan. When Raja Gulab Singh came to know There are somethings that are just meant to be together. Over at Nashband while going to Kashmir he changed the name about this, he immediately directed the shopkeeper either a period of time, they not just become synonymous with each oth- of Nashband to Ramban and also started constructions for to stop the work or he will be banished from this State. er but also complement each other to the fullest. Amongst the the movement of Dogra Carvans at this place. With the Therefore, the construction of memorial could not taken many examples for this, one such combination is the release of conversion of this village into a halting station the local place. In 1858 Mean Hathu Singh, the Governor of Rajouri a Salman Khan film during the auspicious occasion of Eid. Like traders of nearby areas and outsider started establishing and a closed relatives of Maharaja had revolted against almost every year, this year too, Salman Khan has gifted his fans their ventures in this village. The labour class of surround- their 'Eidi' in the form of BAJRANGI BHAIJAAN. Will this film be State Government and tried to kill Maharaja Ranbir Singh. worth the wait and live up to its gigantic expectations, let's ana- ing areas also settled at this place in search of employ- Mean Hathu was arrested and shifted to Gajpat fort. lyze. ment.Therefore, the original village of 15 houses got impor- Raghunath temple of Ramban is one of the important The film starts off with a Pakistani village household cheering tance and became the center of hustle and bustle. With religious places for Hindus while the Hindu population in for Pakistan while watching its nail biting crucial cricket match the passage of time the name Ramban changed to Ram- almost every village of Ramban has to own Devta known with India on television.