IAF’s Airbus C-295 virtually airlifts hospital for eye surgery camp for veterans in West Bengal

LUCKNOW/NEW DELHI: The newly inducted transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) Airbus C-295 joined Army Hospital Research and Referral (RR), New Delhi, for the first time to organize a mega eye surgery camp for veterans in Bagdogra, West Bengal, from March 19-24.
The aircraft, capable of airlifting around nine-ton cargo, recently airlifted almost an entire hospital – medical staff, sophisticated equipment of ophthalmology department like phacoemulsification machine, operating microscope, intraocular lenses, medicine and eye drops – from Palam airport.

Considering the back-to-back successful eye camps in Dehradun (Dec 2024) and Jaipur (Feb 2025), West Bengal governor CV Ananda Bose on March 10, had requested defence minister Rajnath Singh and Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) Upendra Dwivedi to hold such camp in Bengdubi for veterans, as the region has around 96,000 ex-servicemen and their dependents.
"We are expecting veterans to visit camp from Nepal, Northern part of Bengal, Sikkim and Bihar, who don't have access to eye hospitals in remote areas. Doctors from Central Command, Lucknow, will also join RR ophthalmologists in the mega eye surgery camp in Bagdogra," a senior official said.

The camp will be led by head of the ophthalmology department, Brigadier Sanjay Mishra (53), the first Brigadier rank officer of Army Medical Corps to receive PVSM. A team of six specialist doctors and seven resident doctors are on their way to Bagdogra to hold the camp.
The camp will be organized at 158 Base hospital, Bengdubi, which is located near Bagdogra airport.

"After intervention by defence minister Rajnath Singh, COAS Upendra Dwivedi, IAF chief Amar Preet Singh and other senior officials, the C-295 aircraft was roped in to airlift and assist in organizing camp in Trishakti Corps under Eastern Command. The team of RR has helped over 600 veterans and their dependents in special eye surgery camps recently organized in Dehradun and Jaipur," an official said.
On Jan 30, Air Force Station, Agra, of Central Air Command received the first C-295 aircraft. "The aircraft's long reach, efficient lifting capacity, multi-role capability, self-protection and modern on-board equipment facilitate an optimum employment toward meeting the military objectives along the northern border. A full motion simulator of C-295 is also commissioned at Agra airforce station to train pilots," a statement from defence PRO office said.