People and source evidence
Faculty profiles and official portraits
Explore individually sourced roles, affiliations and portraits. Where a portrait is unavailable in reviewed evidence, it is marked below.
Official portrait unavailable in reviewed evidence
Md. Shahid Alam
Director, SN Kolkata
Sankara Nethralaya
Leads the Kolkata orbit and oculoplasty service. Completed orbit and oculoplasty fellowship training at Sankara Nethralaya; interests include orbital and adnexal oncology.
Official Sankara Nethralaya programme — updated July 2025 ↗Profile reviewed 16 Oct 2026
Official portrait unavailable in reviewed evidence
Nirmala Subramanian
Professor Emeritus
Sankara Nethralaya
Plastic surgeon with training at AIIMS and Madras Medical College. The host describes experience in orbital, ptosis and periocular aesthetic surgery; her emeritus title is retained.
Official Sankara Nethralaya programme — updated July 2025 ↗Profile reviewed 16 Oct 2026
Official portrait unavailable in reviewed evidence
Kirthi Koka
Deputy Director; in charge of oculoplasty fellowship training
Sankara Nethralaya
Completed ophthalmology training and a two-year Sankara Nethralaya clinical fellowship. Interests include orbital and eyelid tumours, reconstruction and eyelid surgery.
Official Sankara Nethralaya programme — updated July 2025 ↗Profile reviewed 16 Oct 2026
Official portrait unavailable in reviewed evidence
Nisar Sonam Poonam
Consultant; in charge of Ocular Prosthetic Clinic
Sankara Nethralaya
The host describes fellowship training in orbit and oculoplasty and clinical interests in trauma, socket reconstruction, thyroid eye disease and periocular aesthetics.
Official Sankara Nethralaya programme — updated July 2025 ↗Profile reviewed 16 Oct 2026
Varsha Backiavathy
Consultant; departmental resident-training lead
Sankara Nethralaya
Trained at CMC Vellore, Aravind Eye Hospital and Sankara Nethralaya. Clinical interests include trauma, thyroid eye disease and orbital and eyelid surgery.
Official hospital or university faculty biography ↗Profile reviewed 16 Oct 2026
Official portrait unavailable in reviewed evidence
Debi Kundu
Consultant, SN Kolkata
Sankara Nethralaya
Completed ophthalmology training in Kolkata and fellowship training at Sankara Nethralaya. Interests include periocular aesthetics, eyelid and socket reconstruction, trauma and orbital tumours.
Official Sankara Nethralaya programme — updated July 2025 ↗Profile reviewed 16 Oct 2026
Appointment evidence
Published role and affiliation
The official evidence identifies the leadership and affiliation listed below for Orbit, Oculoplasty, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Services Fellowship.
- Leadership as published
- Md. Shahid Alam (Director, Kolkata); Nirmala Subramanian (Professor Emeritus); Kirthi Koka (Deputy Director, in charge of fellowship training); Nisar Sonam Poonam; Varsha Backiavathy; Debi Kundu (consultants)
- Evidence reviewed
- 16 Oct 2026
- Affiliated training host
- Sankara Nethralaya
Names may identify a director, supervisor, host or contact. The source wording above defines the role; reconfirm the current appointment with the programme.
Training context
Published programme focus
These areas describe the linked training programme, rather than a complete clinical biography or list of individual credentials.
Associated training route
Clinical fellowship
Orbit, Oculoplasty, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Services Fellowship
Clinical fellowship with Chennai positions and a combined Kolkata–Chennai pathway. The July 2025 host specification describes progressive responsibility, including senior supervised independent clinics and surgical lists in the final six months; it does not confirm current vacancies.
- Location
- Chennai, India
- Duration
- 24 months
- Clinical participation
- Clinical and surgical fellowship; confirm local licensing, supervision and permitted operative responsibilities with the host.
- International applicants
- International eligibility, registration and visa arrangements require confirmation with the host.
- Funding
- Host specification updated July 2025 lists INR 55,000 per month, subject to change, and 14 days of paid vacation annually. Confirm current stipend and appointment conditions.
- Application timing
- Recurring listed deadlines: 31 October and 30 April; no current recruitment-year confirmation.
Programme listed — intake not confirmed
Listed recurring starts: 1 January and 1 July. Chennai: two candidates every six months; combined Kolkata (one year) and Chennai (one year): one candidate annually. Confirm the next available cohort.
Eligibility, training and application
Eligibility
Completed MS, MD or DNB in ophthalmology before starting; age up to 40 years. The source requires Medical Council of India registration; confirm current registration terminology and eligibility with the host.
Published training
- Orbital, lacrimal and eyelid surgery
- Ptosis, entropion and ectropion correction
- Socket and canalicular reconstruction
- Periocular aesthetics and ocular prosthetics
- Radiology, pathology and multidisciplinary exposure
- Community cataract posting during the first six months
- Resident teaching, weekly academic meetings and research
Application route
Send a complete application to the academic office; the host describes a written test and interview in November or May and shortlisted interviews in Chennai.
Published application documents
- Curriculum vitae
- Department chairperson letter
- Two referee testimonials
- Handwritten personal essay
Published contact note: academic@snmail.org; +91 44 28271616
Official institution page · Source reviewed 16 Oct 2026
Official sources
- Debi Kundu — Official Sankara Nethralaya programme — updated July 2025 ↗
- Varsha Backiavathy — Official hospital or university faculty biography ↗
Source review: 16 Oct 2026. Education history, additional appointments, publications and personal contact details are not added without separate official evidence.
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