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Vision Excellence Awards: Swathi Kaliki

Swathi Kaliki

Dr. Swathi Kaliki is an acclaimed ophthalmologist specialising in ocular oncology. She has played a pivotal role in expanding the capabilities and capacity of the Operation Eyesight Universal Institute for Eye Cancer at L V Prasad Eye Institute, India. The institute provides treatment for all types of eye cancer under one roof and receives patients from across the globe. The institute also provides advanced training for ophthalmic personnel in ocular oncology.

As head of the Operation Eyesight Universal Institute for Eye Cancer, Dr. Kaliki is passionate about working with children and strongly believes that no child should needlessly lose their vision as a result of life-threatening retinoblastoma eye cancer. She initiated Whitathon in 2018, an annual fundraising run that has played a vital role in raising awareness and funds for the early diagnosis and treatment of eye cancer in children.

Dr. Kaliki completed her primary medical education at M S Ramaiah Medical College, Bangalore, and later pursued a residency in ophthalmology with S V Medical College, Tirupati. Subsequently, she did her fellowships in Ophthalmic Plastic Surgery, Orbit, and Aesthetics from L V Prasad Eye Institute and Ocular Oncology and Ophthalmic Pathology from Wills Eye Institute, Philadelphia, USA. Her main areas of clinical interest include Intraocular and Adnexal Tumours, Orbital Diseases, and Ophthalmic Plastic Surgery, and her research interests lie in Retinoblastoma, Eyelid Tumors, and Orbital Diseases. She has published over 185 papers and currently serves as a reviewer for a number of international journals. She has also presented widely at conferences around the world.

Dr. Kaliki has been recognized with a number of distinguished honours. The Shakuntala Amir Chand Prize was presented to her in October 2019. Instituted by the Indian Council of Medical Research, she received this prestigious award for her research work in the field of Biomedical Science, including Clinical Research. In 2019, she was also presented with the Smt Puspa Das Memorial Oration Award by the Ophthalmological Society of West Bengal, Kolkata, India, and was among the top three finalists for NASI Scopus Young Scientists Awards – Women in Science category. She was also given the Achievement Award presented by the Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology and the Gold Award by the All India Ophthalmological Society.

Dr. Kaliki holds editorial positions on several respected journals. These include Sub-speciality Editor – Ocular Oncology and Pathology for the Asia-Pacific Journal of Ophthalmology (APJO) and Section Editor – Ocular Oncology for the Journal of Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology.
Other areas of specialty for Dr. Kaliki include capacity building and training initiatives, and she actively participates as a faculty member in training programs. She has made significant contributions to the training of ophthalmologists in oncology, in particular in retinoblastoma in children. She has contributed to the education of a number of fellows in ocular oncology, from India and from other countries.

Dr. Kaliki is considered one of the most promising young leaders in ophthalmology, having already achieved significant accomplishments in clinical care, teaching, research, and capacity building.