Dr Gangadhara Sundar JK Award
Every year the Gangadhara Sundar JK Award is presented to the ‘Best Free paper award for the young oculoplastic surgeon (under 40 years of age)’. A firm believer of bright and young talent in the field of Oculoplastics globally, the ‘Young Oculoplastic Surgeon’s Best Paper Award’ was instituted in OPAI by Dr Gangadhara Sundar to encourage young Oculoplastic surgeons who have performed original research in India and presented at the Annual Conference of OPAI. Dr Gangadhara Sundar graduated from the Madras Medical College, obtained his basic Ophthalmology training from the Regional Institute of Ophthalmology- Govt Ophthalmic Hospital, Egmore, Chennai. He then obtained his residency (Ophthalmology) and fellowship (Ophthalmic Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery/Ocular Oncology) from Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit.
The previous winners of this award are below:
| Year | Winner | Venue |
| 2012 | Marian Pauly | Amritsar, Punjab |
| 2013 | Savari Desai | Bengaluru, Karnataka |
| 2014 | New Delhi | |
| 2015 | Swati Singh | Bhubaneshwar, Odisha |
| 2016 | Md. Shahid Alam | Vadodara, Gujarat |
| 2017 | Sameeksha Tadepalli | Madurai, Tamil Nadu |
| 2018 | Akshay G. Nair | Jaipur, Rajasthan |
The guidelines for the award are as follows:
- Award will be given for the Best Original Free Paper in any field of Ophthalmic Plastic,
Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery and related Oncology and Pathology
- Any ratified member* of OPAI below 40 years of age (attaining 40 years on or before
December 31 of the year of the conference) will be eligible for the award
- The award will be given to the presenting author
- The award will be presented once a year
- The award will be given for the work done in India
- The award will carry a Certificate, a Medal and Cash Award of Rs 5000
- The Certificate shall mention the list of co-authors
- The award will not be given to the same person twice