By NIRMAL MANGAR
Dr. Shekhar Dulal has created history by becoming the first doctor from Sikkim to successfully complete MCh in Surgical Oncology, marking a proud and landmark moment for the state’s medical fraternity. An alumnus of the prestigious All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Jodhpur, his achievement represents a major step forward for advanced cancer care in the state.
Dr. Dulal, son of Mr. Phaki Ram Dulal and Mrs. Radha Mishra, hails from Mamring, Amba, Pakyong, under the 19-Rhenock Constituency. Reflecting on his journey, he said, “Coming from a small village in Sikkim, this achievement feels surreal. It proves that with dedication and discipline, no dream is too distant.”
He completed his Class X in 2010 and Class XII in 2012 from St. Xavier’s School, Pakyong, and in the same year cleared the State Common Entrance Test (CET) to pursue MBBS from Assam Medical College and Hospital, graduating in 2018. Speaking about his early academic years, Dr. Dulal noted, “My foundation was built in Sikkim, and the values I learned there guided me throughout my medical training.”
Driven by a strong interest in surgery, he cracked the NEET-PG examination with an impressive All India Rank (AIR) of 407 and completed his MS in General Surgery from the University College of Medical Sciences (UCMS) in 2022. He described this phase as transformative, saying, “Surgery taught me responsibility, resilience, and the importance of precision in saving lives.”
Following his post-graduation, Dr. Dulal served as a Senior Resident at Sikkim Manipal Institute of Medical Sciences (SMIMS) until December 2022, contributing to patient care and academic training. “Serving patients in my home state, even briefly, strengthened my resolve to give back in a bigger way,” he shared.
His academic excellence continued as he secured an outstanding All India Rank 6 in the INI-SS examination, earning admission to MCh Surgical Oncology at AIIMS Jodhpur, which he successfully completed in December 2025. Calling it the most challenging phase of his career, Dr. Dulal said, “Oncology demands not just surgical skill but emotional strength, empathy, and teamwork.”
Surgical Oncology involves complex surgical management of cancers across multiple specialties, including gastrointestinal, thoracic, gynecological, breast, head and neck, and hepatobiliary cancers. Dr. Dulal’s achievement is particularly significant for Sikkim, where patients often have to travel outside the state for advanced cancer surgeries. “My goal is to make quality cancer surgery accessible closer to home,” he emphasized.
Dr. Dulal’s special areas of interest include upper and lower gastrointestinal malignancies, hepatobiliary cancers, gynecological and genitourinary cancers, peritoneal surface malignancies with HIPEC, soft tissue tumors, breast cancer surgeries with oncoplastic reconstruction, complex head and neck cancers, and thoracic malignancies.
Summing up his vision, Dr. Shekhar Dulal said, “I aspire to return to Sikkim and serve the people who shaped me. This journey is not just mine—it belongs to my family, my teachers, and every young student from the hills who dreams big.”
