Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan on Saturday addressed the second convocation of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Deoghar, in Jharkhand, urging graduating doctors, nurses and healthcare professionals to make competence, compassion and character the guiding principles of their careers.
Describing the convocation as a celebration of the aspirations of the Santhal Pargana region, the Vice-President said AIIMS Deoghar symbolises expanding opportunities in medical education and healthcare for tribal and rural communities.
He called upon the graduates to take their knowledge beyond institutional boundaries and serve villages, tribal communities and remote parts of the country, emphasising that medical education carries a responsibility towards society.
Highlighting the contributions of tribal leaders Bhagwan Birsa Munda, Sidho-Kanhu and Tilka Manjhi, Radhakrishnan urged young medical professionals to uphold integrity, empathy and ethical conduct while serving vulnerable and underserved populations.
He also appreciated AIIMS Deoghar’s contribution to strengthening regional healthcare through community outreach initiatives covering malaria elimination, lymphatic filariasis surveillance, anaemia, hearing health and school health programmes. He noted that the responsibility of a medical institution extends beyond its campus to the communities it serves.
Expansion of Medical Education
Referring to the expansion of medical education and healthcare infrastructure under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Vice-President said the number of medical colleges in India had increased from 387 before 2014 to 846.
He said institutions such as AIIMS Deoghar reflect the commitment to balanced and inclusive development, adding that access to quality healthcare and higher education across states, districts and villages is essential to achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047.
The Vice-President also highlighted the growing participation of women in higher education, noting that 132 of the 173 graduating students at the convocation were women.
He said the figures reflected India’s progress from women’s empowerment towards women-led development and demonstrated the transformative role of education in enabling women to realise their potential.
Technology and Compassionate Healthcare
Addressing the graduating students, Radhakrishnan urged them to remain connected to the communities the institute was established to serve and to adopt emerging technologies responsibly.
He stressed that advances in artificial intelligence, telemedicine and digital diagnostics should benefit people in remote areas as well as those in cities.
The Vice-President also called upon young professionals to spread the message of “No to Drugs” among young people and acknowledged the essential role of nursing professionals in delivering compassionate patient care.
Expressing confidence in the institute’s future, he said AIIMS Deoghar would continue to develop as a centre of clinical excellence, scientific research and compassionate service for Jharkhand and the wider eastern region.
Concluding his address, the Vice-President urged the graduates to let their knowledge heal, their research innovate and their service inspire, while contributing meaningfully to the making of Viksit Bharat.
-PIB
