At SRIHER’s convocation in Chennai, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said artificial intelligence and genomics were reshaping medicine and creating opportunities for India’s healthcare researchers. He presented precision medicine as an emerging direction for diagnosis and treatment, while stressing that new tools need to be combined with responsible clinical decisions.
Speaking as chief guest at the institution’s 42nd convocation, Singh told graduates that their professional lives would bring access to increasingly capable technologies. Using them well would require a sound understanding of patients and clinical practice, he said. Preventive care deserved equal attention as lifestyle-related disease became a concern among younger people.
The minister congratulated graduates across undergraduate, postgraduate and super-specialty programmes, along with gold medallists, and acknowledged the institution’s work in teaching and research. Chancellor V. R. Venkatachalam and other institutional leaders attended the ceremony. Singh also extended wishes for the recovery of Vice-Chancellor Dr Uma, who could not be present.
Drawing on his experience in medicine, he described a changing disease burden. Communicable illnesses continue to require attention, while chronic disorders such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease create long-term demands on health services. Longer life expectancy and disease developing earlier in life increase the importance of prevention, timely intervention and continuing care.
He used the example of someone developing diabetes at 30 may face its consequences over many subsequent years. Preventing complications and protecting vital organs therefore concern doctors, families and patients together, he said. The health and productive potential of younger Indians were linked in his address to the goal of Viksit Bharat 2047.
Singh said AI-assisted healthcare and gene-based approaches could expand the possibilities for personalised care. He urged medical professionals to learn how these tools can inform diagnosis and treatment, while keeping clinical judgement central to their work. The value of an emerging technology, in his account, depends on its effective integration into care rather than its novelty alone.
Turning to domestic research, the minister cited India’s indigenous DNA vaccine against COVID-19 and ongoing vaccine research concerning dengue and malaria. He also referred to work on gene therapy for haemophilia. These examples formed part of his argument that Indian institutions are contributing increasingly to research on complex medical conditions.
He mentioned nafithromycin in the context of indigenous drug development for community-acquired bacterial pneumonia, alongside nuclear-medicine research involving acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and fatty liver disease. These were examples cited in the speech to illustrate research capacity and new therapeutic approaches. The address did not serve as individual prescribing guidance for those conditions.
Singh invited SRIHER to deepen its participation in national programmes covering genomics, biomanufacturing and nuclear medicine. Partnerships among universities, hospitals, government research organisations and industry could bring scientific expertise closer to clinical experience, he said. He connected that cooperation with the development of useful, affordable healthcare solutions and the translation of laboratory work into patient benefits.
The minister also encouraged the institution to develop its research strengths and startup environment. He saw opportunities for researchers, clinicians and technology developers to work together on medical technologies and new therapies. In fields such as nuclear medicine, he said, closer engagement across disciplines would help connect scientific innovation with practical healthcare needs.
Discussing genomics, Singh said genetic information could be considered alongside clinical outcomes, lifestyle and environmental influences to tailor care more closely to patients. Medical professionals would need to interpret that information in light of experience and clinical knowledge. His emphasis was on translating expanding scientific understanding into meaningful improvements for the people receiving care.
He concluded that prevention of long-term disease among younger people must become a shared national priority. Sustained work on prevention, research, innovation and responsible clinical practice would protect the country’s human potential, he said. He linked those efforts to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.