AIIMS Raipur Symbolises Chhattisgarh’s Shift to Peace: VP
C. P. Radhakrishnan says political will, security and development have helped transform areas once affected by Left-Wing Extremism
- AIIMS Raipur has emerged as a major tertiary-care institution in central India.
- VP credits political will, security policy and development-oriented governance for Chhattisgarh’s transformation.
- He highlights advances in kidney, renal and corneal transplantation at AIIMS Raipur.
- Calls on graduates to support the vision of Viksit Bharat and say “No to Drugs”.
GG News Bureau
Raipur, 2nd Sept: Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan on Wednesday said AIIMS Raipur symbolises Chhattisgarh’s transformation from an era of fear and Left-Wing Extremism to one of peace, development and opportunity.
Addressing the third convocation ceremony of AIIMS Raipur, the Vice President urged graduating students to shoulder the responsibility of serving the health, trust and lives of people.
Radhakrishnan said a convocation was not merely a celebration but also a moment of responsibility, as graduates would be entrusted with the health and lives of people.
He highlighted the role of AIIMS Raipur, established in 2012, in addressing regional disparities in healthcare, medical education and research. The institute has developed into a major tertiary-care centre serving Chhattisgarh and neighbouring states, including rural and tribal communities.
Referring to challenges faced by parts of Chhattisgarh for decades, the Vice President said difficult geography, inadequate connectivity and Left-Wing Extremism had hindered development in several remote and tribal areas. Fear and violence had affected the expansion of roads, schools and hospitals and restricted access to essential services.
He said the state was now witnessing a new phase of prosperity and development, attributing the transformation to the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the strategic resolve of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the leadership of Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai.
According to Radhakrishnan, areas once associated with violence are increasingly being identified with roads, schools, hospitals, connectivity, investment and opportunities.
He described AIIMS Raipur as a symbol of the changing Chhattisgarh and highlighted the institute’s achievements in advanced healthcare and transplantation. These include Chhattisgarh’s first swap kidney transplant, more than 95 per cent success in kidney transplantation, renal and corneal transplants and ear implants. He also noted the approval for a heart-transplant programme as another milestone.
The Vice President said the vision of Viksit Bharat could be achieved only when every state, district and village develops.
He highlighted the expansion of higher education over the past 12 years and stressed the importance of greater participation of women in higher education. Female enrolment increased from 1.57 crore in 2014-15 to 2.24 crore in 2023-24, representing a 42.2 per cent rise.
At the AIIMS Raipur convocation, 376 women and 313 men received degrees.
Radhakrishnan also urged the young graduates to firmly say “No to Drugs” and contribute to building a country where technology reaches the last citizen and young people can aspire to a better future.
“May your knowledge heal, your research innovate and your service inspire,” he said.
The Vice President conferred gold medals and certificates on meritorious students and wished AIIMS Raipur continued success in clinical excellence, scientific innovation, public health and compassionate healthcare.
Governor Ramen Deka, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare and Chemicals & Fertilizers Anupriya Patel, Chhattisgarh Health and Family Welfare Minister Shyam Bihari Jaiswal, Raipur MP Brijmohan Agrawal and senior AIIMS Raipur officials attended the ceremony.
