AIIMS Raipur reflects Chhattisgarh’s journey from extremism to opportunity: Vice President
Vice President CP Radhakrishnan said Chhattisgarh’s shift from left-wing extremism to peace and development demonstrates how security, political will and governance can transform lives.
Vice President CP Radhakrishnan confers gold medals and certificates on meritorious students during the Third Convocation Ceremony of AIIMS Raipur on Wednesday.
RAIPUR: AIIMS Raipur symbolises Chhattisgarh’s transformation from an era marked by fear and left-wing extremism to one of peace, development and opportunity, Vice President CP Radhakrishnan said on Wednesday.
Addressing the Third Convocation Ceremony of AIIMS Raipur, the Vice President said the institution represented the new Chhattisgarh, where areas once associated with violence were increasingly being identified with roads, schools, hospitals, connectivity, investment and opportunities.
Radhakrishnan said a convocation was not merely a celebration of academic achievement but a moment when graduates assumed responsibility for the health, trust and lives of the people they would serve.
He called upon the graduating students to use their knowledge and skills to strengthen healthcare and contribute to the broader development of the country.
AIIMS Raipur bridges healthcare gaps
The Vice President highlighted the role played by AIIMS Raipur since its establishment in 2012 in addressing regional disparities in healthcare, medical education and research.
He said the institute had evolved in a relatively short period into a major tertiary-care institution serving Chhattisgarh and neighbouring states, including rural and tribal communities.
The growth of AIIMS Raipur, he said, reflected the broader transformation taking place across Chhattisgarh.
The Vice President also highlighted the institution’s achievements in advanced healthcare and transplantation, including Chhattisgarh’s first swap kidney transplant, more than 95% success in kidney transplantation, renal and corneal transplants and ear implants.
The approval of a heart-transplant programme, he said, represented another important milestone for advanced healthcare in the region.
From extremism to development
Radhakrishnan said difficult geography, inadequate connectivity and Left-Wing Extremism had created serious barriers to development in parts of Chhattisgarh for decades.
Fear and violence in remote and tribal areas had disrupted the expansion of roads, schools and hospitals, leaving communities facing significant difficulties in accessing essential services.
He said the state had now emerged from the shadows of its past and was witnessing a new phase of prosperity and development.
The Vice President attributed the transformation to the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the strategic approach of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the leadership of Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai.
He said the Naxal menace that had persisted for decades had been brought to an end and that areas once associated with violence were increasingly becoming centres of connectivity, infrastructure and economic opportunity.
“This transformation is a powerful example of the difference that strong political will, firm security policy and development-oriented governance can make,” he said.
Balanced development key to Viksit Bharat
Radhakrishnan stressed that the vision of Viksit Bharat could become a reality only when development reached every state, district and village.
He identified access to higher education as a key component of this national development vision and highlighted the expansion of higher education over the past 12 years.
The Vice President also pointed to the growing 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% rise.
The gender balance among AIIMS Raipur’s graduating students also reflected this trend, with 376 women and 313 men receiving degrees at the convocation.
Graduates urged to serve society
Addressing the graduates, Radhakrishnan urged them to contribute to a healthier and more inclusive India and called for a firm “No to Drugs”.
He also emphasised the importance of ensuring that technology reaches the last citizen and that young Indians have the opportunity to aspire to a better future.
“May your knowledge heal, your research innovate and your service inspire,” the Vice President said.
He wished AIIMS Raipur continued success in clinical excellence, scientific innovation, public health and compassionate service.
Radhakrishnan said the transformation of Chhattisgarh could become an important chapter in India’s larger journey towards Viksit Bharat 2047.
The Vice President also conferred gold medals and certificates on meritorious students.
Chhattisgarh Governor Ramen Deka, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare and Chemicals & Fertilizers Anupriya Patel, Chhattisgarh Health and Family Welfare and Medical Education Minister Shyam Bihari Jaiswal, Raipur MP Brijmohan Agrawal, AIIMS Raipur President Prof. (Dr.) Sanjeev Handa and Executive Director Retired Lieutenant General Ashok Jindal were present at the convocation.
