Text of Vice-President’s address at Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry (excerpts)

2025-06-16 Information

My dear boys and girls, I am for you, I am because of you, I came to meet you and I wanted to share my thoughts with you. And why I will tell you in particular, I have been to professional Institutions all over the country And I love doing that, but when I interact at Institutions of Medicine and Research, Doctors are next to God. it’s a profession that is not sullied.

Doctors individually do not engage in commercialisation and commodification, and of course if it is emerging in some other area, you are the watchdogs because belief in you irrespective of a level of a person-high and mighty, powerful, rich or ordinary whatever psyche may – you are our god. Keep it up because you are Inspirational, motivational when it comes to giving back to the society.

I know for a fact that doctors have missed the parents meeting because they wish to attend the patient. I can tell you my own case. When I went past midnight to AIIMS, doctors who were not on duty were on duty, and not only because of this position but otherwise also. Therefore my salutations to you earn to the entire tribe of doctors and paramedical staff. if India has been acoladed globally for management of COVID, It is on account of your contribution and visionary leadership of Prime Minister Modi.

People thought that at that time, why Prime Minister is talking of covid warriors? You reached when many others chose to be at home, quarantine themselves and that is why as Governor, state of West Bengal I had the good fortune to clap for you while standing in the balcony from where the Britishers ruled us. I had the honour to light diyas and candles in your honour, and what is my India’s soft diplomacy to a great cutting edge. Prime Minister Modi was wise enough to supply 200 countries COVID vaccine while taking care of our own people. There were some who will think always of negativity, You must find something about negativity. I appeal to doctor fraternity, please have some kind of a capsule or injection that can deal with negative because this negativity is getting too serious. They thought at one point of time that how can they succeed, and the world has realised it succeeded as never before And therefore I am honoured to be here at Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and I emphasize Research.

It has really had a journey and the journey goes back to more than 200 years ago. It was in the year 1823- Ecole de Medicine de Pondicherry.I slightly understand this, I was a member the International Court of Arbitration at Paris for 3 years, and a member of a commission of global body of arbitration for 6 years.

Then the journey came post Independence and you emerged reminding us of our Vedic essence and culture- Dhanwantari Medical College and then in 1964 when we lost our first Prime Minister. The tribute to him, the present name. This is a milestone, but when I stand here I remind myself of a very distinguish son of the soil who defined our space journey and became president of India in whose name we have this auditorium – Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam.

I would not take the credit of what I am indicating to you, JIPMER one of enormously talented people in my entourage at the moment said sir define JIPMER, I said you define- He said, Journey of Inspiring Physicians & Surgeons Medical Excellence and Revolution. You stand for this. It’s an institute of national importance. it is located as a place That has global recognition instantly. There are very few places in the planet that can be instantly known to one and all. There are very few places on the planet that can claim to be instantly known to one and all. this place is known it has a identity and uniqueness.

The boys and girls in front of me are there presentative and I see the reflection of Bharat of all its variety and symbolising inclusivity. if you look at our Vedic culture and our civilizational depth of 5000 years we will come to know no one comes close to us in the world. When it comes to our Vedas, Puranas and Upanishads knowledge reservoir, our educational institutions- Nalanda, Takshila and many more, we were global leaders.

And now let me tell you, what has happened in last 10 years in particular and I say so with confidence for a simple reason, When I was a Minister in the central government 35 years ago, I knew the scenario them and I have the occasion received now in another constitutional position. Last 10 years have been marked by exponential economic upsurge. Phenomenal infrastructure development, Deep digitisation changing the lives of ordinary persons in the villages. They have a toilet, electricity connection, now water connection is also being given, gas connection most importantly banking inclusion.

Look at the vision of the Prime Minister the scale at which he thinks, 500 million people were brought in the banking net, I remember my days. 120 million all around were given gas connections. This scale is befitting Bharat and therefore last decade has seen India’s rise from double digit placement in economy to 4th position. We Are on way to third position very shortly but this position can only be sustained by your participation. Health of the nation is fundamental for the growth, a person may be very talented. He wants to give everything to the society, he doesn’t have self interest but what if he is not in good health ? He who is ever keen to contribute in welfare of others becomes an object of sympathy by others and therefore fit India can be the only answer and you are it watchdogs. My salutations to you.

About 2 months back, all of us were concerned, worried and traumatized-22nd April Pahalgam. The terrorist struck us, they challenged our ethos, world’s most peace loving a nation that has never engaged in expansion was visited with this horrendous terrorist attack. The Prime Minister pledged to the nation that we will have no tolerance for terrorism and I must congratulate Our armed forces for having vindicated the promise of the Prime Minister because Muridke and Bahawalpur are witness to the testimony of potency of our Brahmos. Jaish e Mohammed and Lashkar e Taiba hideouts, headquarters were demolished devastatingly by calibrated, precise, calculated attack and not injuring civilians but the terrorists, their cofence were taken to kabristan accompanied by terrorists, armed forces personnel and politicians. The evidence was given by them to the entire world that this is a different Bharat – bold, confident but calculated because war is not a solution.

Prime Minister Modi has hinted we are not living in an era of War. We have to take recourse to diplomacy and dialogue but the message has gone loud and clear. World has come to realise that indigenous production of Defence material means a lot to us. Brahmos are made in Uttar Pradesh, which has become Uttam Pradesh. that is because of very good governance, Law and order that steered that exemplified to be emulated by one and all.

Aakash– The kind of protection it came to us, therefore India’s response operation Sindoor has got world recognition both success and restraint. War is not help anyone.

Let us therefore pledge in this backdrop, That we should ever keep our nation first, that mindset has to be there because the game of the war has changed. For any progress, peace is aspect and peace comes from a position of strength. the best guarantee to peace is that we are ever prepared for war, and that comes when nation’s mindset is Nation first. We have to believe in our nationalism, I, therefore appeal to everyone, particularly political class of the country, that issues of nationalism national security R beyond political, partisan interest.

I am happy to note, the visionary step of prime minister to send party delegation of members of parliament abroad has evoked right response in the country and outside. All political parties converged, that is the Bharat we need everyday on national security and national development, I am sure this will go a long way.

Last 10 years, when it comes to health care, wellness, there has been a journey of transformation. There has been a journey of quantum leap. if you exam in the developed democracy in the world- the US, their health care system is always in focus. No one knows more than the boys and girls before me what their system is but when it came to India, Aayushman Bharat is a game changing preposition. It’s a big quantum leap, that was needed by the people, Otherwise those who did not have government coverage on account of being government servants, their life was very risky, their life was in panic if someone in the family was taken to the illness. and right now imagine the cover is, to more than 500 million people, and what an assurance to the people who are aging, senior citizens unrestricted, unqualified. You only have to age , it does not matter to what strata of society you belong. This most impactful mechanism was unfolded on September 23 2018, but what it means to you boys and girls?

Ayushman Bharat means, we need more human resource in the shape of doctors, Nurses and paramedical staff. We need more diagnostic centres. We need greater research, we need springing of hospitals, healthcare Centres both in public and private sectors and this has led to a development much needed in the country. AIIMS are our prestigious institutions, their number during this period has tripled- 25. 20 out of them are functional 5 will be functional shortly. Number of seats for MBBS has been increased more than 110%, I feel the need it must increase more but the process has started, same has started for postgraduate seats also.

There is also nearly equalising enhancement but this place according to me has a different potential, It’s a dream destination for many who care for spirituality, tourism and otherwise. This is a natural place where global wellness centres can come up, Global Health centres can come up and therefore this must be our national priority. And I am sure all those concerned with this and with the zeal, enthusiasm and missionary mode which the Lt. Governor has, there will be realisation. Wellness center in this area Will not only help health but also tourism.

If you look at our scriptures you will find- पहला सुख निरोगी काया। So health has been given precedence over everything else . If you go to Atharvveda, which is encyclopedic, On health and Wellness. A gold mine of information, you can take recourse to that but We need to focus on that little more seriously, and it is very satisfying and soothing to note that in 2014, on November 9, a step was taken to have a separate Ministry for Ayush. This is a game changer, then there were concerns what will be happen if someone is in need for dialysis. Now every district headquarter has system for dialysis. what will happen if someone is visited with cancer, early detection and it is no longer a killer disease.

I lived through times when tuberculosis was a killer disease, then came cancer. Facilities are increasing but that also indicates to you all, your footprints should increase in research also. India has to be a global leader in Medical Research, In manufacturing of medical equipments. I can tell you each one of you has potential in everything. look at the government policies, for the first time there is an ecosystem in place that allows every young professional to fully expand talent, real potential, attain dreams and aspirations, and therefore you have to realise and that will be a sure method of giving back to the society as you would want and this will result in fit India.

We remember Mahatma Gandhi for several important aspects, truth, non violence but also for fundamentals of swachhata. Cleanliness, Prime Minister Modi has made it a mission. swachh Bharat is yielding great results, could anyone imagine ever that gigantic scale of having a toilet in every rural household is attainable, It has been attained.That being so, there will have to be focus on medical- hygiene literacy at the family level, at the school level, and I am sure you can 24/7 be ambassadors of this remarkable change.

The Lieutenant Governor, focused on climate change while focusing on Ek Ped Maa ke Naam, I have gone a little beyond, being from legal fraternity why should I discriminate against my parents. So, I started today, Ek Ped Maa ke Naam , Ek Ped Pita ke Naam in that order but Prime Minister very thoughtfully set the highest ever benchmark organizing a global conference a convergence of nations-G20. The motto was, One Earth, One Family, One Future making us remind Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.

Now when that is the situation, we must learn to handhold ourselves, and therefore we must be very soothing to the family members, to our neighbours, to our society and that will take care of the rest.

We are living in the times when sustainability buzzes through boardrooms, global organisations- United Nations, World Parliaments but if we look to our Vedas, it was always there .We worshipped trees, we respected forests, we took to that mechanism which is very antithesis for generating what we call lifestyle diseases. So let us believe in sustainability, that is fundamental.

Let me quote, I had referred to you earlier the importance of Atharva Veda particularly for those in medical fraternity. It is encyclopedic for health and wellness, It says माता भूमि है, the Earth is our mother and we are her children. Let us not bleed the mother, let us not engage in reckless utilisation and exploitation of natural resources. We have to focus on optimal utilisation, How can someone say I will have 20 cars because I can afford it financially. He or she must be cognizant of the fact that we are trustees of natural resources which we have to pass on to our future generations and that I think we have to have a mindset of our own.

Two events are taking place this month, and one is International Yoga Day on 21st June. The initiative was taken by the Prime Minister in United Nations situated in United States and in the shortest time largest number of countries endorsed it. So yoga on 21st is celebrated all over the planet, and it is our national style now. People have adopted it all over the world. I would want the Hon’ble Lt. Governor and the Chief Minister, this place is ideally suited, imminently befitting to send a global message that Yoga stands for peace and spirituality and that is what we must remember.

Another event that comes will remind us of something that happened five decades ago, and that is 25th June. Boys and girls you were not born, I am sure about it. None of you is above 50 years of age, the students.

50 years ago, on 25th of June, A Prime Minister to save her chair, clamped Emergency capsizing all Constitutional Institutions of the Council of Ministers, and hundreds and thousands of people were put in jail without a cause. In such kind of challenging and daunting situations, access to judiciary is fundamental, and for us it was a Constitutional right given by our founding fathers. Even that right was compromised, Executive was as oppressive, and oppression then was absolutely cruel. Those who were jailed became Ministers, Chief Ministers and Prime Ministers, Presidents. Such people fired with zeal of patriotism and nationalism were put behind bars without a cause. That such an event does not take place again, that we are not visited with such a dark chapter of our history, we need to be fully cognizant to what happened then, and therefore this day is being celebrated and that was started last year – Samvidhan Hatya Diwas. Please spare few moments to know more about it, and alongside there was another day which is celebrated on 26th November. A beginning was made 10 years ago, adoption of the Constitution, because it is the Constitution that gives us the right to equality. It is the Constitution that assures us of equitable development. it is the Constitution that guarantees that we have the freedom of the time we choose.Keep this in mind.

I am very happy and delighted to be amongst you all, and I will request the Hon’ble Chief Minister and the Lt. Governor that i would love to receive in batches, students as my guests at the Parliament of India. You will be happy to see the new building of Parliament as my guests and I will have the occasion to share my thoughts with you in more detail, while we will be having a meal over the table, and therefore I am sure you will accept my invitation.

Why is there silence? Shakespeare said something very different uninvited guests are welcomest when they are gone. Here it is a warmhearted invitation extended and the to Hon’ble MPs who are present here will facilitate. One, I have direct connect, second is a gentleman as all Members of Parliament are.

Boys and girls, Thank you so much for the time allotted to me and the patience you have reflected. God bless you.

Thank you.