The Department of Health Research (DHR) and Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) celebrated the 80th Independence Day at ICMR Headquarters, V. Ramalingaswami Bhawan, New Delhi, with patriotic fervor and commitment to advancing medical research, innovation and healthcare technologies for Viksit Bharat. Dr Rajiv Bahl, Secretary of Department of Health Research and Director General of ICMR, hoisted the National Flag in the presence of senior DHR-ICMR officials including Ms Richa Khoda, Joint Secretary, DHR, and Mr Vivek Kumar Daksh, Sr DDG (Administration), along with scientists, researchers and staff members.
In his address, Dr Bahl underscored the critical role of health research and innovation in strengthening the nation's development and healthcare ecosystem, stating that their work at ICMR represents a contribution to nation-building rather than merely a job. He emphasized that scientific excellence, innovation and development of indigenous health technologies are essential to building a resilient and self-reliant healthcare system, and called upon the ICMR fraternity to continue working toward solutions that improve healthcare accessibility and address evolving health needs.
As part of the celebrations, a Prize Distribution Ceremony was organized where prizes were presented to winners of Essay Writing and Quiz Competitions conducted earlier in the month. These competitions were organized to encourage creativity, knowledge, active participation and engagement among DHR-ICMR officials and staff. The celebrations concluded with a renewed call to the scientific and administrative fraternity to strive for excellence in biomedical research, foster innovation, contribute toward Aatmanirbharta in health technologies, and strengthen India's position as a global leader in medical research and healthcare innovation.