The Common Research and Technology Development Hub (CRTDH) on Affordable Healthcare at IIT Kharagpur has transitioned from its initial grant-supported phase to a sustainable operational model. Established in 2019 under the DSIR Scheme of the Ministry of Science & Technology, the Hub now operates as a self-sustaining national facility meeting its operational costs through user fees, industry sponsorships, and translational partnerships while continuing to provide state-of-the-art infrastructure and technical support to MSMEs, startups, and innovators.
The 5,000-square-foot facility has achieved significant milestones including facilitating over 20 technology transfers, many of which have already been commercialized. The Hub has partnered with clinical and non-governmental organizations to establish rural health units that support the deployment of affordable healthcare technologies. Fifteen frontline health workers from remote villages including the Sundarbans and Birbhum have been trained and certified under the Hub's skilling programs, aligned with the objectives of Skill India, and now operate rural health units alongside the National Health Mission structures.
The sustainable phase was inaugurated by Dr. N. Kalaiselvi, Secretary of DSIR and Director General of CSIR, who emphasized the role of CRTDHs in strengthening indigenous medical technology capabilities and advancing self-reliance in medical device technologies. The initiative demonstrates the convergence of frugal technology, local skilling, and public health delivery as a pathway for achieving Viksit Bharat objectives at the last mile. Approximately 200 participants attended the inauguration event, including senior DSIR officers, MSME representatives, clinical partners, and rural health workers, with technologies developed at the CRTDH and commercialized products exhibited during the event.