STPI Tech Conclave on AI for Health & Assistive Technologies
Software Technology Parks of India (STPI), a premier S&T organization under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), in collaboration with the Centre for Innovation, Incubation and Entrepreneurship (CIIE) at IIT BHU, organized a Tech Conclave on "AI for Health & Assistive Technologies" at IIT BHU, Varanasi. The event, held on October 18, 2026, brought together government representatives, academic experts, healthcare professionals, and startups to explore practical, scalable AI solutions for advancing healthcare, improving accessibility, and supporting inclusion and citizen well-being.
During the inaugural session, Shri S. Krishnan, Secretary of MeitY, delivered a keynote address emphasizing AI's important role in making healthcare more accessible, strengthening clinical decision-making, and improving service delivery, particularly for communities with limited access to healthcare services. He highlighted specific AI applications including disease screening, medical diagnostics, remote ICU monitoring, and AI-assisted surgical planning. Krishnan underscored the need to integrate AI education across disciplines and leverage the convergence of technology, medical sciences, and research to develop practical solutions. He also highlighted the support available through the IndiaAI Mission and other MeitY initiatives while emphasizing STPI's role in connecting startups with investors, venture capital networks, and market opportunities.
Shri Arvind Kumar, Director General of STPI, reflected on India's technology ecosystem transformation over the past three decades and STPI's pivotal role in facilitating the growth of India's IT/ITeS industry since 1991. He emphasized the opportunity to replicate this success in Artificial Intelligence through indigenous innovation and entrepreneurship, noting that today's startup ecosystem enables young innovators to become job creators rather than just seeking campus placements. Kumar highlighted STPI's industry linkages and 27 Centres of Entrepreneurship, underscoring the importance of translational research, intellectual property creation, and market access. He emphasized the need to strengthen startup ecosystems beyond established technology hubs, particularly in emerging regions.
Prof. Amit Patra, Director of IIT BHU, highlighted the institution's efforts to strengthen its startup and entrepreneurship ecosystem through the establishment of CIIE. He emphasized the importance of creating a structured institutional framework to nurture entrepreneurial thinking among students, faculty, and aspiring innovators, enabling them to transform innovative ideas into viable startups. Patra underscored the need to connect aspiring entrepreneurs with multiple funding sources and build a sustainable pipeline of startups.
The conclave featured two panel discussions: "Empowering Citizens Through AI: Health, Inclusion & Well-being" and "From Innovation to Impact: Translating AI Research into Scalable Healthcare & Assistive Solutions." The first panel included Prof. Manoj Kumar Meshram (CIIE-IIT BHU), Dr. Sanjay Kumar Singh (Computer Science and Engineering, IIT BHU), Prof. Avanish Singh Parmar (Physics, IIT BHU), Dr. Shiru Sharma (Biomedical Engineering, IIT BHU), Dr. Ruchi Chawla (Pharmaceutical Engineering and Technology, IIT BHU), Shri Shahbaz Ahmad (Founder, Arkision AI Pvt. Ltd.), and Shri Amit Kumar Verma (Additional Director, STPI). This discussion focused on AI's potential to support more accessible and inclusive healthcare and improve citizen well-being.
The second panel featured Shri Rajeshwar Singh Jenwar (Director, MeitY), Dr. Akash Mishra (Assistant Professor, Centre of Biostatistics, IMS-BHU), Dr. Durgesh Narayan Singh (Scientific Officer, BioNest BHU), Ms. Tripti Verma (Founder, LeminAi), and Shri Shyam Kumar (COO, STPI MedTech Centre of Entrepreneurship at SGPGIMS, Lucknow). This session centered on the journey from research and innovation to practical, scalable solutions in healthcare and assistive technology, emphasizing the value of collaboration in moving promising ideas toward real-world application.
The conclave reinforced the importance of collaboration among government, academia, healthcare institutions, and startups to harness AI for accessible healthcare, assistive technologies, and inclusive well-being. Through continued engagement, research translation, and entrepreneurship support, STPI and CIIE, IIT BHU aim to contribute to an innovation ecosystem that develops practical, responsible, and scalable technology solutions for societal needs.