Vice President of India Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan inaugurated the GKNM College of Nursing in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, emphasizing that quality healthcare and education are the twin pillars of a healthy and developed nation. He stated that India's journey towards Viksit Bharat by 2047 requires collective efforts to improve healthcare delivery, promote preventive healthcare, and nurture dedicated healthcare professionals.
The Vice President commended the G. Kuppuswamy Naidu Charitable Trust for its remarkable contribution to healthcare and education over several decades, noting that its 50-bed hospital established in 1952 has grown into a 750-bed multi-specialty institution while simultaneously expanding educational initiatives from schools to higher education. He described the nursing college as another milestone in the long tradition of public service rendered by the GKNM Group.
Emphasizing the vital role of nurses, Radhakrishnan stated that nurses are far more than caregivers—they instill confidence, comfort, and hope in patients, with their compassion and concern playing an indispensable role in healing alongside medicines. He urged nursing students to carry out their responsibilities with self-confidence, compassion, dedication, and courage while upholding the nobility of their profession.
Highlighting India's healthcare transformation, the Vice President noted that the Ayushman Bharat programme has earned global recognition for expanding access to quality healthcare, with nearly 44 crore people receiving health insurance coverage of up to ₹5 lakh under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana. He also mentioned free healthcare under the Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana for senior citizens and the ongoing digitization of health services making quality healthcare more accessible nationwide.
The Vice President stressed the importance of preventive healthcare and called for concerted efforts to eliminate anaemia among women and children, ensure healthier pregnancies, and improve nutrition from infancy through adolescence. He appealed for greater public awareness about organ and eye donation, describing them as noble acts that save lives and restore hope.
Governor of Tamil Nadu Shri Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar and President of Kuppuswamy Naidu Charity Trust for Education and Medical Relief Shri R. Gopinath were present during the inauguration ceremony.