The Vice-President of India, Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan, today called for strengthening India’s healthcare ecosystem through a skilled, compassionate and service-oriented workforce, saying that quality healthcare and education are the twin pillars of a healthy and developed nation. He said the country’s journey towards Viksit Bharat by 2047 would require collective efforts to improve healthcare delivery, promote preventive healthcare and nurture dedicated healthcare professionals.

Vice President Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan inaugurated the GKNM college of Nursing in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu today.

Emphasising the vital role of nurses, the Vice President said they are far more than caregivers - they instill confidence, comfort and hope in patients, with their… pic.twitter.com/dGWcWVDx1N

— Vice-President of India (@VPIndia) July 22, 2026

Addressing the gathering after inaugurating the GKNM Group College of Nursing in Coimbatore, the Vice-President described the institution as another milestone in the long tradition of public service rendered by the GKNM Group. He commended the G. Kuppuswamy Naidu Charitable Trust for its remarkable contribution to healthcare and education over the past several decades, noting that its 50-bed hospital established in 1952 has today grown into a 750-bed multi-specialty institution while simultaneously expanding its educational initiatives from schools to higher education.

Emphasising the importance of the nursing profession, Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan said nurses are far more than caregivers. “They make patients feel safe, secure and cared for. Along with medicines, their compassion and concern play an indispensable role in healing,” he said. He urged students entering the profession to carry out their responsibilities with self-confidence, compassion, dedication and courage, and always uphold the nobility of their calling.

Highlighting the transformation taking place in India’s healthcare sector, the Vice-President said the Ayushman Bharat programme has earned global recognition for expanding access to quality healthcare. He noted that nearly 44 crore people have received health insurance coverage of up to ₹5 lakh under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana. Referring to healthcare initiatives for senior citizens, he said free healthcare under the Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana and the ongoing digitisation of health services are making quality healthcare more accessible across the country.

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 also appealed for greater public awareness about organ and eye donation, describing them as noble acts that save lives and restore hope. 

Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan said the GKNM Group embodies these ideals through its unwavering commitment to healthcare and education, and expressed confidence that the newly inaugurated College of Nursing would produce competent and compassionate healthcare professionals who would contribute significantly to nation-building.

The Vice-President congratulated the trustees, management, faculty, nurses, students and staff of the GKNM Group and wished the institution continued success in its mission of serving society through excellence in healthcare and education. He also expressed hope that the G. Kuppuswamy Naidu Charitable Trust would soon establish a medical college that would produce skilled medical professionals with a spirit of service, committed to caring for the poorest and most vulnerable.

Governor of Tamil Nadu Shri Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar; President, Kuppuswamy Naidu Charity Trust for Education and Medical Relief Shri R. Gopinath; and other dignitaries were present during the occasion

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