ADDRESS BY THE PRESIDENT OF INDIA, SHRI RAM NATH KOVIND ON THE OCCASION OF THE INAUGURATION OF THE TEACHING HOSPITAL AT CIMS
Chamarajanagar, Karnataka: 07.10.2021
It gives me immense pleasure to be among you all today on the occasion of the inauguration of a new hospital within the campus of your esteemed college which is known as Chamarajanagar Institute of Medical Sciences. My heartiest congratulations to you on this momentous occasion. It is indeed a very happy coincidence that the inauguration of the hospital is taking place on the first day of the auspicious Shardiya Navratra.
As we all know the name of this district and your hospital evoke the tradition of worshipping Chamarajaswamy and also the memory of the Wodeyar kings who were named Chamaraja. This region has been fortunate to have had a line of kings who were ahead of the times in thought and action. Maharaja Chamarajendra Wodeyar was a reformer who established Kannada medium school for girls in Mysore as early as 1881. He was also instrumental in Swami Vivekananda attending the Parliament of Religions at Chicago. This legacy of progressive contribution was taken forward by Maharaja Jayachamaraja Wodeyar who was the first ruler of a princely state to sign the Instrument of Accession after independence. I like to describe him as a monarch-democrat. He blended the rich tradition of Mysore with the best of Western civilization. He promoted arts and culture. He enriched Kannada language and literature. He provided strong support to entrepreneurship and industry. Due to popular demand, he was appointed as Governor of the newly formed state of Mysore, which was later on renamed as Karnataka. I have spoken about the contribution of the Wodeyar kings with a view to making the young students aware of the ideal of service to humanity followed by those kings. As medical students, and later in life as health-care-providers, you must work with the spirit of service and compassion, demonstrated by the noble kings of Mysore.
My dear students,
I am happy to know that CIMS is breaking new ground of learning as the first medical college in Chamarajanagar district. I have also been told that in this institute, about 750 students are being trained as doctors, while about 100 students are receiving education in nursing. The students have come here from all parts of the country –from as far as Jammu and Kashmir in the north and also from Assam in the north-east, besides the nearby states in the south. That makes this teaching hospital a perfect example of unity in diversity and looks like a mini-India. It makes me very happy to note that out of 750 medical students about 300 are women, which is nearly 50 per cent, while about 60 percent of the nursing students are women. Indeed, the daughters of our country are taking great strides. This reflects a progressive India marching ahead in the 21st century.
I am happy to learn that the CIMS was ranked third for the successful implementation of the Ayushman Bharat-Arogya Karnataka scheme in 2020-21. I have a suggestion to make. I am told that the area around the CIMS is densely forested and many of the people living in it are from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. With the goal of providing universal healthcare for all,I urge the administration of CIMS and the state government of Karnataka to take steps to make affordable healthcare available to your immediate neighbours.
This will be in tune with the true aim of the expansion of medical services in the country. The government of India has already increased the number of the AIIMS from 6 to 22. It is also opening new medical colleges in every district to improve the health infrastructure in the entire country. As new post-graduate colleges are coming up, the existing post-graduate institutes are also encouraged to become Centres of Excellence. But this infrastructure cannot serve its purpose without human resources. All technology will be useless if we don’t have a robust delivery mechanism. We need to take our health services to the remotest corners of our country. We can hope to build an Atmanirbhar Bharat only when our technology, human resources and the access to both come together.
In promoting access to healthcare, the students and administrators of this institute, have a crucial role to play. I am confident that the doctors, nurses and paramedics being trained here will serve the nation with a high degree of commitment and dedication and will bring glory to the profession and to the alma mater.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
As we allknow, the Covid-19 pandemic has affected the whole world since early last year. Our country is no exception, and we faced a devastating wave of infections this year too. It was a serious crisis, but it also united all Indians in the fight against the invisible enemy. The resurgence has largely abated, and this would not have been possible without the immense dedication of our medical fraternity. Some sacrificed even their lives in the line of duty. Our nation will forever be indebted to them. Our Corona Warriors – doctors, nurses, paramedics, and others – have made our country proud with their relentless fervour.
The same dedication is at work behind the largest vaccination drive in the history. Thanks to our scientists, India has not only produced the coronavirus vaccines at home but has set new world records in administering vaccines. In a single day, we all know, we managed to vaccinate close to 25 million people, and our cumulative coverage will soon cross the 1 billion mark. We could not have achieved this distinction without the exemplary commitment of our healthcare professionals.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I believe that two professions which form the twin foundations for the development of a nation are healthcare and education. This institute combines within itself both of these. Simultaneously, it is a medical college for the students receiving medical education at the graduate level. It also has the distinction of being the only medical college providing tertiary healthcare services in Chamarajanagar district. With today’s inauguration of this 450-bed hospital, it would provide more opportunities for practical experience and training to the budding talent over here. The hospital with state-of-the-art facilities and adequate infrastructure for critical care and super speciality departments like cardiology, neurology etc will provide better healthcare services to the people of this region. Your institute caters to the needs of people from three states – Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, as it is located close to the borders of the other two states.This hospital is now ready to offer high quality medical care to all people in this region.
Dear Students,
I will share with you an advice from our ancient treatise of Ayurveda, Charak Samhita:
प्रयोगज्ञानविज्ञानसिद्धिसिद्धाःसुखप्रदाः|
जीविताभिसरास्तेस्युर्वैद्यत्वं तेष्ववस्थितमिति||
It lists the qualities of a good physician. If you are accomplished in the practical use of various therapies, if you have a deep knowledge of life science and also insight, then you will be endowed with success, and you will be capable of bringing happiness to your patients. You will become saviours of life. As we all know, people in our country regard doctors as living God for they relieve their pain and suffering.
My best wishes to you in your efforts to achieve the high qualities expected from doctors.
Once again, I congratulate the team of CIMS for taking the initiative of establishing a hospital here. I am confident the institute will scale new heights with your dedication to public service.
My best wishes to all of you.
Thank you,
Jai Hind!