Healthcare 'Legends', 'Torchbearers', and 'Visionaries' set agenda for Viksit Bharat at inaugural of FICCI HEAL 2025

New Delhi [India], October 8 (ANI): FICCI HEAL 2025, the 19th edition of FICCI annual healthcare conference supported by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and NITI Aayog, opened on Wednesday with its inaugural plenary session India Healthcare Odyssey: Legacy, Leadership & the Road to Viksit Bharat.

The session hosted stalwarts, torchbearers, and emerging visionaries of the Indian healthcare sector to reflect on the last 25 years of transformation and share perspectives on building a future-ready healthcare system for 2047.

The plenary began with opening remarks by Dr Harsh Mahajan, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Founder & Chairman, Mahajan Imaging & Labs, and Varun Khanna, Chair of FICCI HEAL 2025; Co-Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Group Managing Director, Quality Care India Limited (Care, KIMS & Evercare). This was followed by the felicitation of the legends of Indian healthcare for their pioneering contributions.

The legends felicitated at the inauguration were, Dr Prathap C Reddy, Dr Naresh Trehan, (Hony) Brig Dr Arvind Lal, Dr Azad Moopen, Dr M I Sahadull, Prof (Dr) SK Sarin, Dr Narottam Puri.

Dr Harsh Mahajan, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Founder & Chairman, Mahajan Imaging & Labs, noted, As we inaugurate FICCI HEAL 2025, it is important to reflect on how India healthcare ecosystem has transformed into one of the most dynamic in the world. Over the last two and a half decades, the sector has seen unprecedented growth. The inaugural plenary is a tribute to the pioneers who laid the foundation of modern healthcare in India and to the leaders shaping it today. As we look ahead, it is also about giving voice to the next generation of innovators who will define what healthcare in 2047 looks like - equitable, digitally enabled, and globally competitive.

Varun Khanna, Chair of FICCI HEAL 2025; Co-Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Group Managing Director, Quality Care India Limited (Care, KIMS & Evercare), added, As FICCI HEAL 2025 opens its inaugural plenary, we have a rare moment to reflect on India healthcare journey. The legends built the foundations, today leaders are expanding access and improving quality, and the next generation is already pioneering new ways of delivering care. Hearing these voices together shows us how India can build a healthcare system that is ready for a Viksit Bharat.

Dr Prathap C Reddy, Founder-Chairman and Executive Chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group, said, There was a time when advanced healthcare was beyond the reach of most Indians. Most of it was accessible only to those who could afford treatment abroad. What our country lacked then was not skill, but access and infrastructure. With the government support in removing high customs duties on medical equipment, India took its first decisive step toward accessible, world-class healthcare. Today, our doctors and hospitals stand shoulder to shoulder with the best globally. With sustained policy support and public-private collaboration, India can redefine healthcare accessibility for its own citizens and for the world.

(Hony) Brig Dr Arvind Lal, Executive Chairman, Dr Lal PathLabs Ltd, said, Diagnostics form the backbone of healthcare, with nearly 70-80 percent of treatment decisions relying on accurate testing. Awareness of individual health parameters is also limited. A dual pronged approach of increasing general awareness as well as standardising quality in pathology labs should be the way forward. At Dr Lal PathLabs, we believe that accreditation cannot remain voluntary. Only through mandatory, standardised quality can diagnostics truly support treatment and strengthen India healthcare system.

Dr Naresh Trehan, Chairman and Managing Director and Chief Cardiac Surgeon, Medanta-The Medicity, said, There is no shortage, except for talent. Now what we really need to do is upgrade and upskill our human capital hugely. Right now, we are at about 50 of where we should be to provide the highest quality of care to our people, and this will hopefully double in the next five to ten years. But along with that, we need to improve the quality of medical education we provide - across the board, including nursing and paramedical education. If we concentrate on upgrading the quality of our training and education, India will become a provider of healthcare to the rest of the world.

The inaugural plenary brought together voices across generations - from the legends who built the foundations, to today torchbearers balancing growth and equity, to the next generation of visionaries shaping the healthcare of 2047.

Unfolding across three panel discussions, the plenary included sessions titled The Legends - Architects of India Healthcare Foundation, moderated by Mr Shekhar Gupta, Editor-in-Chief and Chairman, ThePrint, where speakers reflected on the milestones that shaped India healthcare journey, from expanding access to positioning India on the global stage. The second panel discussion was titled The Torchbearers - Powerhouse of the Present, moderated by Navika Kumar, Group Editor-in-Chief, Times Now & Times Now Navbharat, where current leaders discussed balancing access, growth, equity, and innovation while navigating today policy and financing challenges.

The third session was titled The Visionaries of Tomorrow - Pioneering New Frontiers in Healthcare moderated by Dr Harsh Mahajan, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee where youth leaders and innovators shared their vision for India healthcare in 2047, spotlighting disruption, deep tech, and inclusive models.

Day 1 of FICCI HEAL saw India healthcare legends, current leaders, and emerging visionaries share their insights on innovation, access, and equity. Discussions reflected on pivotal milestones that shaped the sector, strategies that enabled growth and affordability, and innovations driving healthcare delivery today. By bridging the experiences of pioneers with the ideas of the next generation, the plenary provided a comprehensive view of India healthcare journey and its roadmap for a Viksit Bharat. (ANI)

Disclaimer: This news article is a direct feed from ANI and has not been edited by the News Nation team. The news agency is solely responsible for its content.