Vice-President of India, Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan today attended the 15th Graduation Day Ceremony of Sree Uthradom Thirunal (SUT) Academy of Medical Sciences in Thiruvananthapuram, as the Chief Guest.
Addressing the graduating students, the Vice-President highlighted the important place of SUT Academy of Medical Sciences in Keralam’s healthcare and medical education landscape.
“The true strength of a medical institute lies in the quality of education it provides, the doctors it produces, the research it undertakes and the patients it serves,” the Vice-President said.
Shri C.P.Radhakrishnan said the graduating doctors are entering healthcare at an extraordinary time, when Artificial Intelligence, robotics, digital health, advanced imaging and precision medicine are transforming the sector.
In this context, he said, the inauguration of Robotic Surgery and Computer-Aided Diagnosis facilities at the Institute is significant and reflects the importance of keeping medical education and healthcare aligned with technological progress.
However, he stressed that technology must never displace the human dimension of medicine. “Technology can assist a doctor, but it cannot replace the human aspects of a doctor,” he said. “A machine can analyse. A robot can assist. An algorithm can identify patterns. But a patient still needs a doctor who can listen, understand, reassure and take responsibility,” he added.
The Vice-President urged the graduates to protect the trust represented by the white coat by being accurate in diagnosis, honest in communication, compassionate in treatment and ethical in every decision.He emphasised that scientific excellence and human compassion must always go together.
The Vice-President said Bharat is striding confidently towards the vision of Viksit Bharat @ 2047 articulated by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.He said the Prime Minister has emphasised that Viksit Bharat can be achieved only when every State, district and village develops, and noted that access to higher education is at the core of this national vision.
Highlighting the expansion of medical education over the past twelve years, Shri C.P.Radhakrishnan said that while there was only one AIIMS in New Delhi earlier, 12 new AIIMS have been established.
The Vice-President said he has attended convocations across the length and breadth of Bharat and observed a welcome trend of more women receiving degrees and medals than men.
He noted that at the present graduation ceremony, 60 women and 32 men are receiving undergraduate degrees, while 5 women and 2 men doctors are receiving postgraduate degrees.He described this as a welcome development.
Giving three guiding principles to the graduating doctors, the Vice-President urged them to carry:Knowledge in their minds, Compassion in their hearts, Integrity in their conduct.
He asked the graduates to be confident while remaining humble, ambitious while remaining ethical, technologically advanced while remaining compassionate, and successful while remaining connected to society.He also urged the young doctors to “always say No to drugs.”
Concluding his address, Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan wished the graduates a successful, meaningful and fulfilling professional journey and said, “May you always remember that the greatest privilege of being a doctor is the opportunity to make a difference in another human being’s life.”He also wished SUT Academy of Medical Sciences continued growth as a centre of excellence in medical education, healthcare, research and innovation.
The ceremony was attended by Governor of Tamil Nadu and Keralam Shri Rajendra Viswanath Arlekar; Minister for Labour, Animal Husbandry and Women and Child Development, Government of Keralam, Smt. Bindhu Krishna; Chairman, SUT Academy of Medical Sciences, Dr. A. C. Shanmugam; Vice Chancellor, Kerala University of Health Sciences, Dr. Mohanan Kunnummal; faculty, staff, graduating students and their families.
