Vice-President of India C.P. Radhakrishnan (centre) inaugurating GKNM College of Nursing in the presence of Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar (second left) in Coimbatore on Wednesday.

| Photo Credit: SIVA SARAVANAN S

India’s journey towards Viksit Bharat by 2047 would require collective efforts to improve healthcare delivery, promote preventive healthcare and nurture dedicated healthcare professionals, said Vice-President of India C. P. Radhakrishnan in Coimbatore on Wednesday (July 22).Stating that quality healthcare and education are the twin pillars of a healthy and developed nation, the Vice-President called for strengthening India’s healthcare ecosystem through a skilled, compassionate, and service-oriented workforce. Emphasising the importance of the nursing profession, Mr. 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, after inaugurating GKNM College of Nursing (GK Devarajulu Thayarammal Institute of Advanced Nursing), Coimbatore.He urged students entering the profession to carry out their responsibilities with self-confidence, compassion, dedication and courage, besides upholding the nobility of their calling.The Vice-President said the Ayushman Bharat programme has earned global recognition for expanding access to quality healthcare. Nearly 44 crore people have received health insurance coverage of up to ₹5 lakh under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana. 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, he said.Commending The Kuppuswamy Naidu Charitable (KNC) Trust for its contribution to healthcare and education over the past several decades, he noted that its 50-bed hospital established in 1952 has today grown into a 750-bed multispecialty institution, while simultaneously expanding its educational initiatives from schools to higher education.Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, KNC Trust president R. Gopinath, KNC Trust vice-president Sanjay Jayavarthanavelu, GKNM Hospital’s chief executive officer Ragupathy Veluswamy spoke. Published - July 22, 2026 09:18 pm IST