Delhi, October 13, 2026: The School of Health Sciences and Technology (SoHST), UPES concluded the World Congress on Health Sciences and Technology (WCHST) 2026, which brought together more than 500 researchers, healthcare professionals, academics, policymakers, students, and industry representatives for three days of scientific exchange and expert dialogue.
The international congress, organised by SoHST, UPES under the leadership of Dean Dr. Padma Venkat and Professor and Organising Secretary Dr. Nidhi Chauhan, was held under the theme ‘Transforming Health through Research and Innovation’.
Participation from leading institutions
Attendees included representatives from the Ministry of AYUSH, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), CSIR, National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), National Forensic Science Laboratory, CSIR-NPL, CSIR-IHBT, and AIIMS. Industry and technology organisations such as Jubilant Biosys, Panacea Biotec, Forbes Tech Council, and BITS Hyderabad also participated, alongside academic and research institutions including Purdue University, Amity University, IISER Kolkata, IIT Gandhinagar, IIT Hyderabad, Manipal University Jaipur, University of Delhi, Plaksha University, and University of Otago, New Zealand.
Keynotes and panel discussions
Day 2 featured keynote addresses by Prof. Bhushan Patwardhan, National Research Professor – AYUSH and Chairman, Executive Committee (NAAC), on ‘Indian Knowledge Systems as a Source of Biomedical Innovation’; Prof. P. Giridhar, Director, CSIR-CFTRI, Mysuru, on ‘Food Processing and Food Fortification’; and Prof. Suresh Mittal, Distinguished Professor of Virology, Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, on ‘Vaccines in the Modern Era: Triumphs, Turbulence, and Myths’.
A panel discussion on ‘Breaking Bottlenecks: Challenges and Opportunities from Drug Discovery to Commercialisation’ was chaired by Prof. A.K. Nangia, Dean, Research and Development, UPES, and included Prof. Suresh Mittal, Prof. Bimalendu Roy, Director of Scale-up & Process R&D, Jubilant Biosys Ltd., and Dr. Mukesh, Adjunct Professor, UPES. The day also included SYNAPSE – Students Forum, where undergraduate and postgraduate students showcased research and healthcare innovations, with ten outstanding student projects recognised.
Focus on emerging technologies and ethics
Day 3 included keynotes by Padma Bhushan Prof. N.K. Ganguly, Former Director General, ICMR, on ‘Microbiome Science, Health, and Emerging AI-Driven Approaches’, and Dr. P.G. Diwakar, Former Distinguished Scientist, ISRO and Director, Centre for Sustainability, Chanakya University, on ‘Space Technology-based Applications for Health-GIS’. Dr. Diwakar also chaired a panel on ‘The Future of Human Health between Progress and Ethics’, featuring Dr. Ajay Tukroo, Lead for Health Policy, Innovations, Monitoring, Planning and Focal Point for Digital Health, UNICEF India; Dr. Pradeep Kumar Singh, Plastic and Cosmetic Surgeon; and Prof. Prashanth N. Suravajhala, Systems Genomics Lab, Manipal University Jaipur.
Awards and closing ceremony
The congress concluded with a valedictory and award ceremony, recognising excellence in research, innovation, and scientific communication through the Young Scientist Award, Best Oral Presentation, Best Poster Presentation, Innovation Showcase Award, Industry Excellence Award, and Product Innovation Award.
Dr. Padma Venkat, Dean, SOHST, UPES, said the event aimed to strengthen India’s healthcare and research ecosystem by building capabilities, nurturing the next generation of researchers and innovators, and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration. Dr. Sunil Rai, Vice Chancellor, UPES, added that WCHST 2026 reinforced the university’s vision of integrating medical science, emerging technologies, and interdisciplinary research to address real-world healthcare challenges.
Established under the UPES Act, 2003, UPES is a UGC-recognised private university based in Uttarakhand, ranked 45 among Indian universities in the NIRF 2025 and placed in the 501-600 band globally in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026.
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