New Delhi, October 7, 2026: UPES inaugurated the World Congress on Health Sciences and Technology 2026 at its Bidholi campus in Dehradun on Wednesday, launching a three-day international event expected to draw over 500 participants from India and abroad. Organised by the School of Health Sciences and Technology (SOHST), UPES, the congress runs from October 7 to 9 under the theme ‘Transforming Health through Research and Innovation’.
The event brings together researchers, clinicians, healthcare professionals, policymakers, innovators and industry experts to foster international collaboration in health research and technology. The congress features nine international speakers and 18 national speakers, with a programme designed to encourage scientific exchange, collaborative research and discussions on emerging healthcare challenges.
Inaugural ceremony and key speakers
The formal inauguration was led by Padma Shri Professor Balram Bhargava, former Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and former Secretary, Department of Health Research, Government of India, who served as Chief Guest. Dr. Sunil Rai, Vice Chancellor, UPES, was present at the ceremony, while Dr Soumya Swaminathan, former Deputy Director-General of the World Health Organisation, delivered the Presidential Address virtually.
Other notable attendees included Padma Bhushan Professor Nirmal Kumar Ganguly, former Director General, ICMR; Professor Bhushan Patwardhan, National Research Professor, Ministry of AYUSH; Padma Shri Professor N. Punniamurthy, Ethnoveterinary Herbal Medicine Consultant, TransDisciplinary University, Bengaluru; Dr BVRC Purushottam, IAS, Secretary, Government of Uttarakhand; and Dr Durgesh Pant, Director General, Uttarakhand State Council for Science and Technology (UCOST). International experts present include Professor Suresh Mittal of Purdue University, Professor Can Dincer of the Technical University of Munich, and Dr Ajeet Kumar Kaushik of Florida International University.
Scientific programme and sessions
The congress covers a multidisciplinary agenda spanning biotechnology, molecular biology, genomics, precision medicine, microbiology, pharmaceutical sciences, biomedical engineering, artificial intelligence in healthcare, digital health, public health, regenerative medicine and translational medicine. Activities include keynote lectures, panel discussions, research presentations, poster sessions and industry interactions.
Institutions represented by experts at WCHST 2026 include Purdue University, Technical University of Munich, Florida International University, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, CSIR–Central Food Technological Research Institute, and CSIR–Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology. Industry participants include IBM India, Jubilant Biosys, CuraTeQ Biologics and Operon Technologies.
Panels, workshops and exhibition
The inaugural day featured a panel discussion on ‘Nourish to Flourish (The Wellness Blueprint: Shaping a Healthier Future)’, moderated by Dr. Nidhi Kumar, with panellists Dr. Jayanti Singh, Shri G.C. Kandwal, Mr. Sukhwinder Singh, Ms. Rajat Shakti, Ms. Roopa Soni, and Ms. Ashu Jain. Sessions addressed wellness, nutrition, food regulation and preventive health.
Other sessions included ‘Veda to Village: Science, Policy and Practice for Holistic Wellbeing’, with a keynote by Prof. Dr. G. G. Gangadharan, and lectures by Prof. N. Punniamurthy and Dr. Bhavna Prasher. A panel on the relevance of Ayurveda was moderated by Vd. Shikha Prakash, with panellists Prof. Dr. G. G. Gangadharan, Dr. Rajeev Kurele, Dr. Bhavna Prasher, and Ms. Surabhi Pandey. The day concluded with a discussion on prevention in healthcare, moderated by Dr. Rai Ganguly, featuring Dr. Alex Thomas, Prof. Padma Venkat, Dr. Pranjali, and Dr. Monika Pathania.
Five pre-conference workshops were held on topics such as healthcare entrepreneurship, Space Tech for Health, advanced microscopy, point-of-care diagnostics and human microbiome research. A Scientific and Technology Exhibition is showcasing research prototypes and healthcare innovations from academic institutions, research organisations, startups and industry partners.
Event to continue through October 9
The congress will continue on October 8 and 9 with additional keynote addresses, scientific presentations, panel discussions, industry interactions and the SYNAPSE Student Innovation Forum, aimed at strengthening research partnerships and collaboration in the global health sciences ecosystem.
UPES, established under the UPES Act, 2003, is a UGC-recognised private university in Uttarakhand. It is ranked 45 among universities in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2025 and stands in the 501-600 band globally in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026. The university has been recognised for research quality and academic reputation, with over 20,000 students and 1,500 faculty and staff.
Disclaimer: This article is based on a press release provided by the concerned organisation and has been edited for style and clarity with the assistance of AI tools. BusinessFortnight does not verify, endorse, or take responsibility for the claims, figures, or statements made in the original release.
