FIRDOUS AHMAD
SRINAGAR, Jan 22:
In a significant stride towards integrating cutting-edge technology with public health, the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) on Thursday hosted a day-long Official Pre-Summit Event of the India AI Impact Summit 2026, firmly positioning Jammu and Kashmir on India’s emerging Artificial Intelligence-driven healthcare landscape.
Organised under the theme “Transforming Healthcare through Intelligent Technologies in the Kashmir Valley,” the high-profile pre-summit brought together an impressive congregation of global experts, senior policymakers, academicians, technologists and healthcare leaders. The deliberations focused on harnessing Artificial Intelligence (AI) to strengthen healthcare delivery, research ecosystems, governance mechanisms and public health outcomes, with a strong emphasis on ethics, data integrity and patient-centric care.
The inaugural session witnessed keynote addresses by renowned experts from prestigious global and national institutions, including Harvard University, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health / Centre for Global Digital Health Innovation (USA), AIIMS, IITs and other leading international technology and medical institutions. Speakers explored the immense potential of AI in healthcare while also examining operational challenges, ethical concerns, regulatory frameworks and the practical realities of deploying AI solutions in real-world clinical settings.
Addressing the gathering virtually, Prof. V. K. Paul, Member of NITI Aayog, provided a comprehensive overview of India’s ongoing efforts to integrate Artificial Intelligence into national health systems. Highlighting AI’s transformative role, he underscored its relevance in diagnostics, telemedicine, service delivery optimisation, capacity building and flagship initiatives such as Ayushman Bharat.
“Given the complexity and vast scale of India’s public health landscape, Artificial Intelligence can significantly enhance evidence-based decision-making — from precision interventions and disease forecasting to actionable insights at the local level,” Prof. Paul said. He also lauded SKIMS for its consistent contributions to healthcare excellence and commended the leadership of its Director, Prof. Mohd Ashraf Ganie, for steering the institution towards innovation-led growth.
The Chief Guest on the occasion, Padma Shri awardee Prof. Digambar Behera, President of the National Academy of Medical Sciences (NAMS), spoke extensively on how AI is reshaping disease diagnosis and treatment paradigms through precision medicine and enhanced clinical decision support systems.
“Artificial Intelligence can optimise clinical workflows, strengthen chronic disease management and significantly improve public health systems. However, AI can never replace human empathy — it can only augment and reinforce healthcare delivery,” he remarked.
Addressing the participants, Director SKIMS and EOSG, Prof. Mohd Ashraf Ganie, announced that SKIMS is steadily moving towards becoming a regional hub for Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare, with the broader objective of transforming health systems across Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
He revealed that on the eve of the Pre-Summit, SKIMS formally launched a new Department of Clinical Repository Information & Technology, aimed at strengthening institutional data readiness, enhancing research capabilities and ensuring ethical, secure and efficient deployment of AI-driven healthcare solutions.
“Artificial Intelligence is already bypassing many traditional pathways in drug discovery, diagnostics and patient data utilisation. It has revolutionised patient care in areas such as diabetes management by enabling faster, more precise and clinically efficient interventions,” Prof. Ganie said.
Reaffirming the centrality of ethics and compassion in medical practice, he added, “AI ultimately stems from the human brain. The human interface will always remain indispensable to ensure healthcare remains compassionate, ethical and humane.”
Prof. Ganie further highlighted the national importance of the event, noting that SKIMS is among a select group of institutions across the country chosen to host Official Pre-Summit Events ahead of the India AI Impact Summit 2026, which is scheduled to be inaugurated in New Delhi by the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi.
The Guest of Honour, Dr. Piyush Singla (IAS), Secretary, Department of Information Technology, Government of Jammu & Kashmir, lauded SKIMS for hosting what he described as a landmark and forward-looking event. Drawing upon global best practices, he emphasised the critical importance of data preparedness, outcome-driven frameworks and robust implementation strategies.
“SKIMS possesses immense clinical depth and institutional expertise. If leveraged effectively, Jammu & Kashmir has the potential to emerge as a national reference point in AI-driven healthcare,” he said, stressing that capacity building must extend beyond mere tool-based training to encompass systems thinking, governance and policy alignment.
Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Shri Akshay Labroo, assured full administrative support to such initiatives and informed that district-level databases are already functional, opening avenues for deeper collaboration between district administration and SKIMS in data-driven healthcare planning.
The event also featured addresses by Prof. Nilofer Khan, Vice Chancellor, University of Kashmir, and Prof. Shaukat A. Gurcoo, Dean, Medical Faculty, who underscored the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in digital health, medical education and translational research.
The Pre-Summit included multiple plenary sessions and panel discussions focusing on key themes such as Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare, Research Priorities in Digital Health, AI-Driven Healthcare Transformation in India, and the application of AI in Cancer Research and Genetics.
The Official Pre-Summit Event was organised by the Skill Development Unit (Centre of One Health), SKIMS, in collaboration with DataLEADS and the Multidisciplinary Research Unit (MRU), SKIMS, with support from the Department of Information Technology, Government of Jammu & Kashmir.
With this landmark initiative, SKIMS has reinforced its role as a leading institution driving innovation, research and ethical adoption of Artificial Intelligence in healthcare, while paving the way for Jammu & Kashmir to play a meaningful role in shaping India’s digital health future ahead of the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi.
