STPI Tech Conclave Explores AI Potential in Healthcare and Assistive Technologies

Software Technology Parks of India (STPI), under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), in collaboration with the Centre for Innovation, Incubation and Entrepreneurship (CIIE), IIT (BHU), organised a Tech Conclave on “AI for Health & Assistive Technologies” at IIT (BHU), Varanasi. The event brought together government officials, academics, healthcare professionals and startups to explore how artificial intelligence (AI) can improve healthcare accessibility, strengthen medical services and promote inclusive well-being.

The conclave focused on translating AI research into practical and scalable solutions, with discussions covering medical diagnostics, disease screening, remote intensive care monitoring, AI-assisted surgical planning and assistive technologies.

MeitY Secretary Highlights AI’s Role in Healthcare

The inaugural session began with the ceremonial lighting of the lamp, followed by welcome remarks from Prof. Manoj Kumar Meshram, Faculty In-Charge, CIIE, IIT (BHU).

S. Krishnan, Secretary, MeitY, delivered the keynote address, highlighting AI’s potential to make healthcare more accessible, affordable and efficient, particularly for communities with limited access to medical facilities.

He emphasised the importance of integrating AI education across disciplines and strengthening collaboration between technology institutions, medical sciences, research organisations and industry. He identified applications such as disease screening, medical diagnostics, remote ICU monitoring and AI-assisted surgical planning as areas where AI could improve healthcare delivery and clinical decision-making.

Krishnan also encouraged stronger collaboration among IIT (BHU), STPI, startups and industry to develop scalable healthcare and assistive technology solutions. He highlighted the support available through the IndiaAI Mission and other MeitY initiatives, emphasising the importance of connecting startups with investors, venture capital networks and market opportunities.

STPI Emphasises Indigenous Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Arvind Kumar, Director General, STPI, highlighted India’s transformation into a major IT and IT-enabled services hub, recalling STPI’s contribution to the industry’s growth since 1991.

He said the country now has an opportunity to replicate this success in artificial intelligence through indigenous innovation, entrepreneurship and technology development. He noted that young people increasingly have opportunities to become entrepreneurs and job creators rather than limiting their aspirations to conventional employment.

Kumar highlighted STPI’s industry linkages and 27 Centres of Entrepreneurship, stressing the importance of translating research into market-ready products, creating intellectual property and improving startups’ access to markets.

He also called for strengthening innovation ecosystems beyond established technology hubs, with greater collaboration among academic institutions, government bodies and industry in emerging regions.

IIT (BHU) Strengthens Startup Ecosystem

Prof. Amit Patra, Director, IIT (BHU), highlighted the institute’s efforts to promote innovation and entrepreneurship through its Centre for Innovation, Incubation and Entrepreneurship.

He emphasised the need for a structured institutional framework that encourages students, faculty members and aspiring innovators to convert research and innovative ideas into commercially viable startups.

Patra also underlined the importance of connecting entrepreneurs with diverse funding sources and building a sustainable pipeline of technology-driven enterprises. The institute reiterated its commitment to fostering entrepreneurship and supporting innovations that address real-world challenges.

Special addresses were also delivered by Sumit Mahajan, CEO, Uttar Pradesh Startup Mission, IT and Electronics Department, Government of Uttar Pradesh, and Dr. Mallika Tiwari, Professor, Department of Oncology, Institute of Medical Sciences, BHU.

Two Panel Discussions Examine AI’s Practical Applications

The conclave featured two panel discussions addressing AI’s role in citizen well-being and the process of converting research into scalable healthcare solutions.

The first session, titled “Empowering Citizens Through AI: Health, Inclusion & Well-being,” brought together experts from computer science, physics, biomedical engineering, pharmaceutical engineering, entrepreneurship and STPI.

Participants included Prof. Manoj Kumar Meshram, Dr. Sanjay Kumar Singh, Prof. Avanish Singh Parmar, Dr. Shiru Sharma, Dr. Ruchi Chawla, Shahbaz Ahmad, Founder of Arkision AI Pvt. Ltd., and Amit Kumar Verma, Additional Director, STPI.

The discussion explored how AI-based innovations could improve healthcare accessibility, support inclusive services and enhance citizen well-being. The multidisciplinary participation highlighted the importance of combining technological expertise, healthcare research and entrepreneurial capabilities to develop solutions that respond to practical needs.

The second panel, “From Innovation to Impact: Translating AI Research into Scalable Healthcare & Assistive Solutions,” focused on the challenges and opportunities involved in taking AI research from laboratories to real-world applications.

The panel featured Rajeshwar Singh Jenwar, Director, MeitY; Dr. Akash Mishra, Assistant Professor, Centre of Biostatistics, IMS-BHU; Dr. Durgesh Narayan Singh, Scientific Officer, BioNest BHU; Tripti Verma, Founder of LeminAi; and Shyam Kumar, COO, STPI MedTech Centre of Entrepreneurship at SGPGIMS, Lucknow.

The discussion highlighted the role of collaboration among scientific institutions, government agencies and startups in developing practical, scalable healthcare and assistive technologies.

Praveen Kumar Dwivedi, Additional Director and Officer-in-Charge, STPI Lucknow, delivered the vote of thanks.

Focus on Scalable and Inclusive Technology

The conclave underscored the growing importance of collaboration among government, academia, healthcare institutions and startups in harnessing AI for societal benefit.

By promoting research translation, entrepreneurship and industry partnerships, STPI and CIIE, IIT (BHU), aim to strengthen the innovation ecosystem for accessible healthcare and assistive technologies. The initiative also highlighted the need to move beyond research demonstrations towards practical solutions that can be deployed at scale and address the needs of diverse communities.

About STPI

Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) is a premier scientific and technological organisation under MeitY. It promotes the IT and IT-enabled services industry, innovation, research and development, startups, product development and intellectual property creation across emerging technology domains.

Its focus areas include artificial intelligence, machine learning, the Internet of Things, blockchain, robotics, computer vision, augmented and virtual reality, data science, cybersecurity, fintech, agritech, medtech, Industry 4.0, drones and autonomous and connected mobility.