This event brought together esteemed doctors and scientists to explore cutting-edge healthcare technologies, supporting the “Make in India” initiative.

Inauguration

The event was inaugurated by Dr. Ravi Kota, Chief Secretary, Government of Assam, who emphasized the government’s dedication to strengthening India’s healthcare ecosystem through advanced, self-reliant innovations.

By bridging the gap between medical and engineering disciplines, IIT Guwahati and the Assam Government are pioneering a model that unites academia, government, and healthcare professionals, he said.

This initiative leverages Assam’s resources and vision to address healthcare challenges and lay a foundation for indigenous innovation, he said.

The growth of institutions like IIT Guwahati and AIIMS is transformative, signaling a powerful partnership with the state government that will drive regional development and healthcare resilience, he said.

This upcoming facility will feature a 400-bed super-specialty teaching hospital, advanced research labs, and residential facilities, positioning Assam as a leader in indigenous medical technology, say sources from IIT Guwahati.

Director of IIT Guwahati

Prof. Devendra Jalihal, Director of IIT Guwahati, expressed enthusiasm for the collaboration, underscoring the significance of early-stage involvement from healthcare professionals in research.

During his welcome address, Prof. Jalihal said they are thrilled to embark on a groundbreaking journey with the Assam Advanced Healthcare Innovation Institute at IIT Guwahati.

By establishing a super-specialty hospital and advanced research facilities, we aim to reduce dependency on imports, lower diagnostic and treatment costs, and make quality healthcare more accessible, he said.

With the Government of Assam’s strong support, this project aligns with our vision for a self-reliant, ‘Make in India’ healthcare ecosystem that addresses the nation’s most pressing health challenges, he said.

Insights

The symposium also included insights from Prof. Ashok K. Puranik, Executive Director of AIIMS Guwahati, who pledged support for the AAHII initiative and endorsed the vision of “Design in India, Design for the World.”

U.S.-based cardiologist Dr. Naba Goswami also shared his perspective on rural healthcare challenges in India, advocating for stronger industry-academia partnerships.

AIIMS Guwahati

Prof. Ashok K. Puranik, Executive Director of AIIMS Guwahati, affirmed the Institute’s full commitment to the project.

He stated it is inspiring to be part of this journey towards indigenous healthcare innovation, in alignment with the Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Design in India, Design for the World.’

Reliance on imported technology can challenge our national resilience, and it is imperative that we address this now, he said.

Partnership

Founded in 2022, the Assam Government IIT Guwahati Healthcare Foundation (AGIHF)—a Section 8 company managed jointly by IIT Guwahati and the Government of Assam—facilitates partnerships with industry stakeholders interested in advancing healthcare technologies.

The upcoming AAHII campus will house six centers of excellence dedicated to stem cell research, digital health, therapeutics, precision medicine, robotics, and affordable diagnostics.

Prominent IIT Guwahati researchers, including Prof. Biman Mandal, Prof. Kangaraj S., Prof. S.S. Ghosh, Prof. Parameswar Iyer, and Prof. Uttam Manna, showcased their pioneering work, inspiring collaboration between scientists and clinicians in developing breakthrough healthcare solutions for India.

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A National Centre of Excellence, the ‘AMOLED Research Centre’ (ARC) is funded by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India, Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and Tata Sons.

Inauguration

S. Krishnan, Secretary, MeitY, inaugurated the Centre on 21 December 2024 at the IIT Madras campus in the presence of Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras.

Development

S. Krishnan said he was pleased to inaugurate the AMOLED Research Centre at IIT-Madras.

It is one of the National Centre of Excellence (CoE) that is supported by the Government of India.

The Centre is working to develop a technique to manufacture AMOLED displays which can be used in digital devices including smartphones, smartwatches, tablets etc., he said.

It is envisioned that the new method, which is based on the ‘economies-of-speed’, will enable a modular micro-factory concept of manufacture of these devices, he said.

Krishnan further said the Centre is also working to develop the prototypes of OLED Lighting and OPV Power Source for Mobile Phones.

The inauguration of this Centre marks a pivotal step toward fostering innovation, driving self-reliance, and empowering India’s industrial growth, he said.

This Centre will not only catalyze research but also create solutions that resonate with India’s aspiration to lead the world in manufacturing and innovation, he said.

The AMOLED Research Centre will innovate novel techniques to develop AMOLED displays for the Indian and global market, he said.

Director of IIT Madras

Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, said the AMOLED Research Centre is a unique Centre in India which will develop next generation AMOLED displays.

This Centre will support the nation’s initiative to develop a semiconductor industry in India, said IIT Madras director.

The global AMOLED display business is currently worth around USD 15 billion and is expected to grow, he said.

The AMOLED Research Centre will innovate novel techniques to develop AMOLED displays for the Indian and global market, he said.

The new technique promises to lower capex costs for display manufacture. The aim of this Research Centre is to create a technology that will enable the growth of modular display factories (micro-factories), say sources from IIT Madras.

It has capabilities of both current and next generation growth processes. The Centre currently focuses on small size displays such as those used in tablets, smartphones, and watches.

Need

Dr. Debdutta Ray, Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering, IIT Madras spoke on the need for such research centers in India.

This is the only Centre in India that has the capability to develop smartphone-sized AMOLED displays, he said.

The Centre will work towards turnkey solutions, where we plan to develop/demonstrate/deploy micro-factories for smartphone displays, he said.

Dr Debadutta further said the centre is developing novel engineering techniques to utilize the concept of ‘economies-of-speed’ rather than the current model of ‘economies-of-scale’.

The goal is to keep the unit fabrication times the same or better where the ‘economies-of-speed’ allow smaller mother-glass size during production.

This will lead to a modular production system, said Prof Debadutta of IIT Madras.

Location

The ARC is located in the Department of Electrical Engineering, IIT Madras. It consists of cleanrooms with ‘class 100’ and ‘class 1000’ ratings.

The major fabrication system is an OLED cluster where multilayer OLEDs can be grown with precise control of the growth parameters.

The system has state-of-the-art pixel patterning system that has been designed by a team at IIT Madras.

The Centre has facilities to characterize the devices where the optoelectronic properties are studied.

While the major effort of the Centre is to develop AMOLED displays, the Centre also works on white OLEDs for lighting and TV as well as on organic photovoltaic devices.

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