President of India Droupadi Murmu graced the diamond jubilee celebrations of All India Institute of Speech and Hearing (AIISH) at Mysuru, Karnataka, yesterday.

Thawar Chand Gehlot, Governor of Karnataka; Siddaramaiah, Chief Minister of Karnataka; Anupriya Patel, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare; Dinesh Gundu Rao, Health Minister, Karnataka; Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, Member of Parliament, Mysore, were also present.

In her address, Murmu stated that “It gives me immense pleasure to be present among all of you at the Diamond Jubilee Celebration of this prestigious institution, which has made significant contributions in the fields of education, medical, and research in speech and hearing. On this historic occasion, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all the former and current directors, faculty members, administrators, and students associated with this institution for their valuable contributions in the diagnosis and treatment of communication disorders.”

Established in 1965, AIISH is an autonomous body under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. It is a premier establishment across South Asia, for human resource development, clinical services, training, research, public education, and extension services in the field of communication disorders. AIISH was set up with the objective of providing care and rehabilitation for communication disorders. The Institute not only offers diploma, graduate, postgraduate, doctoral, and postdoctoral fellowship courses but also provides care and treatment for speech and hearing disorders, while supporting patients and their families through rehabilitation. AIISH is now recognised as a centre of excellence in its field in the South East Asia region.

The event was also attended by V. Hekali Zhimomi, Additional Secretary, MoHFW and senior officers of the Government of India and the state government, along with the faculty members and students of AIISH.