Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare, Jagat Prakash Nadda will lay the foundation stone for the ICMR Centre for High Altitude Medicine and Public Health Research at Keylong in Himachal Pradesh's Lahaul & Spiti district on July 11, 2026.

The Centre, being established by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) under the Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, will transform ICMR's existing field station at Keylong into a multidisciplinary hub for research, innovation and capacity building focused on India's high-altitude and climate-sensitive regions.

Designed to address the unique healthcare challenges of the Himalayan ecosystem, the Centre will undertake research on high-altitude physiology, mountain medicine, climate-sensitive and emerging diseases, infectious and non-communicable diseases, maternal and child health, nutrition, mental health, environmental and occupational health, and disaster medicine. 

It will also leverage digital health, telemedicine, drone-enabled healthcare logistics, and real-time public health surveillance to strengthen healthcare delivery in remote regions.

Located in the strategically important border district of Lahaul & Spiti, the Centre will provide year-round access to high-altitude and tribal populations, enabling long-term field studies and research on environmental determinants of health. 

The Centre will collaborate with the Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS), the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the Government of Himachal Pradesh, and leading academic and research institutions in India and abroad to promote translational research and evidence-based policymaking. 

The initiative also aligns with the Government's vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat in health research.

The foundation stone ceremony will feature a traditional Bhumi Pujan and groundbreaking, plantation of native Himalayan saplings under the Green ICMR Campus Initiative, a scientific exhibition, the launch of the Centre's website and introductory film, and the release of a commemorative postal special cover. 

The event will be attended by Members of Parliament and the Legislative Assembly from the region, the Defence Secretary, the Chief Secretary of Himachal Pradesh, senior officials from the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, ICMR, the Armed Forces, partner institutions, scientists, public representatives, and members of the local community.