"Doctors are Gods...": Karnataka CM DK Shivakumar at RGUHS Convocation

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], June 16 (ANI): Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Tuesday addressed the 28th annual convocation of Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences in Bengaluru, urging graduating doctors to uphold public trust, strengthen healthcare delivery in rural areas, and maintain the highest standards of medical ethics and education.
The Chief Minister said that doctors are regarded with deep faith by society and must live up to that responsibility.
CM Shivakumar, while addressing the graduating students, said that doctors are treated with immense trust by the public. He stated, "Doctors are gods in the eyes of people. People go to doctors with deep faith and trust; you must serve while preserving that faith of theirs."
He further highlighted the challenges in the medical profession and the global reputation of Karnataka-trained doctors.
Speaking on the occasion, he said,"You will face challenges every day in your profession. Indian doctors, especially those from Karnataka, are serving in hospitals all over the world. The quality of medical education in Karnataka is one of the best, not just in India but in the world."
Emphasising the need to expand healthcare access beyond urban centres, the Chief Minister underlined India's ongoing transformation in the health sector.
He said while addressing the convocation, CM Shivkumar stated that, "India is now at a turning point of social and technological transformation. Cutting-edge innovation has emerged in medical education and the health sector. You should not focus only on providing healthcare in urban areas. You must also focus on providing healthcare in rural areas."
Praising the state's Medical Education Minister, he also acknowledged administrative discipline in the department.
He said, "Medical Education Minister Sharanaprakash Patil is himself a doctor, and he has taken on this portfolio with the intent of serving this sector with great interest. During his tenure, he has been running the department with great discipline--discipline of a kind I have not seen in the last 30 years."
Stressing the importance of teachers and academic quality, Shivakumar said that institutions are defined by their faculty strength. He noted, "The strength of any university is not in number of its students or the number of degrees it issues. It is the quality of teachers that matters. Teachers must become mentors to students; they must be role models who support research. Let us all work together. In future, we shall all meet at the Ramanagara campus. The Government of Karnataka is committed to providing all the support this university needs."
Reflecting on his own personal journey, the Chief Minister said the convocation held special significance for him.
"This is the first speech I am making after assuming office as Chief Minister. I am a farmer by birth, an entrepreneur by profession, an educationist by choice, and a politician by interest. Rajiv Gandhi University is one of the largest health universities in the country. It has 1,044 affiliated colleges. Lakhs of students are studying here," he said.
Reflecting on Karnataka's contribution to the healthcare and IT sectors, he added that the state produces thousands of doctors annually and has a strong institutional base.
"Our state produces 72,000 graduates every year. It contributes 13,940 doctors a year, and our state produces the highest number of doctors in the world. Our state has talented human resources not only in the IT sector but in other sectors too. Bengaluru has 26 lakh IT professionals. California has 13 lakh IT professionals. Our state has the highest number of medical colleges. There are 72 medical colleges, which no other state in the country has. This is our strength. The finest doctors and nurses trained here are serving in the health sector across the world," he explained.
He further said the university has played a foundational role in producing healthcare professionals and noted its long academic legacy. "Rajiv Gandhi University stands as the foundational pillar for all of this. This university bears the name of our former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. He was the one who said that education is a means to bring equality in society. Over the past three decades, this university has produced 8 lakh graduates. Providing healthcare to and protecting all sections of society is the fundamental purpose of this university," he said.
Recalling his personal journey, the Chief Minister said the convocation held special significance for him, as he completed his own degree later in life. He added, "Because I entered politics during my student life, I could not obtain a degree. I received my degree from the University of Mysore in 2008, when I was 47. I had been a minister in the governments of Bangarappa and S.M. Krishna. But the joy I felt when I received my degree, I had never felt at any other time. Today, by God's grace, I have got the opportunity to serve all of you. History repeats itself. Today you have become graduates. A bright future lies before you. The whole world has turned its face towards us. Thank you for choosing this profession. You are setting out to achieve, keeping ideals and goals in your life. I wish you all the best," he said. (ANI)