Sustainability means making healthcare accessible and affordable to all: SIMATS chancellor

The inauguration of The Hindu Sustainability Dialogues 2026, in association with Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences (SIMATS), saw the presence of (from left to right) J. Kumutha, principal, Saveetha Medical College; Ashwani Kumar, vice chancellor, SIMATS; Dr. Ganapathy, honorary distinguished professor, IIM Jammu; N.M. Veeraiyan, chancellor, SIMATS; Sundaresan S., senior vice president, The Hindu; Sheeja S. Varghese, Registrar, SIMATS; Dhanraj Ganapathy, dean of sustainability, SIMATS | Photo Credit: J. Johan Sathyadas

True sustainability, said N.M. Veeraiyan, founder and chancellor, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences (SIMATS), lies in protecting human life, preserving human dignity, and making quality healthcare accessible and affordable for all. Dr. Veeraiyan was speaking at The Hindu’s Sustainability Dialogues 2026, presented by SIMATS, held on Tuesday (October 13, 2026).

Dr. Veeraiyan stressed the need for affordable healthcare and noted that the institute’s research goal was to ensure that it benefited society. He gave the example of an app developed by the institute that allowed patients to differentiate between gastric issues and a cardiac problem. He lauded the work of all the staff and students in ensuring that the institute was recognised as one of the top institutions in the country and in Tamil Nadu.