Dr. Jitendra Singh meets SKIMS chief on diabetes research
Synopsis
Union Science and Technology Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh met SKIMS Director and Endocrinology Professor Dr. Mohammad Ashraf Ganie on August 14, 2026, to discuss recent research projects on Diabetes and Metabolic Disorders, reflecting the Centre's engagement with regional medical research institutions.
Key Takeaways
Jitendra Singh met SKIMS Director Dr.
Mohammad Ashraf Ganie on August 14, 2026 to discuss diabetes and metabolic disorder research.
SKIMS (Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences) is based in Soura, Srinagar and is J&K's premier tertiary care and research institution.
Ganie is a Professor of Endocrinology and a long-standing professional colleague of the Minister.
The engagement reflects the Science and Technology Ministry's broader pattern of dialogue with regional medical institutes on non-communicable disease research.
India's NPCDCS , launched in 2010 , provides the policy framework underpinning such diabetes research collaborations.
Where science policy meets clinical frontlines, Union Science and Technology Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh sat down with one of Jammu and Kashmir's foremost endocrinologists on Friday, August 14, 2026 — a quiet but purposeful exchange that signals the Centre's continued attention to non-communicable disease research in the region.
SKIMS Director brings diabetes research agenda to the table
Dr. Mohammad Ashraf Ganie, Director of the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) in Soura, Srinagar, called on Dr. Jitendra Singh to discuss recent research projects in the field of Diabetes and Metabolic Disorders. Dr. Ganie, a Professor of Endocrinology and a long-standing professional colleague of the Minister, leads one of the region's premier tertiary care and research institutions.
SKIMS has long been the anchor of advanced medical education and research in Jammu and Kashmir, and Dr. Ganie's specialisation in endocrinology places him at the centre of a growing national health challenge — India now carries one of the largest diabetes burdens in the world.
A meeting shaped by national health priorities
The engagement fits a broader pattern of the Science and Technology Ministry maintaining active dialogue with regional medical institutes on non-communicable disease research. Bodies such as ICMR and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) have channelled funding toward state-level centres for exactly this kind of work — diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and related conditions that disproportionately affect populations across the subcontinent.
India's National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS), launched in 2010, laid the policy foundation for this push. Meetings like this one are where that policy framework meets ground-level research reality.
Whether the discussion translates into collaborative research grants or expanded SKIMS projects under national health research schemes will be worth watching in the weeks ahead — but the conversation has clearly begun.
Point of View
Which is navigating a post-reorganisation institutional landscape, SKIMS's visibility at the ministerial level carries significance beyond a single conversation. Dr. Jitendra Singh's dual role — straddling science policy and the PMO — means such engagements can accelerate funding pathways faster than standard bureaucratic channels. The real test will be whether this dialogue produces a tangible research collaboration or grant, or remains a cordial professional exchange.
NationPress
14 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Dr. Jitendra Singh and SKIMS Director discuss?
They discussed recent research projects undertaken at SKIMS in the field of Diabetes and Metabolic Disorders, as confirmed by Dr. Jitendra Singh's post on August 14, 2026.
Who is Dr. Mohammad Ashraf Ganie?
Dr. Mohammad Ashraf Ganie is the Director of the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) in Soura, Srinagar, and a Professor of Endocrinology specialising in diabetes and metabolic disorders.
What is SKIMS and where is it located?
SKIMS, or Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, is an autonomous medical institute in Soura, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, focused on tertiary care, medical education, and research.
What is Dr. Jitendra Singh's role in science and health policy?
Dr. Jitendra Singh is Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, and also a Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office — giving him oversight of major research funding bodies including ICMR and DBT.
What national programme covers diabetes research in India?
The National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS), launched in 2010, is the primary government framework for addressing diabetes and related non-communicable diseases in India.
