President Murmu honours 92 doctors at AIIMS Bilaspur's first convocation
Synopsis
India's first President to preside over an AIIMS Bilaspur convocation, Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday honoured 92 doctors from the institution's very first graduating batch — a milestone for a ₹1,470-crore hospital that already runs health camps in remote Himalayan regions like Kaza and Keylong. Her Himachal visit also revives a long-deferred trip to the world's longest highway tunnel, the Atal Tunnel at Rohtang.
Key Takeaways
President Droupadi Murmu presided over AIIMS Bilaspur's first convocation on 6 October 2026 , honouring 92 doctors from the 2020 MBBS batch .
Five gold medals were awarded to students who topped their respective categories.
Union Health Minister J.P.
Nadda , HP Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla , and CM Sukhvinder Sukhu attended the ceremony.
AIIMS Bilaspur was built at a cost of over ₹1,470 crore and has 750 beds , 18 speciality and 17 super-speciality departments across 247 acres .
The President is scheduled to visit the Atal Tunnel at Rohtang on 7 October ; traffic restrictions are in place from 8 pm Tuesday to noon Wednesday .
President Murmu's Himachal Pradesh visit concludes on 8 October with a return to New Delhi .
President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday, 6 October 2026, presided over the first-ever convocation of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Bilaspur in Himachal Pradesh, honouring 92 doctors from the 2020 MBBS batch — the institution's inaugural graduating class. The ceremony marks a landmark moment for a hospital that has rapidly grown into a critical healthcare node for the hill state and its remote Himalayan regions.
The Convocation Ceremony
President Murmu arrived at the AIIMS Bilaspur helipad at approximately 10.35 am and proceeded directly to the venue. The graduating doctors received their degrees dressed in traditional kurta-pyjama and caps, an attire prescribed by the AIIMS administration for both male and female graduates. The ceremony opened with a group photograph of the entire batch.
President Murmu personally presented gold medals to five students who topped their respective categories before distributing degrees to the remaining graduates. The AIIMS administration also gifted her a traditional Ransingha as a commemorative memento, along with idols of Baba Balak Nath and Shri Naina Devi as ceremonial gifts.
Senior Leaders in Attendance
The event drew a prominent gathering of national and state-level dignitaries. Union Health and Family Welfare Minister J.P. Nadda, Himachal Pradesh Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla, and Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu were among those present, underscoring the political and administrative significance attached to the institution's first graduating cohort.
About AIIMS Bilaspur
AIIMS Bilaspur was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 5 October 2022, with its foundation stone laid by the Prime Minister back in October 2017. The institution was established under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana, a Central sector scheme aimed at expanding tertiary healthcare access beyond metropolitan centres.
Constructed at a cost of over ₹1,470 crore, the hospital is spread across 247 acres and features 18 speciality and 17 super-speciality departments, 18 modular operation theatres, and 750 beds including 64 ICU beds. It operates 24-hour emergency and dialysis facilities. Notably, the hospital runs health camps in remote tribal and high-altitude areas such as Kaza, Saluni, and Keylong, extending specialist care to populations historically underserved by the formal health system.
President's Himachal Pradesh Itinerary
Following the Bilaspur engagement, President Murmu is scheduled to travel to Manali, where she will stay at the hill resort town. On 7 October, her programme includes a visit to the Hidimba Temple and the strategically significant Atal Tunnel at Rohtang in Lahaul-Spiti district. The visit to the tunnel is part of the President's officially announced programme — notably, a similar visit during her April Himachal Pradesh tour was cancelled due to adverse weather.
In preparation, the local administration has announced that from 8 pm on Tuesday until noon on Wednesday, the movement of regular vehicles from Palchan towards the Atal Tunnel Rohtang will remain closed. No vehicles of any kind will be permitted along the designated route during this window, with authorities appealing to residents and tourists to use alternative routes. Security and traffic arrangements have been tightened across the region.
The 9.02-km-long Atal Tunnel, inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi on 3 October 2020, is the longest highway tunnel in the world. Built at an altitude of 3,000 metres in the Pir Panjal range, it provides all-weather connectivity between Manali and the Lahaul-Spiti Valley, reducing road distance by 46 km and travel time by approximately four to five hours. Before the tunnel, the valley was cut off for nearly six months each year due to heavy snowfall. President Murmu is scheduled to conclude her Himachal Pradesh visit on 8 October and return to New Delhi.
Point of View
Yet the real measure of success is whether graduates stay and serve in the region rather than migrating to better-paying urban postings. The hospital's outreach camps in Kaza and Keylong suggest intent, but retaining talent in high-altitude, under-resourced settings remains a structural challenge. The President's visit — and the political weight it carries — is a reminder of how heavily these institutions depend on sustained political attention to stay funded and functional.
NationPress
6 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened at the AIIMS Bilaspur convocation on 6 October 2026?
President Droupadi Murmu presided over the first-ever convocation of AIIMS Bilaspur, honouring 92 doctors from the 2020 MBBS batch — the institution's inaugural graduating class. She presented gold medals to five category toppers and distributed degrees to the remaining graduates.
When was AIIMS Bilaspur established and what does it offer?
AIIMS Bilaspur was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 5 October 2022, with its foundation stone laid in October 2017 under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana. Built at a cost of over ₹1,470 crore, it has 750 beds, 18 speciality and 17 super-speciality departments, and runs health camps in remote Himalayan areas.
What is President Murmu's itinerary for the rest of her Himachal Pradesh visit?
After the Bilaspur convocation, President Murmu is travelling to Manali. On 7 October she will visit the Hidimba Temple and the Atal Tunnel at Rohtang in Lahaul-Spiti, before concluding her visit on 8 October and returning to New Delhi.
Why is traffic restricted near the Atal Tunnel during President Murmu's visit?
The local administration has closed regular vehicle movement from Palchan towards the Atal Tunnel Rohtang from 8 pm on Tuesday until noon on Wednesday due to security arrangements for the President's visit. Residents and tourists have been asked to use alternative routes.
What is the significance of the Atal Tunnel that President Murmu will visit?
The 9.02-km Atal Tunnel is the longest highway tunnel in the world, connecting Manali to the Lahaul-Spiti Valley at an altitude of 3,000 metres. It reduces road distance by 46 km and travel time by four to five hours, and provides all-weather connectivity to a valley that was previously cut off for about six months each year due to snowfall.
