Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has been a pioneer in addressing the ever increasing scientific advances of biomedical research. It has always taken initiatives for finding affordable solutions for healthcare problems in India. ICMR has progressed a long way in pursuit of scientific achievements that have been made in the field of communicable diseases, fertility control, maternal and child health, nutritional disorders, strategies for healthcare delivery, non-communicable diseases like cancer, cardiovascular diseases, blindness, diabetes, etc. While ICMR continues its journey in biomedical research, it is time to take technologies developed by our scientists to the mass market ultimately benefiting the mankind. With this intent, ICMR indeed is excited to partner with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) for Health Technology Accelerated Commercialisation Program (H:TAC) program taking its technologies from labs to the consumer market to resolve the healthcare issues currently faced by the country. I am confident that with this collaboration with FICCI, ICMR technologies which have a huge potential of bringing down the disease burden of India.

Over the last few years, Indians have witnessed an increased awareness for better healthcare. As a result, the healthcare sector has seen an upward trend in demand for better healthcare services. While many private players have emerged in the country, accessibility of better healthcare solutions is still far-reaching as healthcare services are delivered using conventional methods and are unable to keep up its pace with the ever-increasing requirements. With the advent of technological advancements, ICMR has been working towards making technologies that are not only affordable but are accessible to all citizens of the country. Many such technologies developed by ICMR are ready for mass consumption. We at ICMR look forward to FICCI's expertise in the field of technology commercialisation in the national and international markets whereby these technologies would reach the common masses leading to significant improvements in the healthcare sector. The H:TAC program aims to support innovations of wider societal impact and help scale them to a level where the benefits reach to the last mile in the country.

FICCI has been a pioneer in the space of technology commercialisation and with its loads of experience, we are excited to be a part of India's Healthcare journey. ICMR, a leader in the biomedical research space, has developed many technologies that have a huge potential not only in India but several other developing countries in South Asia and Africa. We will work tandem with the government to ensure that the best ICMR technologies are made accessible and available to the fellow countrymen at an affordable cost. We are hopeful that through H:TAC program, FICCI in collaboration with IC² Institute, University of Texas, Austin and stakeholders from the sector will ensure that the technologies of ICMR are commercially available for consumption leading to a change in overall outlook of the Indian Healthcare system. With this program, FICCI intends to serve the population at large and would address the long felt developmental issues in a more effective and economical manner.

ICMR intends to make technologies that have the potential of positively impacting human life. Over the years, ICMR labs have developed many indigenous biomedical solutions that are highly cost effective. These technologies have huge potential and there is a dearth of such technologies for the common masses. Thus, it is time for us to take these technologies from lab’s shelf to real-time markets for consumption by end-users. In line with the national policy initiatives, ICMR aims to make quality healthcare technologies available to the masses and is indeed proud to be associated with FICCI & IC² Institute at University of Texas Austin for this purpose. We are sure that H:TAC program will have a far reaching impact on improving the state of Indian healthcare system.