PUBLIC HEALTH MONUMENTS ICMR Headquarters – The Marrow of Research

You might have heard of the seven wonders of the world, as a symbol of antiquity and heritage. Let us take you to the interesting visit of the Public Health Monuments; the rich heritage of our Public Health. Let’s have a look how this important establishment have lead to the transformation of Public Health.

Starting our journey with ICMR Headquarters, New Delhi…

It is one of the oldest research body among the world. Established in 1911, in New Delhi. It is the apex body in India for the formulation, coordination and promotion of biomedical research. It is playing a pivotal role in transforming the health care sector of Nation.

Vision:

Translating research into action for improving the health of the population.

Mission:

Generate new knowledge, increase focus on research, encourage innovation and inculcate the culture of research in academia.

The Council’s research aligns with national health priorities, focusing on communicable diseases, fertility control, maternal and child health, nutritional disorders, health care delivery strategies, environmental and occupational health, non-communicable diseases (e.g., cancer, cardiovascular issues, diabetes, blindness), mental health, and drug research, including traditional remedies.

ICMR Leadership:

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has several scientific positions, each with distinct roles and responsibilities. The posts can be divided into:-

• Scientific position: Director General and Deputy Director General, Scientist A (Junior Grade), B, C, D, E, F and G (Director Grade).
• Administrative position: Secretory, Section officer, Administrative officer.
• Technical and support staff: Technical officer, technicians and clerical staff.

At present ICMR has 21 research laboratories located in different parts of India and 6 regional medical centers. ICMR actively seeks IP rights in India and abroad to ensure the rapid and efficient development of new medical technologies by its scientists (1). Here is a list of prominent ICMR institutes across India, focusing on various areas of medical research:

Biomedical Research Institutes:

1. National Institute of Virology (NIV) – Pune
2. National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health (NIRRH) – Mumbai
3. National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis (NIRT) – Chennai
4. National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) – Hyderabad
5. National Institute of Epidemiology (NIE) – Chennai
6. National AIDS Research Institute (NARI) – Pune
7. National Institute of Malaria Research (NIMR) – New Delhi
8. National Institute for Research in Environmental Health (NIREH) – Bhopal

Regional Research Institutes:

1. Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC), Dibrugarh – Assam
2. Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC), Bhubaneswar – Odisha
3. Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC), Port Blair – Andaman and Nicobar Islands
4. National Institute of Research in Tribal Health (NIRTH) – Jabalpur
5. Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC), Belagavi – Karnataka

Disease-Specific Institutes:

1. National Institute for Research in Leprosy and Other Mycobacterial Diseases (NIREM) – Chennai
2. National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases (NICED) – Kolkata
3. Vector Control Research Centre (VCRC) – Puducherry
4. National Institute of Cancer Prevention and Research (NICPR) – Noida
5. National Institute of Immunohaematology (NIIH) – Mumbai
6. National JALMA Institute for Leprosy and Other Mycobacterial Diseases – Agra

Other Institutes:

1. Desert Medicine Research Centre (DMRC) – Jodhpur
2. Centre for Research in Medical Entomology (CRME) – Madurai
3. Enterovirus Research Centre (ERC) – Mumbai

Contribution of ICMR in health care:

During COVID 19 it had played a pivotal role in testing, research and vaccine development(eg covaxin). It had also contributed to India’s Polio free certification via strong surveillience. It has played a pivotal role in National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme, National AIDS Control Organization with efficient control of vector borne diseases like Malaria and Kala Azar. It also runs the National Cancer Registry Programme helping in improving cancer statistics.

Economics of Research in India:

ICMR is under the Department of Health Research of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The Department of Health Research has received appx. 3.3% of the total health budget and the health budget for ICMR in the financial year for 2024 to 2025 was (reduced from 2882 Cr  to)  2732 Cr.

The Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare (2023) noted that in 2021-22, total spending on health research in India was 0.02% of GDP. In 2017, the United States and United Kingdom spent 0.65% and 0.44% of their GDP on health research, respectively. The Committee recommended increasing health research spending to 0.1% of GDP. (2)

A meet with the Scientist:

I got the opportunity to talk to a scientist, working at the position of Scientist-D. When I asked what are the opportunities one could have while joining as a scientist in ICMR, he replied ‘Sky is the limit’. He added there is opportunity to develop expertise as per the disease/ domain in which you are interested.  When asked about the patient exposure he replied that he miss the clinical touch but he enjoys his work as a scientist here, especially the field experience while doing the epidemiological and implementation research.

*Photo clicked by:- Dr Samidha Kushwaha

Dr. Chandrakant Gopal Pandit was the first Indian Director of ICMR, his leadership laid the foundation for ICMR to become a globally recognized institution. You can get his autobiography for free on visiting the the ICMR Headquarters, New Delhi .

Reference:-

• Indian Council of Medical Research. ICMR [Internet]. New Delhi: ICMR; 2025. [updated 2025 Jan 1; cited 2025 Jan 23].
• Ministry of Finance, Department of Economic Affairs. Economic Survey 2023-24. New Delhi: Department of Economic Affairs; July 2024.